Fly tyers in general use an array of materials for this hobby we call fly-tying. One can go to the most extreme in material and on another level take the low road by using easily found, inexpensive materials to create beautiful flies. The cost of materials has risen in recent years to a point where we, as artists of this growing trendy hobby, have found that using substitutes can be just as rewarding to the fly dresser as using authentic materials. Patterns of by-gone days call for Indian Crow and Chatterer or Cotinga but, in today's market for fly-tying materials, these beautiful feathers are practically out of reach for most tyers. When Indian Crow reached $10.00 a feather, this price became absurd for most tyers in general. Two thousand to three thousand dollars for a complete Crow patch is a huge investment for anyone, and these materials are getting rarer by the day.
In today's materials market we may find any number of fine, well duplicated substitutes for most all rare species and, with the growing trend that most of these species are not making any strong comeback, it's a wise choice to go with substitutes. A number of individuals are making great Indian Crow substitutes at this time, and they are reasonably priced and difficult to tell from the real thing; also, Cotinga and Toucan substitutes can be acquired for a very reasonable price that makes these subs available to both novice and professional alike, and you wouldn't have to mortgage your house to get them.
There are other alternatives to subs for Crow, Toucan and Cotinga beside dyed substitutes; a number of other more common species can be used to replicate these feathers. One example would be Red Bishop or Red Weaver Bird in place of Indian Crow; Red Broadbill may be used for this purpose as well, and these feathers are quite reasonable and affordable for the average tyer. The same circumstances exist with Toucan; exchanges may be made and one can still achieve the look of the authentic materials that older recipes call for. Giant Yellow Weaver Bird, Dumont Mynah, and Yellow-rumped Cacicus are all birds that can be used to replace the more expensive and harder to come by Toucan feathers. Cotinga Cayana or Chatterer can be replaced by the lilac-breasted Rollers and Cotinga Cotinga can be replaced by the Kingfisher, which can now be bought dyed to a richer, deeper blue, to replicate the Chatterer very well, or possibly the Crown Mot Mot which, in my opinion, looks so much like the real Chatterer.
There are a number of substitutes out there to replace almost all of the more rare and unusual materials the recipes of by-gone days call for, and we can still achieve the same look. One has to make an effort to search out these materials and in the long run, save tons of money and still get the same results using these fine substitutes. The Internet creates countless possibilities for finding substitutes and one could begin the search in fly tying websites or possibly asking questions.
With the wealth of imformation available today on the FTF anyone interested in this hobby or possibly in finding these subs has only to ask, and your goal - to acquire these materials - won't take a lifetime of searching. Most knowledgeable tyers know of someone who makes or sells most of these substitutes.
I want to say a few words about one of the most important items we use in fly-tying: hooks; where do we find the right hooks, and what's the going rate for really nice hooks? Most tyers who tie only fishing flies have no problem finding suitable hooks for their craft but, when we delve into the art of fully-dressed Atlantics, we run into trouble. There are a number of hook-makers throughout the world making extremely beautiful, decorative hooks at this time, but these are rather expensive. Hooks running $5.00 to $20.00 per hook can be out of reach of most fly dressers, but there's another route the determined Atlantic fly-dresser can take. Gaelic Supreme makes an exceptional hook that has elegance and fine lines that look nice on most flies tied using these irons. These come in an array of sizes all the way to 8/0; also, Partridge makes beautiful hooks for the Atlantic fly-dresser and these also are reasonably priced and convenient for the average fly-tyer. One has only to, as stated before, search the Internet and you should find hooks tosuit your needs. If you can't find any, again, ask fellow fly-tyers and they can most likely steer you in the right direction.
Silks, threads and Tinsels are another matter that can be addressed. These also have gone up in price in the past few years. Although these materials used in fly-dressing are easily found, we have the convenience of having a greater array of items to choose from. Silks and tinsels come in such an assortment of styles and colors now that it leaves you uncertain of what you should buy. My advice is to buy what is practical and before making any purchases in these items, think a moment about what you might be tying. If you buy every color of silk available, I assure you - you will never use some of the colors. Tthe same with Tinsels. It's great to have a huge assortment to choose from but if you're never going to use it why spend the money, when you could be using these funds to buy other things you will certainly need and use.
We, as fly-dressers, and I say this with the knowledge of knowing a few, all become collectors; we tend to waste money on items for their rarity or beauty alone and I, for one, have done this on too numerous an occasion to mention here. We buy things and we never use them. It gets stored away and every now and then run across or taken out intentionally to look at and admire for it's beauty. I'm not telling anyone to stay away from collecting materials, whether you use them or not, but most tyers in general would love a go at a certain style of tying and find the cost of getting started much too high.
My advice to anyone starting out is: start slow, and take your time in making decisions on material purchases. Buy only what's needed to get started and in time the rest will fall into place. Can't find what you might want today? DIn't panic, you will certainly run into it in the future. I went through this same obstacle when I first started out and Ii'm sure most accomplished tyers will tell you the same thing. Be patient and it will come. I made a mad rush to acquire materials needed to dress Atlantic Salmon flies and in my quest I spent money on useless items that I never used and eventually gave most of it away. Again, money wasted I could have used to buy materials I really needed as my skills progressed. When making a decision to get started in this hobby, take your time and be patient. It's not only the skills you'll learn that take patience but also the issue of buying materials and making the right choices. Take your time and spend your hard earned dollars wisely, and in the long run you'll be thankful you did. Most importantly, have fun and enjoy your time behind your vise using the materials you wisely purchased.
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The Premiere issue is ready for shipping & the Fall 2008 issue will be available September 1st.
Hatches Magazine Subscription
Price: $6.95 for each issue
The Premiere issue is ready for shipping & the Fall 2008 issue will be available September 1st.
