If you’re brand new to fly tying, this post is for you.
It can be intimidating (and quite costly) to try to figure out which fly patterns to start with when you’re first learning how to tie flies. I’ve done my best to condense the thousands of patterns available down to an introductory series of 8 beginner fly patterns.
I picked patterns that a) catch fish and b) have a variety of fundamental tying techniques, including:
- Dubbing (dry fly and wet fly)
- Ribbing a fly
- Finishing the head
- Wrapping hackle
My suggestion with each of these beginner fly patterns is to tie at least a half dozen of each pattern before moving on to the next fly. You’ll be amazed at how much your skill improves between the first fly and the last fly you tie.
With practice you’ll develop muscle memory, dexterity and an improved level of comfort with your fly tying tools.
If you’re a beginner tyer with no gear, consider buying a pre-made fly tying kit. These usually contain the basic tools that you need to get you started. You can always add more as you go (trust me, you will!)







