Once upon a time, many moons ago…I guess those tying flies were pretty much restricted to one type of thread, or silk known as Pearsall’s, which in fact was not developed for tying flies, but nonetheless, it was fit for purpose. Of course, over time, threads have been developed with the specific idea of fly tying in mind, giving us modern day fly-tiers a wide range of threads, for various applications. Those new to fly tying often find the different thread types confusing and that’s before we even begin to discuss thread thickness, or denier, which we’ll discuss in the next newsletter. Outlined here are a selection of thread types we might choose and their various applications.

Originally labeled the “Bristol Hopper” what we now know as the ‘Hopper’ was developed in the Bristol area on reservoirs like Chew Valley some years ago now. The original I believe was the Amber Hopper though theses days this dressing has been used as a blue print for all the hoppers we see today.

Top Fly Tying Materials That Won’t Break The Bank! Remember, we only recommend what we use ourselves! If you don't tie, don't worry, our top fly recommendations are here too! Often described like “kids in a sweet shop” it can be a fly tyers paradise scouring the internet for fly tying materials. Now that’s all good and well, if you know what you need and what you're looking at! However for novice fly tyers it can be a daunting task at picking out the right materials. This is where we, your good friends at The Essential Fly come in. We’ve hand picked some of the hottest fly tying materials that are taking the world by storm. And the best bit? All at affordable prices! Keep scrolling to see the materials you need to start your fly tying adventure!

Paul Proctor Advice on vices you need to know! With the dawning of a new year, our thoughts often turn to topping up our fly boxes. There’ll be those too who are even thinking of embarking on the wonderful journey of tying their own flies! Naturally the first thing to considered is a fly tying vice, which firmly holds the hook whilst we create our imitations.

For beginners the choice can be bewildering to say the least. Here’s our lowdown on a vice to suit all pockets and abilities. There’s no point in spending hundreds of pounds on your first vice and depending on the style of fishing you do (i.e. salmon fishing, or trout fishing), your requirements from a vice will be very different. Equally, as individuals, we all tie flies slightly differently that will see our demands on a vice vary. For those investing in their first vice then, it needn’t cost a fortune. A fixed head (one that doesn’t rotate), with a fixed jaw angle is absolutely fine to learn your trade and can cost as little as a tenner!

Fly Tying Thread Selection

Dernier, aught ie 8/0 polyester it all gets a little confusing. See Paul's simple guide to thread selection

Thread:
Selection Process
Characteristics
Twisted or Untwisted?

Frightful things can happen...SOLUTIONS!
Snagging a Fly!
Tying Thread Snapped!

In this episode of RIO’s Fly Tying Tips, Brita shows how to save (and continue to tie) a fly when your tying thread breaks in the middle of tying it - something that happens to all fly tiers!