Tools

The Vise

For a discussion on vises, how to set them up, and use them please see section 1 (The Vise) in the Basic Skills section.

Lamp

A good light source is important since you are working on small details. If you don’t have the fly you are working on well lit, your eyes will get sore after awhile. You can get fancy lamps with magnifiers built in but the regular lamp you use when doing homework is fine.

Bobbin

This simple tool is a must. You can add and remove spools of thread. Later, if you decide to carry on with the fly tying hobby, you may gather a selection of thread colour and sizes. Then you can change spools according to the colour of the fly you are tying. There is one important point to note. The cheaper bobbins can be very frustrating to use. They will often shred the thread causing it to break while you are tying the fly. You can purchase bobbins that have a ceramic insert in the tube. This not only keeps the thread from shredding but makes the bobbin last longer. Unfortunately the bobbins with the ceramic inserts are much more expensive. If you decide to buy the cheaper bobbin model, ask the clerk if you can bring it back if it shreds your thread. To see how to thread the bobbin and adjust its tension, see section 3 (Bobbin and Thread) in the Basic Skills section.

Bobbin Threader

The wire loop you see in the picture is pushed down the tube and then used to pull the thread through the bobbin tube. Many fly tyers don’t bother with this tool. They would rather suck the thread through the tube or if necessary use a piece of crimped nylon leader. The problem with sucking the thread through is that sometimes you just can't get it to go. Also if bobbins are shared (such as in school fly tying clubs), there is a hygiene concern. The down side to a bobbin threader is that it may scratch the inside of your bobbin. This can then lead to the thread shredding when tying a fly. These tools are very inexpensive and are handy if the ‘sucking’ method gives you trouble. To see how to use the bobbin threader and ‘suck’ method, see section 3 (Bobbin and Thread) in the Basic Skills section.

Scissors

To start off with, an inexpensive pair will do. The smaller type, approximately 5 cm long, are best. If you get more into the hobby you will probably want to purchase a better quality pair with very fine points. This allows you to make precise cuts closer to the fly. Then you can use your inexpensive pair for cutting harder materials such as tinsel, lead wire, etc.

Pliers (needle nose)

These are used for crimping down the barbs of a hook. Make sure you get the ones with smooth jaws. As a beginner you may want to keep the barbs on your hook so you don’t lose your fish as easily. However, in many waters, regulations state that your hook must be barbless. Also it is important to have barbless hooks when you are ‘catching and releasing’. If you keep the barb on, it will rip off portions of the fish’s mouth as you pull the hook out. A natural tendency for beginners is to keep their fish but with time you will want to keep only what you can use that day and let the rest go. If you are not a fan of cooked fish, let them all go.

Bodkin / Half- hitch tool

This tool can be very handy if you need to pull at something, part materials, and so on. The half-hitch end is used for tying off a fly once you have finished it. You can get away without this tool. You can substitute a toothpick or large pin for the bodkin. For the half-hitch tool you can use an inexpensive pen with the refill removed. Another option, for those who tie a wider variety of fly types and sizes, is to purchase a half-hitch tool set. Here you have several half-hitch tools of different size holes at each end. Different size hooks have different sized eyes. From the set you can pick the tool that will be just right size for the hook being used. To see how the half- hitch tool is used see section 8 (Finishing the Fly) in the Basic Skills section.

Hackle Pliers

This tool is designed to grip the end of hackle feathers. Hackle feathers are discussed in the ‘Materials’ section. This tool has many other handy uses. If you break your thread, you can clip this tool onto the loose end and let it hang. This will keep what you have wrapped from unravelling while you start the thread again. If you cut your material too short and find your fingers in the way as you are trying to wrap, clip this tool on and it will make the job easier. Of course, you can also use it to hold hackle while you wrap it around your hook. Place your finger inside the rounded section of the tool. It can then slip around your finger as you wrap the hackle around the hook. If you don’t use the hackle pliers you need to pass the feather from hand to hand as it gets wrapped. Two designs are shown in the picture. Many people prefer the original all metal design. Others like the one with the rubber pad. They claim this pad holds the material better and lessens breakage.

Toothpicks

Toothpicks are mainly used for adding head cement when you have finished your fly. They can also be used like a bodkin.