The more time you spend practicing, the quicker the entire process will become second nature to you. (Charlie Craven photo)
Based on the number of phone calls I receive and conversations at fly-fishing shows, many fly tiers trying to make the transition from tying trout flies to hair bugs get frustrated with their poor results. Typically they aren't aware of a few tips that can make the transition easy. Of course, there's also no substitute for practice.
After teaching workshops for many years, I notice that many tiers lack a pair of both straight and curved serrated hair scissors. The typical 1-inch-long bladed scissors used to tie trout flies are not adequate. I recommend the Anvil Ultimate Model 70 (right handed) or 71 (left handed), which cost around $20...