Help with a materials list please

[Ron Snyder]

I'm just starting to get my tying kit together, and lucked into a situation where I can pick out whatever material I want(within reason) for free. This friend of mine has boxes and boxes of feathers, fur, etc. sitting around from when she used to tie for a living. I don't want to be greedy, so what are the top 10 items I might need to start tying the usual NW trout flies, and also steelhead flies? I mainly fish the Yakima and Methow for trout, and the Skagit and Sky for Steelhead. Any good ideas? Thanks!

[mike doughty]

-variety of marabou
-schlappen hackle
-deer hair
-3/0 to 8/0 thread
-krystal flash
-flashabou
-chenille
-hooks
-dubbing
-tinsel and/or wire (for a rib)
-cdc feathers

[obiwankanobi]

Shit, take it all!! I'm kidding but even with a 10 year four box collection of materials, I still can't find what I need for every pattern. Mike gave a great list, but I would add white calf tail for the wings of many steelie patterns and for para post material for trout flies. If she is willing to part with various arctic fox swatches, take those as well. For most general patterns what Mike listed would be a great beginner assortment. Now if I had that opportunity, I would be looking for the hard to find and expensive materials.

[hikepat]

Hook
metal tying beads
peacock tail feathers
Pheasants tail feathers natural and olive
goose biots white, black, cream and brown
dubbing black, cream, grey, olive would be a good start
marabou
good stiff saddle hackle brown and grizzly
deer or elk hide patch assorted colors if possible
thread 6/0 in black, olive and white
The above can tie you a pretty good assortment of trout flies and the trout flies and can tie some Steelhead flies as well.

[mike doughty]

I'm with obi, with the drawers and drawers of materials i always find something that i don't have but need to tie a certain pattern.

[MtnWkr]

Since she knows more about it than you, I would ask her to pick out some supplies to get you started. She'll likely be more generous than the ten item limit you've imposed upon yourself. :thumb:

[pittendrigh]

.......and lots of roadkill, of all kinds:
http://montana-riverboats.com/Pages/Fly-Tying/Sandy-Pittendrigh/Streamers/Roadkill-Streamer/index.html

[Philster]

Don't get swept up in different kinds of the same material at first. Later on you might want to expand but for now:

One kind of flash is good enough (I prefer crystal flash since it works on large and small flies while flashabou looks out of place and overwhelming on small flies)

One kind of dubbing is good enough. You don't need "Ice" and "angora" and "synthetic seal" etc, etc, etc. A nice hare's ear antron mix covers alot of ground.

two sizes of black thread and possibly mono thread if you are going to be doing lots of epoxy headed minnow flies. Black heads won't bother the fish. Don't buy waxed thread but instead apply wax when needed. Also wax before whip finishing and you don't need head cement on small flies and dries.

You get the idea. Maybe later you will find you need diversity, but at first you don't.

[Ron Snyder]

Thanks for the suggestions. I hope this stuff is labeled, because I just realized that I may not be able to tell what's what. I might need to do some studying of materials at the stores first to be able to identify some of these items. What's schlappen hackle?

[CM_Stewart]

Why not start with the patterns you know (or she'll know) you'll want to tie. The patterns will dictate the materials you'll need. Mtn Wkr has the right idea. She's the pro. Ask her advice. She should know what patterns to start with, what you'll need to tie them, and she'll almost certianly give you more than you would ask for if you chose - plus, she might even give you pointers (if not outright lessons) on how the tie the patterns. What a great way to get started. Be sure to bring her a good bottle of wine (or whatever) when you go to pick up the materials.

[Flyborg]

Magnum cut rabbit fur in purple, Pink Chenille , and streamer hooks will get you into all the trout and steelhead you need :)

[Davy]

1. "Natural" colored feathers = i.e. reds, yellows, blues. Not getting into specific species

2. Any white "hair" you see, just grab it all and sort it out later ,

3. Any dyed translucent appearing hair you see

4. Any old Redditch made hooks, 5/0 down to 10 or even 12, doubles , singles, lightweights, Wilsons, etc.

5. 94840, 9671, 9672, 3906B , traditionall some 79580's as well for streamers,,Mustad trout hooks, especially 10,12,14 's, 6 and 8 in the 9672 or 79580

6. Black, olive, purple chenilles

7. Any waterfowl feathers, if you know them, then breast and sides

8. Pheasant rumps and necks, especially the small white neck plummage

9.Everything on wood spools. If not then Danville 6/0, 3/0 and anything else will come in handy.

10. Any "real" metal tinsel. Especially the smaller gold.

11. Think caddis type imitations, natural olives and peacock colors for the Yakima. Trudes, Skwalas, and not like years ago but March Browns, BWO's. And olive brown streamers, which will get your metalheads too.

Heck with it,, smoosch a bit and just get it all , and the you can say "Got 'er did"! Don't forget to kiss her

[Ron Snyder]

Be sure to bring her a good bottle of wine (or whatever) when you go to pick up the materials

Excellent idea! Get her drunk and then take whatever I want! No really, that is a great idea. I'm not sure how much she will remember, as it's been a good 20 years since she has tied flies. She was a college student doing it for her dads sporting goods store back in the day. I bet she still knows a thing or two about tying.