SKollmann Posted November 7, 2008 Report Share Posted November 7, 2008 OK, Fellow Bassbuggers . . . I'm looking for your professional input! With Christmas fast approaching, I'm looking to replace my beginner flytying equipment with an upgraded vice and tools. Thanks to you taking me under your wing at a few monthly tying events coupled with a 6-hour flytying course at Trout & Grouse, I've decided to make indoor tennis and flytying my primary winter activities since I cannot paddle my canoe, fish the local rivers, or cycle with my bride during the winter months. For those Bassbuggers who have been tying a whole lot longer than me with much better equipment than mine, I would really appreciate your insights since this will undoubtedly be my final set of flytying equipment. Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe D Posted November 7, 2008 Report Share Posted November 7, 2008 personaly I use a renzetti vise. it has cam jaws and is a rotory vise on a pedistal. a good rotory vise makes tying a 100% easier!! it will make you a better and faster tyer. I'm not really concerned with speed, but the rotory option allows you to see the whole fly. its much easier to put legs and things like that on. it make it much more enjoyable which means you'll tie more and practice makes perfect. also when buying materials get the highest grades you can afford. genetically bread hackle make such a difference in ease of tying as well as a better final product. inspect the feathers before you buy them, make sure that there is alot of usable feathers. the cheap inported stuff is a nightmare and alot of it is to me unusable. try to have atleast one good pair of scissors that you only use on feathers and other soft materials. get a cheap pair to cut lead or copper wire. a lighted magnifing light is a big help too. there are some instances where you can get away with cheap materials, but for the most part you get what you pay for. as far as vises go, renzetti does not pay me for endorsments so I'm not pushing them. there are alot of good vises out there. shop around to find one you like. hope that helps. Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rich mc Posted November 7, 2008 Report Share Posted November 7, 2008 i also have the renzetti traveler. it handles most flies very well. if you plan on doing lots of big deerbugs and such a dynaking clamp on vise will work better. rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjensen Posted November 7, 2008 Report Share Posted November 7, 2008 I also have a Renzetti Traveler with the cam lever jaws. It's a great vise, but if all you are going to be tying are bass flies, I would opt for a vise with serrated jaws. The Renzetti has smooth jaws & the hook can slip when I'm applying pressure to spin deer hair. I'm going to purchase another set of jaws for mine & take them into the toolroom at work & have one of the guys grind some very fine serrations in them. That should end that problem. Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg C Posted November 7, 2008 Report Share Posted November 7, 2008 Renzetti!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonn Graham Posted November 7, 2008 Report Share Posted November 7, 2008 Steve: My question is...............why can't you paddle and/or fish your local rivers in the winter???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKollmann Posted November 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2008 Hey, Jonn . . . you're still a young whipper snapper from central Illinois. At my more advanced age, my nerve endings are more sensitive to cold temps. PS. My bride of 40+ years is from down your way . . . Anchor, IL to be precise. We've paddled the Mac several times unaware that smallies also reside in the river. When I retire in a year or so, plan to attend Camp Smallmouth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe D Posted November 7, 2008 Report Share Posted November 7, 2008 I'm with you steve, it gets harder and harder every winter for me. I've worked outside my whole life and coming up to 40 years old I cant take the cold like I used to!! but I force myself to chase steelhead well into the dead of winter. Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonn Graham Posted November 7, 2008 Report Share Posted November 7, 2008 Joe: I am approaching 40 as well............how young do you all think I am? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKollmann Posted November 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2008 Appears both of you (Jonn and Joe) are young whipper snappers. Take it from one who will hit age 64 later this month . . . just wait for your later years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jude Posted November 7, 2008 Report Share Posted November 7, 2008 Renzetti here. And Joe nailed it talking about cheap materials. My first vise came with the "kit" of materials. The hackle was pathetic, but I didn't know crappy it was until I bought some good hackle. I couldn't believe the difference! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKollmann Posted November 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 8, 2008 The vote is in, my BassBugger Buddies . . . and the official winner is neither Democrat nor Republican. It's RENZETTI. With the brand receiving such a strong endorsement, I would now appreciate guidance in selecting the right model. If it helps, I plan to continue tying bass flies primarily, but may evolve into trout and panfish flies down the road. You were all kind enough to steer my in the right direction . . . now steer me with this next decision. Thanks once again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rich mc Posted November 8, 2008 Report Share Posted November 8, 2008 the traveler is portable which is good for tying at many locations. if you need to do deer hair bugs you can use a separate clamp to secure the base to a table . go tye something rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe D Posted November 8, 2008 Report Share Posted November 8, 2008 jude, once you have tied with geneticaly bread hackles its tough to go back to the cheap imports isnt it ?!?! I stress that to new tyers alot. alot of new guys get discouraged with their finished fly. when they look at a picture or see a fly from someone who has been tying for awhile they sometimes give up or say this just isnt for me. I have been tying for awhile and have tied flies fit for the garbage can when using cheap material. I've found the best thing for me is each time I'm at the fly shop I buy something. if you do that little by little you can aquire a pretty nice arsenal of materials. even if I dont need it right away I know with as much tying as I do I will use it sooner or later. my next thing I need to get is a partridge cape. they are about $40 but worth every penny. I also NEVER buy anything over the internet or mail order, you never know what you are going to get. even grade 1 hackles very in color, some browns are darker then other and things like that. ALWAYS inspect the product before you buy it. marabou is the same way, you want nice long fibers that come to sharp points. the cheap stuff looks like mini hackle full of barbs on the fibers and very little of the desired fibers. and because I use high grade materials I minimize waste by saving what I've clipped off. sometimes you can get 2-3 flies out of one strand of quality hackle. I have a few small bins that I keep excess material in. I may only need a small piece of something and always check the waste bin first. same goes for copper wire and rubber legs ect. Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve S. Posted November 8, 2008 Report Share Posted November 8, 2008 I have a simple HMH rotary vise. I've tied a few, simple patterns with it and also tried my hand at spinning deer hair. The construction is basic and yet solid, it functions well and I think it will last me my fly tying lifetime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike G Posted November 8, 2008 Report Share Posted November 8, 2008 All I know is what I read on the net. These guys did a great job of covering the range of vises available. http://www.flyfishohio.com/Vise%20Review%2...e_Shoot-Out.htm FYI, I use a Herter's #9 bought years ago for about $12. Sooner or later I will replace it. Due to my Herter's mentality, the Danvise looks like the one to get if you don't want to mortgage the ranch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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