Tie Your Own Fly

It is a big thrill to hook into a fish any time but it is really fun when you land one on a fly that you tied on your own. Fishermen are always looking for some kind of an edge or advantage and many have found that the secret is in knowing how to tie your own fly. This way you can most mimic the insects and bugs that inhabit the river or stream that you fish and increase your chances of getting a strike.

Colors, shape and size are all important factors in coming up with a design for your fishing fly. Once you know which design you are going to follow it is important to get the proper equipment. A vise is an essential part of tying off a fly. It will hold the hook and the fly that you are working on while you are dressing it up. The vices are sold in clamp style or tabletop design. When you put the hook into the vice it should only be holding the bottom of the hook where it curves. After the hook is secured, it is time to install a bobbin over a spool of thread to get started.

The most basic type of fly is known as the bloodworm. It is also called a midge which is a favorite when fly fishing for rainbow trout. It is basically made by wrapping brightly colored thread around the main base of the hook in the shape of an inch worm. Secure the thread with cement so it doesn't unravel. Another popular fly is made in the leech pattern.

This requires dark colored thread as well as black chenille which is used for the body. The tail is made from black marabou which can be found in most tackle stores.

There are hundreds of different designs for flies and once you get experienced in the basics you can start to concoct a pattern of your own. There is no right or wrong design. Experiment with different colors and textures and see which materials the fish prefer, ultimately it is the choice they make that will affect how you tie the fly.