The Right Tools for the Job: Selecting the Correct Tying Tools

Here at Big Y Fly Co, we are into tying flies.  We talk with a lot folks just starting out with fishing or tying flies and the topic of fly...

Here at Big Y Fly Co, we are into tying flies.  We talk with a lot folks just starting out with fishing or tying flies and the topic of fly tying tools comes up often.  A lot of tools are not necessary, but do make tying certain pattern easier.  Others are required for a certain fly, but not for others.  Lets go over the basics of tools and their functions.

Regal Revolution is top shelf

Vise

Do I need one?  Yes
What is it?  A vise is the tool that holds the hook securely while you tie the fly.  Vises come either with a table clamp or a pedestal base.  The clamps are cheaper, but require something to clamp it to, like table.  The bases are more expensive and heavy.  The regal pocket base is like 7 pounds.

There are bunches of different ways to secure the hook, and I am not going to cover the different styles of vises here, but we do like the cam style better.  They are quicker, easier and more reliable.

Odyssey Spider Cam is a great deal

I believe that you get what you pay for, especially with vises.  The cheap ones tend to lose their ability to keep a hook secure pretty quickly.  I have a bunch of cheapies that I use to teach classes, and I have my Regal Revolution that I tie with at home.  There is no comparison between the shotty Chinese vises and the handcrafted Regal.  Get what you can afford with the vise.  Otherwise, you will be buying another one pretty quickly.  Griffin makes several popular vises that are good quality and not terribly expensive.  The Odyssey Spider Cam vise is very good for the money and our favorite for those just getting started.

Scissors

Do I need them?  YES!

Anvil scissors are a shop favorite.

What is it?  I think we all know what scissors are...  Not only do you need them, but soon, you will realize that you need a couple different types.  Some scissors are good at cutting precisely, but those are usually the same ones that are not great at cutting big bulky items like foam sheets and elk hair.

To start out, a good set of 3.5" or 4" straight blade scissor comes standard in most tying kits, and is recommended as an all round tool that can do it all.  Most consider 4" to be the "all around" size, but a 3.5" can do the trick just fine and are easier to deal with if you never take them off your hands while tying.

To do some really precise work with small flies and intricate cuts, you will want to use a scissor with smaller blades.  Here are three great scissors with awesome thin blades.  The thinner blades cut more delicately, but are not great for thicker materials.  After that first set you got with your kit, pick up a set of these:

Loon Ergo Micro Tip
Anvil Fine Point (shop favorite)
Dr. Slick Arrow Scissors

To tie big deer hair flies, like Muddler Minnows, Deer Hair Poppers or Steelhead Bombers, you will want to pick up a pair of Hair Scissors.  They are usually 4.5" long and are thick with longer blades.  Great for cutting hair, rabbit strips, and synthetic things like craft fur.  Dr. Slick Hair Scissors are great for that.  Beyond that, make sure that you have a pair of cheap scissors to cut ultra wire and other metal objects.  You don't want to ruin your nice stuff.

One last thing:  Curved scissors are great for making a precise cut, and are used a lot to trim hair on smaller flies.  Some tiers use them a lot, especially tiers that do intricate work.

We can go on and on about scissors, but ain't nobody got time for that.

Bobbin

Do I need one?  YES
What is it?  It holds the thread and allows you to add thread to the hook in an efficient manner.  A good bobbin will not put much pressure on one spot on your thread, so that you can keep the tension high and not break your thread.

This bobbin has a disc drag

Bobbins can be simple, or extremely complicated.  On the fancier side, Stonfo makes a bobbin with a disc drag!  Didn't know you needed that, right?  The most basic steel or brass bobbin will work for most tiers.  Those do not have any material liner in the tip of the bobbin, and they have a tendency to cause the thread to fray and break more often than a ceramic tipped bobbin, so there is that to consider.  Other materials you may see on the market include ruby, glass, plastic and foam tip inserts.  I have been using ceramic tipped bobbins for years now and will continue to do so.  Dr. Slick's Glass Bobbin is very popular with tiers that focus on small flies, as they claim that you get smoother delivery with glass over ceramic.

Length:  Shorter bobbins (like this 3" stubby) are better for small flies where accuracy is key.  Longer bobbins (like the Dr. Slick 4.75" ceramic bobbin)  are great for big flies and flies that require a lot of tension, like spinning deer hair.  A 4" ceramic bobbin is in the sweet middle spot and should last most fly tiers their whole lives.

Bodkin

Do I need one?  Many tiers never use one, but they are sure nice.

Bodkins have a bunch of nifty uses

What is it?  A bodkin is a long needle point tool that is used to loosen up materials that have been tied down in error.  For example, a woolly bugger is wrapped with hackle up the shank and then the hackle is counter-wrapped with wire.  When the wire is wrapped, it can bind up some of the hackle fibers.  You can use a bodkin to pick some of those fibers free.  It will look real nice and pretty.  Some tiers also use it to place head cement on the head of a fly.

Some tiers never use one.  There are efficient ways to make sure the hackle doesn't get bound up when you tie it in, as well as there are ways to make sure that you don't use too much head cement.  But some tiers love them and use them often.  Your call.  Loon has a nice one, but Dr. Slick is still the more popular option with Cascade Crest coming in with the more economical approach (plus it includes a threader).

Whip finished flies are more pro!

Whip Finish

Do I need one?  If you want to look cool, then yes.  But really, you should get one.
What is it?  A whip finish is a tool that allows the tier to knot the thread when they finish tying the fly.  While it is possible to use a half hitch knot instead, a whip finish creates a better knot that is cleaner and less likely to come unraveled or tangle up materials when you tie it in.  It is not all that easy to learn, but once you do, it is quick and ensures your flies are finished properly and professionally.  Most anglers use the basic 4" whip finish, but  the 6" one is sure nice and quick, and is like driving an old Cadillac.

Half Hitch Tool

Do I need one?  If you don't use a whip finish, then you probably should get one.
What is it?  A half hitch tool is a tube that fits over the eye of the fly and allows you to tie a half hitch knot in the thread and slide it down onto the eye in order to complete your fly.  Easy.  The big drawback is that half hitches are not the best knot to finish a fly, just the quickest and easiest.

Rotating Hackle Pliers

Hackle Pliers

Do I need them?  If you tie dry flies
What are they?  Hackle pliers are little clamps that lock down on the end of a hackle.  They make it easier to wrap hackle, especially on a dry fly.  It is awfully hard to tie a good dry fly without them, but it is possible, I guess.

There are fancy rotating hackle pliers, and various sizes, but I have been getting along fine with the basic English Hackle Pliers forever now.  I don't tie a lot of dry flies, so if that is your game, then the fancy rotating ones might be better for you.

Hair Packer - get that hair packed tight!

Hair Packer (not a Hair Stacker)

Do I need one?  If you tie packed hair flies, like mice, bass hair poppers or other flies with thick hair heads.  Otherwise, not at all
What is it?  A Hair Packer is made to push deer hair tightly together after you have added a chunk to the hook.

This allows you to tie more hair onto the hook to create a thick, buoyant fly.   You cannot tie a good hair bug without one.  If you don't tie those type of flies, then you will likely never use it.

Hair Stacker (not a Hair Packer)

Hair Stackers are useful

Do I need one?  Probably... Do you tie a muddler, stimulator or elk hair caddis?  Then yes.
What is it?  A hair stacker is two round tubes, one is hollow and fits in the other, which has a heavy closed end on the bottom.  Add deer or elk hair, tips down and then tap the table with it a few times.

This lines up the hair tips to create that even wing that we like on our elk hair style flies.  This is also what is used to create a nice collar on muddler minnows.  You will most likely need this to tie a bunch of really popular patterns.  Dr. Slick makes them in three sizes, (small, medium and large)and Cascade Crest makes a nice one that is about the same size as the medium Dr. Slick.

Bobbin threaders are optional

Bobbin Threader

Do I need this?  Probably not, but some people like all the gadgets
What is it?  A bobbin threader fits inside the tube of your bobbin when you are ready to switch threads, or when you break the thread and need to re-thread it.  Just push the threader down, it will stick out the end.  Put some thread in the loop at the end of the threader and pull it back through the bobbin.  It makes it pretty darn quick and easy to switch thread.
I have never used one.

Dubbing Combs add a nice finish

Dubbing Brush/Comb

Do I need one?  No, but they do make flies look more pro.
What is it?  It is a tool that can vary a bit on style, but it is used to fluff up dubbing on flies.  It does a good job.  Think of it as sandpaper.  It helps the woodworker make that finished product look smooth and clean.  It is by no means a necessity, but most pro tiers use them.  There is a toothbrush style and a pick style.  I am sure they are both equally fine at their task with the toothbrush one generally used on bigger flies.

Dubbing Twister/Spinner

Do I need one?  Probably not.

Spinners are fun but not necessary

What is it?  This tool makes it possible to create a "dubbing loop".  A dubbing loop is what you get when you make a big loop with some thread and then fill that loop with dubbing and then twist it all together.  You can essentially make chenille with this tool.  It is fun to create dubbing loops, and I think that they come out more even with more control on the thickness in the dubbing.  This tool can also be used to create "composite loops" which are suuuuper fun to do, but not at all necessary on a trout fly, ever.  I use these all the time with my steelhead bunny leeches.  It allows you to add the zonker strip to the loop, then cut off the hide and keep the long hair.  This makes leeches with thicker bodies and no hide, which is heavy when it gets wet.  But again, most tiers don't use them unless they are into fancy streamers or Pacific Winter Steelhead.

There are basic ones that are easy, like Dr. Slick Dubbing Hook or the Dubbing Twister.  Loon also makes a pretty nice one too that has a removable clip, although the Stonfo Dubbing Tool is our clear favorite.  It has bearings in it and makes spinning that dubbing loop really easy.

Tweezers are popular

Tweezers

Do I need them?  Doubtful
What are they?  I think we all know what tweezers are.  What are they used for in fly tying?  I guess the same stuff as in life; grasping tiny things.  I don't think I have ever used the for fly tying, but we sure sell plenty of them.  Dr. Slick Bishop Tweezers seem to be very popular as well as the "Extra Hand"  I can see using them, but I have never had to so far.




We sure hope that this helps you decipher what tools you need, what they are used for and whether you have the right ones to tie the flies you need!  Please give us a call, live chat or email if you have any questions!  Tight lines and tie one on!

Andrew Perrault
-Fishing, usually not catching