I started using wire in my fly tying about a decade ago, and today, I’m not sure what I’d do without it. It’s a versatile tying material that do anything from add weight to simple sparkle, or to toughen up a fly to make it last longer. I’ve even started using really thin wire on some of my dry flies, like a fluffy Royal Coachman. It doesn’t affect the weight much, but it sure makes it look pretty.
Here, Tim Flagler talks about the many uses of wire in fly tying, and offers up some good examples of flies that wire helps improve or flies that, without wire, wouldn’t be flies at all, like a Copper John or a bead-head Brassie. If you haven’t taken to using wire at the vise, the video above is a great primer that might help you make the leap. It really does make fly tying easier, and it opens up a whole new set of patterns that can be used in any number of situations.
— Chris Hunt