Week 1.2 of Fly Tying

I am very happy to say I have met my goal for week two.  My goal for this week was to have at least 3 flies tied so I could compare them to my first, and I was able to accomplish this.  Yes, I am still only on the basics with my flies, but I really feel as if I am getting the hang of it.  I have been using my dad for a resource more than anything and he has helped me a lot with new techniques and other cool tricks in completing each fly.  The background knowledge and skills he has are a great tool for me when I need help or have questions.

One of the new techniques I will be working on this week is incorporating new materials.  The main thing I would like to focus on is adding things in like bird wings and rabbit fur.  If these materials are tied in correctly they can have a great effect on how the fly looks and acts when it is in the water.  For instance, depending on the type of feather or hair I use, the fly will either sink or float.  These top water flies are known as a "dry fly."  When I have been fly fishing in the past, my favorite flies to use are these dry flies.  I enjoy using them because it allows me to see the fly the whole time, which helps me to be more aware and prepared when the fish swallows it. 

Overall, this was a good week for me.  I feel as though I had a little trouble with my time management, which is something that will have to change this week.  If I am not able to spend quality time working on these more complicated flies, the result will more than likely show.  The goals I have set for this week are very important because they are the next step in becoming good at this hobby.  Once I have got these skills down I should be able to make almost any fly.         
 

Week 1.1 of Fly Tying

Well, I am really excited to say I think I have found a new hobby in fly tying!  My goal for the first week of this eight week journey was to first learn the basics, and second, tie at least one fly.  I am very pleased to say I have tied three of them.  My dad did a very good job of getting all his equipment out and setting it up for me.  At first, I wasn't sure if he was going to have enough materials and tools for me to try all of the things I would like learn.  I quickly learned I was very wrong, as he had way more things than I had expected.  This helped me realize I should never doubt the abilities of my dad.

The first step I took in learning the basics of this art was to do what any teenage kid would do, YouTube it.  I was able to find a few really good videos that gave me some key pointers when tying a fly.  I used one of the videos to help guide me through tying my first fly.  I was very pleased with how it turned out!  This fly I tied was known as the "Buzzer."  It is a fairly basic fly but it is a very successful option when fishing for big trout.  To put this fly into perspective, it is about the size of an ant.  The hook used to tie it is a size 12, (extremely small).  Many people say big trout will almost always go for a very small Buzzer because they don't realize there is a hook hidden inside.

My plan for next week is to get a few more flies tied and expand on the level of difficulty with each one.  My dad has a couple of really good fly tying books with some really cool flies in them.  The book shows step-by-step how to tie each one and that will help me significantly!  I can't wait to continue this process and get better!