The Bench
What’s the Best Fly Tying Bobbin? How to Choose the Right One
Introduction A fly tying bobbin may look like a simple tool, but it plays a major role in how clean, durable, and consistent your flies turn out. From thread control...
Tying Flies with Soft Hackles: Tradition, Simplicity, and Effectiveness
Soft hackle flies are simple, deadly, and timeless. Learn how to tie and fish soft hackles, when they excel, and why they remain one of the most effective wet flies for trout.
Fly Tying Bead Size to Hook Size Guide
Simplify your fly tying! Our bead to hook size guide helps you match beads to hooks for optimal balance, realistic presentation, and faster sinking nymphs.
The Underrated Workhorse: Pine Squirrel
Discover why pine squirrel is a must-have fly tying material. Perfect for small streamers, leeches, and nymphs with lifelike, natural movement.
Do Fly Colors Make a Difference?
Fly color is one of those topics that gets a lot of attention—and for good reason. Sometimes it seems like the smallest change in fly color can turn a slow...
The Peculiar Life of the Fly Tyer and Angler
I keep a note on my iPhone filled with fly fishing tidbits—everything from the diameters of Maxima Clear to shopping lists and fly patterns I need to try. Nestled among...
Whiting Farms Grading System
Whiting Farms uses an Olympic grading system for their dry fly capes and saddles, primarily from genetic lines of birds developed for tying flies. The grading system reflects consistency and quantity, not...
The Mosquito Dry | An Overlooked Summer Fare
By Guest Blogger - Clint Bova Mosquito larvae exist wherever there is standing water, and their hatch rates are staggering. From May through October, these insects are prolific across most...
My Journey into Fly Tying: From Fuzzy Fur Balls to Feathers That Fish
By John Swezey, Guest Blogger I started fly tying three years ago. Sick of these extended cold spells, just staring out the window, I needed something to keep busy and...
The Cutting Edge: A Fly Tyer's Guide to Scissors
When it comes to fly tying, few tools are as essential and underrated as scissors. Every fly tyer, whether beginner or pro, knows the frustration of dull blades or poorly...
The Thread of It All: Understanding Fly Tying and Thread Denier
Fly tying is a unique blend of artistry, craftsmanship, and deep knowledge of aquatic entomology. At the heart of our craft lies one simple but critical material: the thread. It...
Stonfo Steeltech Bobbin Review
Son Tao reviews the new Stonfo Steeltech Bobbin. This bobbin has amazing micro adjustments to achieve the exact thread tension that you prefer. It is a fantastic bobbin that is a great addition to any fly tyer's desk.