Re: [VFB] Teaching kids to tie

[Joyce Westphal]

I've done scouts with three to a vise, but you can also show them how to use a kelly clamp (2.98 at your local fly shop) stuck with the handles in holes cut in a block of wood with the block clamped with a C clamp to the table.  you will need some sort of bobbin for each kid, a scissors (cheapest at your local W"mart in the sewing section) and a ball point pen in the closed position (or a BIC pen with the filler out) as the tool to use to slip half hitches over the head when tying off. I also had dubbing wax (glue sticks work well for this) and several bottles of Sally's hard as nails for head cement when they finished.  Simple patterns, such as woolly buggers, latex nymph, griffith gnats all work well. A paper clip makes a great dubbing twister. Good luck..you'll have a ball.  My sister and I taught 24 scouts, just the two of us, and all made three flies. We did hand out instructions with step by step for each fly so the kids would be able to tie them at home and each scout took home is kelly clamp. Hope this helps. Joyce