Recommended Fly Tying Equipment

If you are just beginning your fly tying adventure, EJTU has prepared a list of recommended equipment and materials for you.

Most of the items listed below can be found at brick and mortar retailers such as Ramsey Outdoor and Tight Lines.  Online places to purchase materials include J Stockard, Feather-Craft or Orvis
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Fly Tying Equipment For Beginner Tyers

Tools

Bodkin
Bobbin                        
Head cement                          
Hackle  pliers
Scissors                      
Hair stacker                
Dubbing wax                          
Vise (rotary)               
Whip finisher             
Hackle gauge  

Hooks

Dry fly  (#12-18)         
Nymph/ wet fly (#12-18)       
Streamer (#4-12)                   
Scud (#10-18)

Threads

Black, brown, tan sizes 6/0 and 8/0

​Dubbing

Rabbit or beaver in tan, brown, grey, olive           
Super Fine and SLF (look for these in multi-colored dispensers)         
Chenille (black, brown, green) small and medium diameters

​Feathers

Pheasant tail
Turkey
Marabou (black, brown, white, green),
Peacock herl
Strung rooster feathers (black, brown, white,  green)

Miscellaneous

Lead-free wire (.015, .020, and .025)            
Fine wires (gold, silver, copper)        
​Deer
Elk hair

Fly Tying Equipment For Intermediate Tyers

All items recommended for Beginners and the following additional items

Tools
 
Toothbrush           
Tweezers              
Bead nabbers

Threads

White, Olive 6/0 and 8/0

Feathers

Dry fly hackle Whiting 100 packs in various sizes (grizzly, dun, brown, black)
Dyed turkey biots
Dyed hackle feather stems 
A whole partridge skin for soft-hackle wet flies

Miscellaneous

Bead heads for nymphs in various sizes (copper silver, black)
These may also be made from tungsten for a quicker sink rate.
They may be round and/or conical in shape.

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