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YES! Welcome! Fly tying is one of the most rewarding hobbies I've taken up and this includes actually fishing. I have been tying for 3-4 years now, and find that it is one of the most relaxing creative outlets I've found. I'm a designer by profession, so maybe that's why I enjoy it so much, but it is also wildly rewarding catching fish on your own flies, but as Dan Marino has posted before, it is even more rewarding when you start riffing at the vise, tie up an original pattern, and then catch a fish on that! Wow! fun stuff.
So, like many people, I am guilty of going overboard and my supply bins are overflowing with materials. It is nice as I can almost tie any warmwater fly out there with my supplies. That being said, I would start out identifying one or two flies to tie and get materials for just those. I started with an olive bugger for bass and a royal wulff for dry fly fishing brookies in the shenandoah. I quickly expanded my offerings after, but as stated above, you can make do with buggers and clousers for most warmwater or salt fish. BUT, I really enjoy tying and then fishing the complex stuff. Sure, I get outfished by buddies throwing buggers, but it sure is fun to fish mini sex dungeons...also fun to say.
As for vices, I use an Wolff apex vice for traveling as it is light with the c-clamp. My main desk vice is the peak rotary, which is one of the highest quality rotary vices out there for around 100 bucks. I tie a lot of deer hair flies so a true rotary vice with a strong grip is essential. All this being said, I started with a tying kit. I would NOT recommend buying a new kit as you will (most likely) not use all the materials included and likely replace the vice within a year. New ones are $$, but I found a used kit online for 20 bucks. Well worth it. I saw what I liked in a vice and what I didn't.
Ultimately, this is a great sport and a very social hobby. There are many groups out there that meet up. I'm closer to DC, so I am a member of the tidal potomac fly rodders http://www.tpfr.org/
We meet monthly for beer ties in Arlington. Basically, it's just a bunch of folks who meet up for burgars, beer, and fishing talk. Some tie, some don't. Just a nice community. If you are in the area, You should definitely come. We have a starter table where Rob Snowhite teaches a pattern to beginners and all vices and materials are provided.
Holler if you have any questions about anything!
Cheers
So, like many people, I am guilty of going overboard and my supply bins are overflowing with materials. It is nice as I can almost tie any warmwater fly out there with my supplies. That being said, I would start out identifying one or two flies to tie and get materials for just those. I started with an olive bugger for bass and a royal wulff for dry fly fishing brookies in the shenandoah. I quickly expanded my offerings after, but as stated above, you can make do with buggers and clousers for most warmwater or salt fish. BUT, I really enjoy tying and then fishing the complex stuff. Sure, I get outfished by buddies throwing buggers, but it sure is fun to fish mini sex dungeons...also fun to say.
As for vices, I use an Wolff apex vice for traveling as it is light with the c-clamp. My main desk vice is the peak rotary, which is one of the highest quality rotary vices out there for around 100 bucks. I tie a lot of deer hair flies so a true rotary vice with a strong grip is essential. All this being said, I started with a tying kit. I would NOT recommend buying a new kit as you will (most likely) not use all the materials included and likely replace the vice within a year. New ones are $$, but I found a used kit online for 20 bucks. Well worth it. I saw what I liked in a vice and what I didn't.
Ultimately, this is a great sport and a very social hobby. There are many groups out there that meet up. I'm closer to DC, so I am a member of the tidal potomac fly rodders http://www.tpfr.org/
We meet monthly for beer ties in Arlington. Basically, it's just a bunch of folks who meet up for burgars, beer, and fishing talk. Some tie, some don't. Just a nice community. If you are in the area, You should definitely come. We have a starter table where Rob Snowhite teaches a pattern to beginners and all vices and materials are provided.
Holler if you have any questions about anything!
Cheers
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