Clean, well proportioned flies are the mark of a good tyer.
Fly tying is a little bit craft, a little bit art and a little bit science. Even when tying simple flies it can be challenging to produce consistent results and top quality, especially when the patterns get small. Most tyers are self-taught and many never learn some of the fundamental skills which produce good results. I teach fly tying classes from time to time and I see tyers struggle with the same fundamental issues over and over. Spending some time on the basics will pay big dividends in both quality and efficiency.
HERE ARE 11 TIPS FOR TYING CLEANER, MORE CONSISTENT FLIES
Get the proportions right from the start.
You should be thinking about the placement of every element of a pattern from the first thread wraps. Each pattern has a code that’s easy to break down if you start off right. The key is to break down the hook shank into simple fractions. Here is an example. When tying any Gotcha style bonefish fly I use my thread to break the hook shank into quarters. I start the thread behind the eye and lay down a thread base to the middle of the hook. It’s easy for your eye to see halves, so I start by dividing the shank in half, then I wind half way back to the eye. That’s my first quarter, and that’s where my dumbbell eyes go.
If I were tying a parachute-style dry fly, I’d divide the shank into thirds and place my parachute post on the first third. Using these simple fractions not only insures that your flies are consistent, it insures that the proportions stay the same as the hook size changes. Your #20 flies will look like miniature versions of your #12s.
Measure and prep your materials by hook size.
Another key to keeping proportions consistent is to organize your materials by the size of the patterns you’re tying. Use a hackle gauge to select feathers which match the hook size and set aside as many as you will need for a tying session.
When tying in tails or wings, use the hook shank to measure the right length. Know the right proportion for the pattern you are tying and always use the hook as your reference. When using materials like hair, keep the number of fibers you gather in proportion with the size of the pattern. Smaller flies will require smaller clumps of hair.
Use the right thread.
Like every material used in a fly,