Function

• Fly-tying kits give fishermen, or anyone else, the ability to create fake flies out of a variety of different materials. The kits range from the basic beginner to the deluxe and can start at less than $20 and range into the hundreds of dollars. Fly-tying kits are readily available at sporting goods and outdoor stores, or they can be purchased online (see Resources).
  
  

Benefits

• Fly-tying kits offer the same alluring look and feel of live bait, without the mess. You won't have to squish up worms, chop up fish or keep minnows or other bait alive in a little bucket until you are ready to hook them. You also don't have to deal with the smells and guts often associated with live bait. In addition to being clean, fly-tying kits are also convenient. All you need is contained in a tackle box. You can even tie flies while you're waiting for your first fish to bite.
  
  

Types

• A quality fly-tying kit will come with enough stuff to tie up a wide array of flies. Some of these may include the bead head Midge, the Marabou Muddler, the wooly bugger and the copper John. They also include the soft hackle, X Caddis, Hot Butt Caddis and Griffith's Gnat. Each type of fly has specific features that make them ideal for a number of different waterways and fish.
  
  

Features

• Most kits come with a wide array of materials to tie up flies with the best of them. These include hooks, a variety of fly tying threads, wires, tinsels, bead heads, legs, streamers and fibbetts, which are used for fly antenna and tails. Other fun items can include elk hair, squirrel fur, pheasant tail clump and other feathers and hair. Some kits will come with the tools you need to shape and create the flies.
  
  

Considerations

• Those new to the art of fly tying may wish to opt for a kit especially designed for the beginner. These often come with detailed manuals and guides and not only provide all the materials needed but also include step-by-step instructions. After all, it may be a tad difficult to correctly use a hackle if the user doesn't know what that is.
  Fly-tying kits are only useful for catching fish that go after flies in the first place. No matter how jazzy your handmade fly may appear, a fish that normally doesn't go for flies is just going to ignore it.