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Little Village Fly Tying Tool Caddy

September 22, 201310 CommentsFly TyingBy Jason Klass
Tenkara USA

 

Probably like many of you, I don’t have nearly as much time to tie flies as I’d like.  But when I can sneak in those precious few minutes to lash some feathers and fur to a hook, I like it to be organized so I can maximize my time–whether it’s preparation of materials or getting the necessary tools laid out ahead of time.

Until recently, I’ve been keeping my tools in a simple clay teacup I made years ago while I was in Japan under the guidance of a direct descendant of Sen no Rikyu …

Fly Tying Tool Organizer

Cool factor aside, the small pottery just wasn’t a very practical fly tying tool holder.  Every time I reached for one tool, two or three others inevitably got snagged and came along for the ride.  Whip finishers, hackle pliers, and scissors don’t really play well together in a crowded space like that.

I needed something that would spread out my tools, giving them breathing room for easy identification and access.

A quick eBay search lead me to the Middle Stream Tool Caddy from Little Village Fly Tying.  It’s an attractive, classic looking tool organizer that holds 56 tools and 8 spools of thread.

What appealed to me most was that instead of having all my tools in a tangled mess, I could spread them out in a way where I could easily see and access them without hinderance.  I don’t have 56 tools, so the extra holes give me a lot of flexibility in terms of organization.  A welcome change.

At 12″ long and 5.5″ wide, it takes up minimal space on my fly tying desk yet has the capacity to hold more than I’ll ever need so it’s scalable (another bonus).

Fly Tying Desk

I store all my threads in sewing racks but since this caddy has spindles for 8, I decided to load it up with my most-used threads just to make it a little more convenient.

Now, when I walk into my fly tying room, I’m as confident as a surgeon who knows that all the right tools will be laid out properly before an operation.

If you’re looking for desktop organization with some character, check out Little Village Fly Tying.

Tip:  I’d search them on eBay first because they sometimes offer their products at a discount there.

How do you organize your fly tying tools?

Tenkara USA
fly tyingfly tying organizationfly tying organizerfly tying tool caddiesfly tying tool caddyfly tying tools
About the author

Jason Klass

Jason is an avid fly angler and backpacker. As a former fly fishing guide originally from Western New York, he moved to Colorado and became an early adopter of tenkara which perfectly suited the small, high altitude streams and lakes there. He has not fished a Western-style fly rod for trout since.

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10 Comments
  1. September 23, 2013 at 8:27 am
    mike w.

    neat-o. i think i will pick one up.

  2. September 24, 2013 at 5:16 pm
    Darcy

    Are you moving forward or backward ?

  3. September 25, 2013 at 10:43 am
    Jason Klass

    For me, organization is a step forward.

  4. September 25, 2013 at 11:43 pm
    JDSmith

    Thats a handy looking setup Jason. I’ve got something similar but not quite as nice. Mine is made of plastic, but it was a gift, so I use it proudly and find it very practical and useful.
    One thing I don’t see in your tools is a pair of rotary hackle pliers. Have you not discovered the beauty of this tool for tying a sakasa? I can’t see myself not using it, so much control, so easy.

  5. September 26, 2013 at 9:58 am
    Jason Klass

    JD, yes I have a pair of rotary hackle pliers. They do work great but mine don’t grip the feather very firmly. There are two rubber o-rings on the tips that are supposed to improve the grip but they end up having the opposite effect so I stopped using them. Which kind do you use ?

  6. September 26, 2013 at 3:22 pm
    JDSmith

    Hi Jason,

    I use the Griffin rotary pliers. They have the O-ring on only one of the jaws. Not sure if that does make much of a difference or not, but they do hold well. Sometimes they’ll slip but not often. I also use the teardrop style similar to the ones you have pictured above.

  7. October 24, 2013 at 2:13 pm
    John Bergeron

    Here is a Fly Tying Tool Caddy that adds portability and a compact size. It is suitable for use in all environments from classy fine dinning table to a flat rock by the stream. Use it as a stand alone or with your basement fly tying studio.

    I have been making these for about three years and have sales world wide. See the website for current caddies for sale.

  8. October 24, 2013 at 2:34 pm
    Jason Klass

    Hi John, the link you posted doesn’t work. Can you please repost it?

  9. October 29, 2013 at 9:57 am
    Hipster

    John

    that looks great where can you buy them,?

  10. November 15, 2013 at 5:27 pm
    John Bergeron

    Just realized that you couldn’t get to my selling venues. Try these two websites:
    http://www.etsy.com. Search for “antlercrestcolorado” or for “fly tying tool caddy” or goto http://www.Ebay.com and search for “fly tying tool caddy”

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About Me

Jason KlassJason Klass is a former fly fishing guide & casting instructor based in Colorado. He was an early adopter of tenkara in the West and has been fishing the method for a variety of species since 2009. Read more >>

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