The Introduction to Fly Tying
Supplemental information for St. Paul Fly Tiers “The Introduction to Fly Tying Class.”

Stop back often for more information, photos, and videos as the class and page evolves.

 

Welcome to “The Introduction to Fly Tying” conducted by the St Paul Fly Tiers.

In an effort to expand active membership and offer guidance to any interested (would be) fly tiers / anglers, the St Paul Fly Tiers will be offering an “Introduction to Fly Tying Class.” We are hoping that this series will become recognized as the best source of beginning tying information and background in the Midwest.

The class will be a marriage of “old school” techniques & materials, combined with the most current and popular materials available today. The overall goal of this class will be to impart the basic techniques used to tie almost any commonly encountered fly, and to provide a solid foundation for advancing your fly-tying skills.

Upon completion of the class, the students should be able to tie functional and durable flies, that fish as well as – or better – than they look.

INTRODUCTION

The overall introduction will be comprised of 7 individual classes (really 6 classes plus an introductory class), which will be led by 7 different instructors.  Each instructor has a strong background in the flies & techniques being covered, which should benefit the students by being exposed to more than one tying and teaching style.

Each class will be matched with one or more online “primers videos” to expose the students to the subject matter before covering it and trying the techniques first hand in class.

TOOLS

Although the students are encouraged to purchase and bring their own tool sets (Scissors, Bobbin, and bodkin) and vises, the club will make tools and vises available to any student, who hasn’t purchased tools prior to the class.

FORMAT

Each class will showcase one or more specific techniques and topics, that will gradually build upon previous classes and information. The student will receive instruction and have the opportunity to tie two flies per session, under the guidance of the instructor and mentors.

Depending on available time, the students may also be provided with additional demonstrations showcasing the specific techniques by the instructor.

TIMING

The classes will be held Thursday evenings from 6:00 – 9:00, during January and February (Jan 9 – Feb 27), along-side the normal club meetings.

Classes will start promptly at 6:00 in order to make the most of the available time to cover the content for the evening.

COST

The cost will be $60, which will include the cost of an annual membership to the St Paul Fly Tiers ($30 value).

CLASS SIZE

Class Size will be limited to 8-12 students (depending on the students who sign up). One Instructor and 2-3 mentors will make that ratio approximately 3:1 during student tying.

01/02/20 Welcome Info

Those on the “waiting / overflow list”, and anyone in the Twin Cities Fly Fishing community who has any interest in Fly Tying.

We are one week away from the first “Introduction to Fly Tying” class conducted by the St Paul Fly Tiers.

There are 6 sequential instructional classes that make up the series, and these classes will be prefaced by an overall introduction session next Thursday (Jan 9th) to discuss:

– The format of the classes and what you can expect to learn.
– The tools that will be used, and how to choose what will be most useful.
– Some general instruction and discussion about basic fly tying and fly construction.

Since we will not be tying during this first class, we will not be limited by space, and so, I would encourage anyone and everyone to attend this first class, whether you are enrolled in the additional classes or not.

There should be a great deal of useful and interesting information shared for any beginner, including a few short videos that should be interesting and helpful for any beginner.

I want to thank you all for your interest in this subject matter. I really feel like this series is an incredible value and seriously rich with useful information. I’m very excited to be making the information available to all of you.

Jan 9  |  General Introduction (No Tying)  |  Tony Stifter

Jan 16  |  Basic Panfish Wet Fly and Wooly Bugger  |  Nate Gubbins

Jan 23  |  Dubbing – Scud and Gold Ribbed Hares Ear  |  Andy Fiskness

Jan 30  |  Nymphs and Soft Hackle Flies – PT Nymph  |  Jay Johnson

Feb 6   |  Business Meeting – Fly Tying Demo with Brian J Smolinski (no tying session)

Feb 13  |  Dry Flies – Classic Catskill style & parachute style  |  Joel Ebbers

Feb 20  |  Caddis and Hair Wings – Elk Hair Caddis and X-Caddis  |  Greg Meyer

Feb 27   |  Streamers and (Spinning) Deer Hair  |  Tony Stifter

 

 

“Mother Nature is Not Fooled by Technological Fixes”

ROBERT BEHNKE

"In Praise of Wild Trout" 1998

RECOMMENDED TOOLS FOR CLASS::
Vise
Thread Bobbin
Quality Fly Tying Scissors
Hair Stacker
Bodkin
Quality Hackle Pliers
Whip Finisher/Half Hitch Tool
Fly Tying Light
Dubbing Loop Spinner
Cheap dollar store cheater glasses or magnifier 2X-3X power

NOTE: St. Paul Fly Tiers recommends that you do not buy a fly tying kit. KIts often have inferior, unusable materials and low-quality vises & tools.

 

Any local fly shop will have tools and
materials:

Lund’s  Fly Shop| River Falls
Mend Provisions | Minneapolis
The Fly Angler | Blaine

RECOMMENDED “PRIMER” VIDEOS FOR CLASS:

Jan. 9 Class  | Tony Stifter
Feb. 13 Class  |  Joel Ebbers
Jan. 16 Class  |  Nate Gubbins
Feb. 20th Class  |  Greg Meyer

Jan. 23 Class  |  Andy Fiskness

Feb. 27 Class  |  Tony Stifter

Jan. 30 Class  |  Jay Johnson
More Beginning Fly Tying Tips

Beginning Fly Tying Books Recommended by St. Paul Fly Tiers:

Charlie Craven's Basic Fly TyingCharlie Craven’s Basic Fly Tying:
Modern Techniques for Flies That Catch Fish

July 15, 2008
by Charlie Craven

 

 

Tying Nymphs: Essential Flies and Techniques for the Top Patterns

January 1, 2016
by Charlie Craven

 

 

 

The Orvis Guide to Beginning Fly Tying: 101 Tips for the Absolute BeginnerThe Orvis Guide to Beginning Fly Tying: 101 Tips for the Absolute Beginner

Aug 15, 2012
by David Klausmeyer

 

 

 

The Benchside Introduction to Fly Tying

Mar 30, 2006
by Ted Leeson and Jim Schollmeyer

Tying Streamers:
Essential Flies and Techniques for the Top Patterns

April 1, 2020
by Charlie Craven

 

 

The Art of Fly Tying

September 10, 2007
by John van Vliet

 

 

 

Poul Jorgensen’s Book of Fly Tying: A Guide to Flies for All Game Fish

Nov 1, 1988
by Poul Jorgensen

 

 

The Art of Tying the Bass Fly-Skip MorrisThe Art of Tying the Bass Fly

December 1, 2011
by Skip Morris

 

 

 

Fly Tying Made Clear and Simple

May 1, 1992
by Skip Morris