There are lots of things that tiers do to save a few seconds here or there. Unfortunately, many of them require skipping a step in the fly or substituting an inferior material into the recipe. In tying hundreds of dozens of flies each year, I have come to a few conclusions about how to save a minute here or there.
- Tie in dozens. This never used to be the way I would do it. After all, how would I store extra flies when I was done tying? Now I save lots of time in setup and digging for materials if I tie at least 12 of each pattern.
- Set up materials ahead of time. For example; if I tie a batch of Prince Nymphs, I'll set up the biots in pairs ahead of time so all I have to do is grab one and go.
- Tie with the biggest thread that you can. This reduced thread breaks and gives you a bit more confidence when you need to add a little force here and there.
- String the beads before you begin to actually tie. This goes back to tip #3 but really saves a lot of time. If you are going to tie 24 bead heads, then string all the beads onto the hooks at the same time.
- Use magnets on your tying surface. This allows you to group beads, hooks, and finished flies and stay organized at the same time. Spend less time searching for stuff and more time producing flies.
- HERE'S THE BIGGIE - Tie with scissors in hand! It takes a bit of practice but after a few dozen flies it begins to feel normal and is one less time you have to go back to the table in search of a tool. This method is better suited with "finishing scissors" than traditional scissors. Again, they take some getting used to but it's worth the effort. After all, how can you argue with somebody like A. K. Best when it comes to efficient fly tying? I like these from Dr. Slick:
Ethan Emery
Director, Angling University
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