Orvis Premium Fly Tying Kit?

Hi,

I'm a non-fly-tying fly fisherman - one of those - who finally thinks
he needs to get into tying.

I've combed your old posts, and read all your warnings against buying
a fly-tying kit... yet, still, I can't help but think that a good kit
might not be a bad way to go, simply for learning's sake. I
understand that I'll certainly be buying new materials (and not using
some that come with the kit), possibly buying some new tools later
on... and that overall it might not be the most cost-effective way to
go... but even so, I still can't help but think this might just make
things a bit easier to start.

With that in mind, does anyone have any thoughts on the Orvis Premium
Fly Tying Kit? I ask about this one because I'd seen a post back when
saying that it actually wasn't so bad...

Any thoughts on this, or suggestions for any other good kits, are
greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Tim

Tim G. writes:

snip

Any thoughts on this, or suggestions for any other good kits, are
greatly appreciated.

You could possibly save yourself some money by seeing if you *enjoy* tying
flies. Many flyshops have lessons in the off-season (Nov-Mar), and many supply
the tools and necessary materials.

My advice would be to see if a local flyshop (or fly tying organization) offers
lessons and provides the tools and materials. Enroll, finish the course, and
*then* buy the necessary tools and materials. I have seen friends buy
expensive tools and lots of materials only to give it all away in a year or two
because they didn't enjoy tying.

Just my $0.02.
Dave
http://hometown.aol.com/davplac/myhomepage/index.html

irate (Dave LaCourse) wrote in
:

My advice would be to see if a local flyshop (or fly tying
organization) offers lessons and provides the tools and materials.
Enroll, finish the course, and *then* buy the necessary tools and
materials.

Dave speaks wisely, Tim.

After a course you'll hopefully also have a better idea what "good"
materials and tools look (and feel) like.

Steve

Dave gave some pretty good advice here. When you take the course ask the
teacher to explain how to choose the correct materials and how to avoid the
wrong ones. I found this the most difficult thing for most of us to learn in
the beginning. It is not too bad with the synthetics, but choosing the correct
natural materials is the most difficult for me to learn then and after a couple
of decades as well.

Big Dale

"Big Dale" wrote in message
...
Dave gave some pretty good advice here. When you take the course ask the
teacher to explain how to choose the correct materials and how to avoid
the
wrong ones. I found this the most difficult thing for most of us to learn
in
the beginning. It is not too bad with the synthetics, but choosing the
correct
natural materials is the most difficult for me to learn then and after a
couple
of decades as well.
----------------
Lots of great advice given on this thread! My own .02 will seem minor, but
it has been a real benefit to me personally. IF and only IF you decide,
after following the previous advice, you do want to get into fly tying make
sure you have a permanent place to setup your fly tying stuff. The reason I
say this is that some of my fly fishin' associates have a 'portable' fly
tying station and slowly over time they just don't bother to haul it all out
to tie a few flies. I have a desk, lamp and all my tools within easy
access, so when I get a minute I can sit down and tie a few without a big
production thing.

FWIW Chris

"Padishar Creel" wrote in message
...

"Big Dale" wrote in message
...
Dave gave some pretty good advice here. When you take the course ask the
teacher to explain how to choose the correct materials and how to avoid
the
wrong ones. I found this the most difficult thing for most of us to learn
in
the beginning. It is not too bad with the synthetics, but choosing the
correct
natural materials is the most difficult for me to learn then and after a
couple
of decades as well.
----------------
Lots of great advice given on this thread! My own .02 will seem minor,
but
it has been a real benefit to me personally. IF and only IF you decide,
after following the previous advice, you do want to get into fly tying
make
sure you have a permanent place to setup your fly tying stuff. The reason
I
say this is that some of my fly fishin' associates have a 'portable' fly
tying station and slowly over time they just don't bother to haul it all
out
to tie a few flies. I have a desk, lamp and all my tools within easy
access, so when I get a minute I can sit down and tie a few without a big
production thing.

Excellent and obvious observation, Chris! And strangely enough, it only
dawned on me last night! I was tying up a dozen flies, and my portable kit
has just reached critical mass where its not so simple to haul out all the
varieties of dubbing, hackle, hardware, etc. I was buried up to my ankles in
piles of stuff, and once I was done and put it all away again, my thought
was that I didn't want all that tidying up work do do afterwards again. I'm
setting up a permanent station tonight.

--riverman

"Dave LaCourse" wrote in message
...
Tim G. writes:

snip

Any thoughts on this, or suggestions for any other good kits, are
greatly appreciated.

You could possibly save yourself some money by seeing if you *enjoy* tying
flies.

Yeah, that's a good reason to start smaller than a full kit.

Dave gave some pretty good advice here. When you take the course ask the
teacher to explain how to choose the correct materials and how to avoid the
wrong ones. I found this the most difficult thing for most of us to learn in
the beginning. It is not too bad with the synthetics, but choosing the correct
natural materials is the most difficult for me to learn then and after a couple
of decades as well.

Big Dale

"Dave LaCourse" wrote in message
...
Tim G. writes:

snip

Any thoughts on this, or suggestions for any other good kits, are
greatly appreciated.

You could possibly save yourself some money by seeing if you *enjoy* tying
flies.

Yeah, that's a good reason to start smaller than a full kit.

tim - i bought it two years ago. it's mediocre stuff, but probably a
good introduction to tying package. you won't be satisfied with the vise
and materials once you've progressed unless you stick to basic ties.
i've not continued tying. might start back one day... a smart fellow
would follow the recommendations given thus far, or find a friend who
ties. i've watched big dale and dave lacourse tie...i think watching and
learning from someone will prove a better experience than trying to
follow the orvis lesson book.

jeff

Tim G wrote:

Hi,

I'm a non-fly-tying fly fisherman - one of those - who finally thinks
he needs to get into tying.

I've combed your old posts, and read all your warnings against buying
a fly-tying kit... yet, still, I can't help but think that a good kit
might not be a bad way to go, simply for learning's sake. I
understand that I'll certainly be buying new materials (and not using
some that come with the kit), possibly buying some new tools later
on... and that overall it might not be the most cost-effective way to
go... but even so, I still can't help but think this might just make
things a bit easier to start.

With that in mind, does anyone have any thoughts on the Orvis Premium
Fly Tying Kit? I ask about this one because I'd seen a post back when
saying that it actually wasn't so bad...

Any thoughts on this, or suggestions for any other good kits, are
greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Tim