A World of Fly Tying at Glasgow & Edinburgh Angling Centres
Traditional feathers, modern synthetics, specialist hooks and all the little things you never knew you needed.
Anyone who ties their own flies will know how easy it is to head into a fishing shop for one packet of hooks and emerge with a rather larger collection of feathers, dubbing and bits and pieces. There's always another colour worth trying, a new material to experiment with or a pattern that needs just one more ingredient.
Fly tying is a big part of what we do at Glasgow and Edinburgh Angling Centres. Our Glasgow department is particularly extensive, with rows of materials and specialist tools to browse, while Edinburgh also has a dedicated selection for local fly tyers. Between our stores and FishingMegastore.com, there's a remarkable range to explore, whether you're filling a box of buzzers, tying traditional salmon flies or putting together something entirely new.
The traditional materials we keep coming back to
Some materials have earned a permanent place on the tying bench. Pheasant tail, hare's fur, marabou, hen and cock hackles, peacock herl and the right shade of floss have been responsible for catching fish for generations. They're as useful for a simple wet fly or nymph today as they ever were.
Veniard remains a familiar name for fly tyers, offering a vast selection of natural materials, feathers, dyes, tinsels and tying essentials. Alongside it you'll find brands such as Lureflash, Wapsi and Nature Spirit, each bringing something different to the tying bench.
Hackle deserves a mention of its own. For a well-proportioned dry fly, the right feather makes all the difference. Whiting and Metz are particularly well known for their dry-fly hackles, and choosing a cape or saddle is one of those purchases where being able to look at the feathers in person is especially useful.
Materials worth exploring
Hooks, beads and the essentials
Every fly starts somewhere, and the selection of hooks alone shows just how varied fly tying has become. There's a huge difference between a fine-wire hook for a tiny dry fly, a wide-gape jig hook for a competition nymph and the hardware needed for a substantial salmon or predator pattern.
Among the names to look out for are Kamasan, Fulling Mill, Partridge, Ahrex and Mustad. There's no single hook that does everything, which is why the range of sizes, shapes and weights matters.
Beads, meanwhile, have become an entire world of their own: brass, tungsten, slotted, countersunk, hot-head and more. If you're tying jig nymphs, weighted streamers or bead-head wets, the shape and weight can be every bit as important as the colour.
Popular starting points
Threads, dubbings and modern synthetics
This is where even the tidiest tying bench can get out of hand. Threads in every imaginable shade and diameter, dubbings that range from subtle natural blends to vivid sparkles, fritz, chenilles, flash and a multitude of materials designed to add movement, shape or a particular appearance.
UNI, UTC and Textreme offer the threads and body materials that are used in countless patterns. For something with a little more character, there's FNF, Flybox, Hends, Hedron and Chuck N Duck.
Modern competition patterns, stillwater lures, mini streamers and even the tiniest of river nymphs have all benefited from these developments. Sometimes it's not about inventing a completely new fly, but finding a material that makes an old favourite easier to tie or gives it a different look in the water.
Try something different
From tiny dries to big salmon flies
One of the joys of tying is how much the approach changes from one branch of fishing to another. A delicate olive for a clear river demands different hooks and materials from a brightly coloured stillwater lure. A traditional salmon fly might use feathers and floss, while a modern tube pattern could feature synthetic wings, coneheads and specially designed tubes.
For salmon tyers, names such as Frödin, Pro Sportfisher, Future Fly and Partridge broaden the possibilities. River trout and grayling tyers will recognise the appeal of the fine threads, small hooks, CDC, tungsten beads and specialist dubbings found throughout the department.
There is plenty for anglers tying pike and saltwater patterns too, particularly among the larger hooks, flash materials, zonker strips and synthetic fibres. A browse around the shelves can take you from a size 20 dry fly to a streamer the length of your hand in a few steps.
Across the disciplines
Set yourself up at the vice
Materials are only half the story. A comfortable, dependable vice and a few good tools make tying much more enjoyable, whether you're taking your first steps or spending evenings producing flies by the dozen. We carry equipment ranging from straightforward starter tools to more specialised rotary vices, bobbin holders, scissors, hackle pliers and whip finishers.
Stonfo, Renzetti, Dr. Slick, SMHAEN and C&F Design are among the names worth exploring, alongside our Stillwater range.
Don't overlook the finishing touches either. A little head cement, varnish or UV resin can help turn a good fly into one that's ready to take a few more fish. Explore Gulff and Loon Outdoors, or the familiar Veniard Cellire Varnish.
More than just materials
One of the best parts of fly tying is the people you meet along the way. Ask a few tyers how they dress the same pattern and you can come away with half a dozen different answers, each with its own little trick or favourite material.
That's why demonstrations, visiting tyers and fly-tying events are such an important part of life at our stores. Glasgow's Open Weekends regularly give visitors the chance to watch skilled tyers at work, while Edinburgh has its own fly-tying get-togethers and special events. It's an opportunity to learn a technique, ask a question or simply spend time talking flies with people who share the enthusiasm.
Keep an eye on Edinburgh Angling Centre's fly-tying updates and this forthcoming event announcement for more information.
Explore the fly-tying department online
Whether you're replacing a favourite thread or starting an entirely new pattern, you can jump straight to the part of the range you need.
And if you're looking for a particular manufacturer, our Shop by Brand directory is a handy place to start.
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