Summary of a thread from July 28, 2023 on The Fly Tying Forum
flytire
Created the original thread to consolidate all fly tying tips and tricks in one place.
RickZieger
When adding bead chain or barbell eyes, hold one side and wrap thread once before tightening the position.
Uses split yarn (3–4 strands) for bodies instead of dubbing when tying multiple flies.
Leaves ~1/8" uncovered when tying in a rib, folds it back for durability, and finishes with wraps at the head.
Sandan
Keeps tying area organized with a fixed layout:
- Tools on the left (8–9 o’clock)
- Materials on the right (2–4 o’clock)
- Trash at 5:30–6
- Thread at 12
- Spare bobbins at 2:30
Uses consistent setup to build muscle memory and clean up quickly.
Uses needle nose pliers to crush hook barbs.
Gene L
Glues Velcro to dubbing wax container and bench so it stays handy and upright while tying.
Shaves down leader tips with a razor blade for smoother “Krazy Glue” joints into fly lines—no knot required.
Capt Bob LeMay
Prefers Krazy Glue in a small tube for saltwater tying. Uses a bead of glue before touching the fly to control flow and avoid material damage.
Uses the glue as head cement by brushing it on with the tip of the tube.
Trims materials before tying to save time and ensure consistency in production tying.
Maintains a “master pattern” for each fly style to ensure precise reproduction across orders—even decades later.
DarrellP
Avoids counter-wrapping ribbing by spacing wraps in the same direction instead.
Uses superglue to secure threads tightly on poppers without tying off.
Wraps hackle between chenille grooves on Woolly Buggers for durability and cleaner look.
Uses the hook shank to gauge proportions, adjusts based on hook type.
Chooses stiffer materials for faster currents—e.g., bucktail and rooster hackle.
Uses seam ripper and scalpel blades for precision trimming.
Flattens feather stems with pliers and colors heads with nail polish to ID weighted/unweighted flies.
Strings bead chain to hang large flies for drying and uses nail heads to paint eyes or dots.
niveker
Flattens feather stems with needle nose pliers (agrees with DarrellP).
Crushes barbs on hooks (agrees with Sandan).
Likes the idea of a “sponge in a box” to replace finger-licking for moistening materials, though admits to occasionally defaulting to old habits.
Mars Rover
Dislikes vise-mounted trash bags. Mounted his waste bag under the desk to swing out only when needed. Uses a magnetic tool to recover dropped hooks and tools.
Uses a water-filled sponge box instead of saliva to moisten fingers or soak materials. The setup keeps biots/quills handy and hygienic.
redietz
Recommends cheap, unused makeup brushes straight from the pack for fly tying—no need to clean them first.