Fly Tying Fly tying is the art of making an artificial lure for fly fishing. A fly can be made of fur, feathers, thread and/or other materials.
Fly Tying Patterns There are many types of patterns for tying flies. Some patterns include those that imitate aquatic insects or mimic bugs. There are dry fly patterns, which float on the surface of the water. Another pattern is terrestrial, a dry or wet fly that is designed to imitate a ground insect. Also, a wet fly is a pattern that is fished under the surface of the water. An emerger is a wet fly that mimics the transitional form of an insect coming out of its nymphal cocoon. The nymph is a type of wet fly that imitates an aquatic insect such as a dragonfly, mayfly, and a damselfly. The streamer pattern is a wet fly that is longer than a normal fly. COMMON PATTERNS Dry Fly
Emerger
Nymph
Wet
Streamer
To make a successful pattern, a fly-tyer must be familiar with many different types of tools, materials and patterns. They also need to know what creatures inhabit the rivers, lakes and streams. Using fur, hooks, wire, thread, and feathers, many tiers can create very realistic flies. Some fly tiers don't aim to mimic looks of the insects but rather mimic the movements of the insect and the actions of the insects or fish in its environment. Fly Tying Equipment The tools you may need are a magnifying glass or hood, hackle gauges, lights, scissors, bobbins, and hair stackers. Some other optional tools are pliers, bodkins, toothpicks, and bobbin threaders. The materials you can use for fly tying include almost anything. Many fishermen use what they can find around their house. Some use fur, feathers, wire, yarn, synthetic materials, chenille, tinsels, and flosses.
The hooks help determine the shape and size of the fly. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes, weights and lengths, and will affect the fly tying process.
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