In this quick fly tying video, Ben Baxter shows us how to use a rotary vise to wrap wire on a fly pattern. Plus, we’ve put together a guide to wire sizes for fly tying.
WRAPPING WIRE WITH A ROTARY VISE
When you’re working to fill your fly box with patterns that are consistent from one to the next, efficiency is critical. When wrapping wire onto a fly pattern, one of the ways we can achieve that is by using a rotary vise. In this video, Ben gives us a quick tutorial on how he uses his rotary vise to wrap wire consistently and efficiently. This video showcases the big benefit of a rotary vise as well. You'll see the shank of the hook stay on the same axis as the head of the vise rotates around it.
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A GUIDE TO FLY TYING WIRE SIZES:
When fly tying with UTC Ultra Wire or other wire products, using the right size is important. Ultra Wire comes in five sizes and more than 30 different colors. Here’s a quick guide to help you pick the right wire:
Ultra Wire XS:
This is the finest Ultra Wire available and it’s perfect for ribbing on those tiny tailwater flies. When you’re tying midges, small baetis patterns or anything size 20 or smaller, reach for the XS Ultra Wire. This is also a great choice for ribbing on dry flies because it adds very little weight.
XS: 0.0045” Diameter, 37 Gauge
Ultra Wire Small
Small Ultra Wire is a great all-purpose wire size that fly tyers can use to meet a variety of different needs. It’s a good choice for ribbing small nymph patterns in the 16-20 size range, as well as medium-sized dry flies like caddis and PMDs.
A great alternative to Small or XS Ultra Wire is the Lagartun Fine Wire, which falls right between the two in size, and comes in some great colors as well.
UTC Small: 0.0065” Diameter, 34 Gauge
Lagartun Fine: 0.0051”
Ultra Wire Brassie
Brassie Ultra Wire falls between small and medium in size. This is another good all-purpose wire size that can be used to create wire bodies on flies in the 18-22 size range, like Brassies and Copper Johns, or for ribbing on trout flies in the 12-18 size range.
Brassie: 0.009" Diameter, 31 Gauge
Ultra Wire Medium
Reach for Medium Ultra Wire whenever you’re ribbing larger nymphs, sizes 8-12, or for creating those wire bodies on patterns like Copper Johns and stoneflies in the 8-14 size range. Medium is also a good choice when tying smaller streamers and buggers.
Medium: 0.0135” Diameter, 28 Gauge
Ultra Wire Large
When tying streamers or big stonefly nymphs, the Large Ultra Wire is your best option. This is the largest Ultra Wire size available. Reach for this one when tying Copper Johns, Wired Stones, as well as other big nymphs and streamers in the 2-8 size range.
Large: 0.018" Diameter, 26 Gauge
Contact Us With Questions
If you have questions about wire or any other fly tying materials or techniques, we’re here to help! Please visit us at the fly shop in Littleton. Or give us a call at 303-794-1104. We’re proud to offer a great selection of fly tying materials and the in-house expertise to go with it. Whether in-store, online or over the phone, we’d be happy to help you get started.
