Where the Heck is my Bobbin!!
The One Thing Every Fly Tyer Loses More Than Time
We’ve all stood over the bench hunting for that one material we swore we had—only to find it buried under a pile of half-finished flies. My custom fly tying business was growing, and so was the time I wasted digging through what I used to call my “organized chaos.” The culprit wasn’t mystery theft; it was habit: not putting tools away, shoving supplies into random drawers, or never unpacking them properly after a trip.
Why a Little Organization Pays Off
A small investment of time up front saves hours later. When your hooks, beads, threads, and feathers are sorted and labeled, tying becomes faster, less stressful, and more enjoyable. Below are the practical storage solutions that rescued my workflow and will help you spend more time tying and less time searching.
Hook and Bead Boxes
Why they matter: Almost every fly starts with a hook and a head. Keeping those base components organized is the biggest time-saver.
How I use them: I group hooks by type—nymphs, dry flies, bass/saltwater—and keep bead heads, cone heads, lead eyes, and specialty heads in separate boxes. Choose boxes with tight-locking lids and dividers so small hooks don’t migrate between compartments.
Pro tip: Label each box and compartment so you can grab exactly what you need at a glance.
Thread Rack
Why it matters: Thread is one of those things you reach for constantly. A visible, accessible rack keeps colors and sizes in plain sight.
How I use it: I use a dedicated thread rack that holds spools upright and doubles as storage for other spooled materials. It keeps my bench tidy and speeds up color selection.
Tubes With Removable Ends
Why they matter: Long, loose materials like krystal flash and flashabou tangle easily if left loose.
How I use them: Removable-end tubes are perfect for storing flash, ostrich, peacock, and pheasant tails. I keep a flash-sized tube for my shimmering materials and separate tubes for larger feathers.
Ziploc Bags
Why they matter: Simple, cheap, and effective for grouping like materials.
How I use them: I keep similar items together in Ziploc bags—marabou in one bag, CDC in another—often leaving them in their original packaging inside the bag. This compresses storage and makes it easy to grab a single bag for a project.
Totes and Drawers
Why they matter: Bulkier items—pelts, deer hair, foam, and larger synthetic materials—need bigger containers.
How I use them: I store original bags inside larger Rubbermaid totes or wooden drawers. Each tote holds a category: zonkers and small fur strips; small feather packs; large pelts; synthetic body materials; foam and accents; dubbing and popper bodies. Everything is bagged individually, then grouped by type.
Pro tip: Clear drawers or labeled totes make inventory checks painless.
Quick Setup Checklist
Group like items together (hooks, beads, feathers, synthetics).
Label everything—boxes, compartments, and bags.
Use vertical storage for thread and spooled materials.
Bag small items and store them in larger containers for protection and compression.
Adopt a one-minute cleanup rule: put tools and materials away after each session.
Get Started Today
Yes, organizing takes time at first. Tackle it in small steps—one drawer or one category at a time—and you’ll notice immediate benefits. Your tying will be faster, more fun, and far less frustrating.
Happy tying.