Fly Tying Vise

[Kevin]

I need a recommendation for a new vise. The handle broke off of my cheap-o kit vice last night, and instead of trying to fix it, I thought I would just go ahead and upgrade.

Fly Tier, I figure you are the expert in this area. I don't want to spend over $100. I just want a vice that will get the job done at a good price. Doesn't need all the bells and whistles, though I wouldn't mind a rotary. I had to fight this vice all the time, couldn't rotate and it was hard to tighten/untighten.

Pretty much anything is going to be a nice upgrade for me. I have looked at the Griffin 2 but the jaws seemed short, so I wasn't sure. Have also looked at the Danica Danvise that looks pretty good.
Suggestions?

[Fly Tier]

I would suggest Bass Pro or Cabela's and see if they have a vice that would fit your needs.Here is another place you could go to and see it's K&K Flyfishers 1-800-795-8118 to order a free catolog it has a vice in it called a DynaKing kingfisher 360 degree rotation in clamp or pedestal for $149.00.I have been through a few vices myself.When my ordres started to grow I was using three vices at a time just to get my orders filled.and always had to loosen and tighten the vice so I could rotate the fly around when i was tying.So I invested in a vice It's a DynaKing Barracda it adjust to a wide range of hook size's from 8/0 to size 22.Because I was tying saltwater flies for a few people that where fishing for blue fin tuna and redfish off the coast of LA.and warm water and fresh water flies here in Arkansas.So if you plan on doing alot of tying I would invest in a vice that's going to last you awhile.If you need any help in anything just let me know.And if you plan on doing any fishing this year let me know and I'll tie you up some flies and send them to you and let you try them out.

[Kevin]

Thanks for the reply. I'm really eyeing that Danvise. It had some great reviews.

When the weather gets warm, all I do up here is fish. Thanks for the offer on flies. I'm getting pretty decent at tying but always like to see other people's flies and see what they do different. That's the fun of it.

[Fly Tier]

Your welcome Kevin,Just let me know on the flies and I'll tie you up some assortment to fish from top to bottom.I'm sure that you use a stone fly nymph's for bottom and Dave's Hopper's for top in your area.I have several books that tell's what kind of flies you can use in diffrent states on streams and lakes these books were wrote by Lefty Kern and one by Dave Whitlock.

[Kevin]

Well I bought the Danvise yesterday. It should be be here Monday or Tuesday. I'll let you know how it ties. It was $85 so that is about the price range I was looking for. Orvis sells the exact same vise, just with a different name.

I would love to see what your book has to say about the North Platte River flies. 

[Fly Tier]

That is awesome that your new vise is on it's way,and you got it at a great price.I will go out to the shop and look at the book and see what is say's about the North Platte River and find out what kind of flies to use.

[Fly Tier]

Well I bought the Danvise yesterday. It should be be here Monday or Tuesday. I'll let you know how it ties. It was $85 so that is about the price range I was looking for. Orvis sells the exact same vise, just with a different name.

I would love to see what your book has to say about the North Platte River .  
flies

The flies to use from Apr thru Oct are:
Salmon fly    4-6               Trico's     20-24
Green Drake 10-12             Mahoany Dun  16-18
Golden Stonefly 8-10          Midges    20-28 and can use midges year round
BWO 14
PMD 16-18
Terrestrials    all sizes

[Kevin]

Thanks Fly Tier.

I know the Platte does have great Trico hatches in September. I've had the pleasure of partaking in that. I lost my last trico that day and switched to an adams and they hit it just as hard. It was a crazy day.

I'm pretty sure people say you can fish stoneflies around there year-round as well. If you go in late summer, it looks like a stonefly shell graveyard on all the rocks.

My problem is, I'm still terrible about knowing stages of flies. That's something I hope to be good at by spring.

Looks just like this:

[Fly Tier]

Thanks Fly Tier.

I know the Platte does have great Trico hatches in September. I've had the pleasure of partaking in that. I lost my last trico that day and switched to an adams and they hit it just as hard. It was a crazy day.

I'm pretty sure people say you can fish stoneflies around there year-round as well. If you go in late summer, it looks like a stonefly shell graveyard on all the rocks.

My problem is, I'm still terrible about knowing stages of flies. That's something I hope to be good at by spring.

Looks just like this:

Start by fishing Stonefly nymph patterns such as Kaufmann Stonefly nymph,Bitch creek nymph,and a Krumm Stonefly nymph,start fishing bottom to top to locate where the fish are holding.If they strike close to the surface,use an adult Stonefly imitation like Troth Stonefly,Muddler Stonefly,or a Whitlocks Adult Stone.

[Kevin]

Thanks for the recommendations. I tied on my Danvise all day yesterday and I have no complaints. I read some disheartening reviews online but I don't know why because I see no downsides to it. It's a little complicated if you don't watch the accompanying DVD so I think people must have been jacking it up trying to get going.

It holds flies extremely tight and finally having a true rotary is great too.

[Fly Tier]

Ya having the rotary in the vise makes it more easier to work with when tying.Is it a clamp or pedalstal? mines a pedalstal I like it,that way all you have to do is pick it up and move it out of the way when you need to.

[Kevin]

It is a c-clamp. It works for me because I have a little tying station that a friend of a friend makes, and it doesn't have room for a platform. It's made out of metal and has a piece of elevated metal where you attach your vise. It's pretty nifty; I've never seen anything made like this one.

I'll take a picture of it tonight and post it.

[Fly Tier]

Sounds like a really nice fly tying station,my son inlaw made me one out of red oak for my fly shop,it's 12'x16' with a front porch.My wife told me that I needed to build a shop to get all my fly tying stuff out of the house,she got tired of chasing feathers in the house.

[Kevin]

Haha, sounds like my wife. My living room coffee table has slowly become my tying station over the last few months. She just ordered a giant plastic thing with a bunch of compartments so I'll at least be able to organize it a little. One of these days I'd like to make a really nice wooden station/desk for all of it.

[Fly Tier]

I know what you mean,all of my materials are stored in plastic containers and in cabinets,I have 5 large plano tackle boxes just full of hooks broke down by size and what fly they are used for.Here is a tip for you,when storing feathers,fur or deer hair sprinkle moth cystals in your containers this will keep the moths and feather mites from eating your material.