Fly Tying
Fly tying is the simple process of binding various materials to a hook using mostly thread.
Why tie your own flies? It fills a need to create something with your hands. It’s a fun way to learn entomology (the study of insects). There’s no better feeling than catching a fish on a fly that you have tied — it’s fly fishing’s perfect circle. Fly tying is an art form: there are endless possibilities for creative expression. Lastly, what else are you going to do when it’s too cold to fish?
Fly Tying Lessons at CYO
In CYO’s Fly Tying course, CYO instructors will introduce you to the fly tying tools needed to make flies. You’ll learn how to use a vise, bobbin, bodkin, half-hitch tool, hackle plier, hair stacker,and whip finish tool. You will also learn how to tie a few basic (and fish favorite) flies.
CYO’s 3-week fly tying curriculum:
Week one will cover the materials, tools and techniques used for fly tying. CYO will teach students how to attach the thread to the hook and perform a whip finish with one fly pattern. We will also introduce how to wrap wire for the second fly pattern.
Week 2 we will review the skills learned last week and the tools used. We will tie two new flies: one to introduce the skill of adding a bead and dubbing, and another to introduce how to wrap herl and hackle.
Week 3 we’ll tie two more flies that encompass all the skills learned over the last 2 weeks. Our last flies will be a 6-step process – we usually opt to do a Damsel and a Wooly Bugger.