People in our past liked to do things on their own and tying a fly was no big deal for them. Sadly, our generation is not that active and we won’t be able to live without a fly tying vise. While there are a lot of people who still prefer to do it by hand and kudos to them, many find the process very frustrating. Therefore, a lot of people have started to go with the vise. They have become quite popular. The demand increased exponentially and the market has been flooded with different models of vises with different brandings that boast different features. Among those, finding the best fly tying vise is a bit difficult and that’s why we are here to help you out today.
If you are looking to filter these many products and see the cream of the crop, you have landed to the perfect site. In this article, we will talk all about fly tying and fly tying vises. It will certainly help you make a decision. Having said that, let us stop with all the chit-chat and get into the actual article to see some of the best products. We are first going to review the products without necessarily looking at a price bracket. After that, we will go for the best fly tying vises under 200 dollars.
Best Fly Tying Vise
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Editor’s Pick: Why Did We Choose The Rotary Fly Tying Vise?
There were many candidates for the top pick but we chose the Peak Fishing Rotary Fly Tying Vise because of a handful of reasons. We really liked the aircraft aluminum-infused build quality, the whole device felt pretty easy to use and most importantly, we feel that the price is very much justified for all the feature it is offering.
Apart from these obvious reasons, there were certain other things that attracted us to this vise as well. The heavy base, for instance, is the one area which kind of felt like a solid bonus. Added to that, this particular vise is super portable. All of which that makes it the top pick as the top fly tying vises that is worth your money.
Peak Fishing Fly Tying Vise
The Peak Fishing Rotary Fly Tying Vise is designed for efficient fly tying and it comes with many features that the customers will find useful. The construction is pretty solid and the Vise can hold the hooks in a really firm way. The adjustments are a pretty good selling point here and the price kind of justifies the total quality of the vise.
Build
Stainless steel brass tool and aircraft aluminum are chosen as the build material, both of them provide this vise with a really good build that will last you a while. There are tempered steel jaws that can hold hooks from size 20.
Adjustments
The vise can be adjusted with a minimum effort. The screws can be adjusted with ease, there are infinite adjustment points of the screw rotation. Height and length can be adjusted with a bobbin cradle and a pivot mount are also supplied with the vise. If you loosen a single set of screws, the vise can be removed easily for portability which is very convenient. In addition, the vise can be used by both right and left-handed people.
- We found the clamp of the Vise to be strong, all thanks to the build material.
- The hook holds the flies nicely, no problems there.
- Surprisingly, very easy to use.
- The heavy base of the vise was a really solid selling point.
- Plastic screws that are provided here doesn’t really scream top quality.
- Some of the customers complained about having manufacturing defects due to mishandling.
Apart from the subpar plastic screws, the vise comes with an impressive build. It is easy to use, does the “fly holding” work without any shortcomings and is overall a great product that you can buy.
Atlas Rotary Fly Tying Vise
Manufactured by the Wolff Industries Inc., the Atlas Rotary fly tying vise is a one of a kind fly tying vise. It has many features that make it an instant sell. It is a rotary vise with zero-point turning capability.
Build Quality
The Atlas Vise is built with 440-C and 303 stainless steel with 0-1 tool steel jaws which is pretty strong. Hook sizes of this vise are from 7/0 to 32 is supported by the jaws. As the construction is steel, and since there are a knurled friction knob, Delrin sleeve bearings, and Teflon bushings, the resulting motion is pretty smooth and all in all, using it becomes a very pleasant experience.
Design
Probably this vise is having one of the best designs among all the vises we have selected. The Atlas vise is shipped fitted so you don’t have to worry about doing manual labor. The silver finish with a blue base makes for an impressive, eye-popping design.
Adjustability
Although the Atlas Vise comes fitted, you can easily disassemble it and assemble it again with ease. Different adjusting points are given with the product. The pedestal base can be screwed securely and safely.
- We really like the construction and build, very good quality
- It works fine with the size 30 hook, we found it to be much useful for this sized hook.
- The cam mechanics of the vise is good as well, it does require some lubrication first.
- The heavy base makes the vise stay in place which is an added bonus.
- Rotary part of the Atlas Vise works fine as well, no issues there.
- We found the base to be a bit fragile. Although it’s heavy and holds well, something about it just feels a bit odd.
- The steep jaw angle makes the locking mechanism to be the major con of the device, a really big issue if you are left-handed.
There are quite a few odd bits here and there which made us question the build, it might not be that big of a problem though. The Steep Jaw angle, however, is a big concern. Take it to the side, and the other aspects have zero complaints. Amazing build, Design and good adjustments make the Atlas Rotary Vise an instant buy.
Dyna-King Barracuda
Dyna King Barracuda is an impressive mid rotary fly tying vise that ticks many boxes. It has great craftsmanship in design. The vise is available in both c-clamp and pedestal version.
Build Quality
The heavy-duty metal build that weighs around 2.5 kgs makes the whole vise to be very sturdy. We really think that it will last a lifetime because of just how heavy it is. The shipment that comes to you is packed well and it even has an instructional DVD included, sweet deal if you ask us.
Design
In terms of design, the vise looks similar to some other vises but it has some distinctive traits such as the silver/gold color scheme and a black base which gives it a classic vibe.
Adjustability
The vise has brass appointments and 90-degree handle that can be rotated to adjust it. It supports hooks from 8 to 22 which is decent. We tried a wide range of flies and hook sizes with it and it didn’t let us down.
- A flawless build that will last you a while.
- The design and the color scheme is very good.
- It does what it’s supposed to without an issue.
- The notch jaws can take a while to get comfortable with. It took us like an hour or so to figure the jaws out completely.
- Because of that weighted base, it is not really portable.
We like the products that don’t rely on the specification but provides performance that is impressive. The Dyna-King barracuda is one of those products. With impressive build and design, the mid rotary fly tying Vise is a good “stay-at-home” device. You will be sacrificing portability. In addition, the jaws could be a bit difficult for you to get comfortable with.
Regal Revolution Vise
Manufactured by Regal USA, The Regal Vise has a really impressive build quality in addition to the overall design. All of the features that the vise has makes it an ideal choice for a lot of people.
Build
The build of the vise is very good, you will not see any flimsy parts here. The jaw has extensive strength and so does the bronze base that is provided here.
Performance
The best part of the vise is its actual performance. Jaw power of this vise particularly is really impressive. You can torque down when tying a fly and the hook will stay in its place. You can also use it with one hand. Also, you can tie your flies in a faster and an efficient manner.
- One of the best vises that are available on the market because of how versatile it is.
- You are getting a top-notch performance at a reasonable price
- As there multiple models, buying the correct one can be a bit confusing.
A piece of advice that we’d like to provide is to get the model that fits your tying method. Since there are multiple models of this product, you should research extensively on what fits you. Aside from this minor inconvenience, there are not many areas where the vise lets us down so, we recommend it.
Stonfo Transformer
The Stonfo Transformer is a high-quality Vise that has a really fast coupling device on the shaft to hold flies. You get the functionality of three vises for the price of one.
Build
The shaft has a stainless steel build and it is line full rotary via a dual precision ball bearings. There is also a very steady pedestal base with an integrated tool rack.
Adjustability
There are interchangeable jaws here and the tension in the rotary is adjustable as well. Multiple locking positions makes it pretty great. You can lock it at an angle of 45 degrees. The height of the vise can also be manually set. You can tie it with the left hand as well.
Extra
You get a lot of extras with the vise, there is a rounded shape bobbin cradle and a parachute plier included. An adjustable spring material clip, a pivot thread cradle. and an instruction manual is also provided for your convenience.
- The jaws are thin yet surprisingly powerful.
- The materials used in the build are of high quality.
- All the customization options really separate this vise with some others on the market.
- The base is a bit lightweight which can be a problem for many people. We didn’t have much issue with it but it did feel a bit odd at times.
- Not recommended for a beginner
Since the customization and adjustability options are ample, we don’t really recommend this to a beginner. But if you are an experienced individual and the lightweight base isn’t a big deal for you then, you should definitely check this out.
Regal Medallion
The Medallion is a flagship vise that has an iconic design pattern and is considered to be a top-level Regal fly tying product. It is leaps and bounds better than some other Vises in this market.
Ease of Use
The vise is very easy to use, you just open the jaws, insert the hook and start tying. No difficult customization and nothing to adjust. It’s very convenient to use.
Performance
Since the vise revolves 360 degrees and articulates 220 degrees, the flexibility performance that it provides is of top quality. The bronze base makes it even easier to perform all kinds of fly tying tasks easier here.
- Very smooth jaws and good user experience.
- Using the vise is a breeze, you won’t face any problem with it.
- Best for amateurs.
- Since the adjustability is minimum, not meant for professionals.
If you really nitpick about the precision and want to adjust a vise to the tiniest of details, then, this vise is not really meant for you. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a vise that is easy to use, you can definitely go for it.
Best Fly Tying Vise Under 200
Editor’s Pick: Why Did We Choose The Apex Rotary?
We chose the Apex Rotary Vise because of its computer machined build quality and the warranty service. While these two things are the main reasons behind the pick, there were many other contributing factors too. For instance, we found the design to be awesome, the price was well justified and the vise itself is very easy to use. While we also stumbled across some areas where the vise needs much improvement, the overall performance of the vise across different departments turned it into an instant pick.
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Apex Rotary Vise
The Apex Rotary Fly Tying Vise by Wolff Industries is a pretty good vise that features a pedestal base and impressive computer machined build quality. With impressive build, functionality, and price, this vise impressed us.
Build Quality
The build here is hardened steel jaws that that is machined with a computer meaning the details of the build is pretty impressive.
Design
The vise has a full inline rotary and a pedestal base that makes tying flies a breeze. In addition, we really liked the color scheme of the vise. The overall design is aesthetically pleasing.
Warranty
There is a lifetime warranty for the vise which is a really good bonus considering the price.
- The vise handles all kinds of hooks with ease.
- Value for money
- Impressive build quality and warranty
- The screw in the base is a bit loose, it needs a bit of tightening.
- We found the shaft to be too short.
Minor Inconveniences kind of plague this vise. While the vise is pretty amazing for the price, very trivial issues like short shaft and loose screw in the base kind of acts as a deal breaker. Aside from these minor issues, the Apex Rotary vise is one of the best vises under 200 only. We really liked it and definitely, we recommend it.
Griffin Montana Mongoose
The Griffin Montana Mongoose is an impressive vise that comes with plenty of features and an affordable price. It boasts a “supreme hook holding power” that is what the company is famous for. The new rotation screw lock and tension screw provide a much-needed resistance to the vise.
Build Quality
There is a Derin block which is a pretty smooth material, tempered steel jaws are also provided here which have decent quality. The jaws will grip the hooks from 4/0-28’s.
Design
The rotating vise has undergone a major design overhaul. The design is sleek and agile. It comes with an extension handle that enables the handle to rotate 360 degrees.
Extras
The vise comes with free extra accessories such as C-Clamp, Pedestal, Bobbin Cradle, Material Clip, Supreme Bobbin, Hackle Gauge, and Deluxe carrying case.
Warranty
The Griffin Montana Mongoose has a lifetime warranty and it is manufactured in the USA.
- The vise screams for its value for money, we really liked the build and features of the vise.
- Lifetime warranty and the free extra items make it a great buy.
- The front part is a bit heavier than the rest, because of this uneven weight distribution, the whole vise feels shaky.
- We did not find the rotation of the vise to be smooth.
A really great buy if you want to get your first vise. It is not overly complex yet offers decent customization. While the weight distribution might be an issue, you will definitely get used to it. The best part is that the vise has a solid value when the price to performance ratio is considered.
Danica Danvise
A rotary fly tying v0ise that gives you a rotary action and other features that costs less than the competition, yes we are talking about the Danica Danvise. It will make sure your fly tying experience is faster and professional.
Build Quality
Tempered hardened Steel construction provides a sturdy grip for hook sizes 22 to 7/0. The Jaw taper has been modified and made shorter that increases the overall strength of the jaw. It will last you for years.
Ease of Use
An easy cam system is provided here that have decent holding power. The vise is well suited for rookies. For professionals, there are a few customization options, not many.
Performance
The 5 to 1 cam lever has two times the hook holding power than the other vises on the same price category.
Extras
The package includes; complete rotary vise, c-clamp, material spring and bobbin rest. The extra jaws, parts, and base can be purchased separately.
- We tried plenty of hooks with the vise and it didn’t disappoint, plus the vise was pretty easy to use.
- The cam action is pretty secure here and the mount is also very easy to adjust.
- The Shaft of vise has a bit of flex to it which isn’t something that we like.
The flex on the shaft kind of kills the positive sides, otherwise, it was a great experience using the vise. The build is nice, performance is pretty great and since it is easy to use, we recommend the vise. You are getting a solid cam action and impressive build quality, all for the price of under 200 dollars. You can’t really go wrong with this vise.
Renzetti Apprentice
The Renzetti Apprentice Vise is meant for beginners but it also caters to the experienced anglers as well. It comes with a rotary tension screw, a hinged stem and it is able to hold hooks of a wide range of sizes. It is available in C Clamp and it is a product manufactured in the USA.
Design
The vise has a rotating head with a jaw that can be used to fix a wide range of hooks by simply rotating the head. This design makes it so easy to use and tightening the head will enable you to fix different hook sizes here. The C Clamp is also designed to fit your table top which is very nice.
Meant For Beginners
Since the vise is very easy to use, it is specially targeted towards the beginners. However, professionals might not consider it though.
- This vise supports a wide range of hook sizes and it is also built with good materials.
- Lightweight and Ultra Portable because of the size, which is always a bonus.
- Not many adjustments options for hardcore anglers.
If you want really precise adjustments while tying flies then, please don’t bother with this product. But if you’re looking for a quick fix and if you are a total newbie then, yes, the Renzetti Apprentice is definitely for you. With the lightweight form factor, portability and support for all types of hook sizes, it is a really promising vise available in the market for under 200 dollars.
Griffin Odyssey
The Griffin Odyssey is a product manufactured in the USA. This feature packed budget vise is specially made for beginners.
Design
Built from the finest materials and designed with care, the Griffin Odyssey provides many design traits that increase its performance. It has a jaw capacity of 28 to 4/0. It also consists of a 360-degree rotating vise, comes with a C-Clamp and a bobbin cradle as well.
Warranty
You get a lifetime warranty with the vise and awesome customer care service whenever you need it.
- Very Easy to use and portable.
- Decent performance at a surprisingly good price point
- The Plastic Knobs were a bit off, it felt flimsy and weak.
We’re not really sure about the build quality of the Griffin Odyssey but one thing that makes up for it is the warranty. Plus, you get supreme ease of use with the vise, that is portable as well. One annoying disadvantage though is the plastic knob which we feel will break pretty soon.
Regal Travel Fly Tying Vise
The Regal fly tying vise is conveniently sized and caters to a huge area of customers. Both professionals and rookies will find this vise to be extremely useful.
Design
The vise has an offset design that takes half the size of other common vises. It also looks aesthetically pleasing with deep black color scheme with subtle gold engravings.
Build Quality
It is not built with the sturdiest of materials but it does have an aluminum construction that provides it with an overall decent build.
Performance
The Regal travel is a reliable vise with a stable base and efficiency when it comes to tying vises. It can fit the size of 22-1/0 hooks. There are 3 pockets on the base that can hold your hooks and beads.
- The compact form factor makes it very easy to carry. In addition, the vise is pretty lightweight too.
- Excellent Jaws capable of tying a wide range of hooks.
- The Base needs a bit more weight
If you’re used to a heavy base then you may find the base of this vise to be a bit less heavy. Otherwise, you’d be surprised how good this vise is. With jaws that deliver performance and design that really speaks for itself, the Regal Travel fly tying vise is incredible in its own way and we recommend it.
Why Fly Tying Vise is Needed?
There was a time when Fly tying was performed manually but nowadays a lot of people don’t do that. It is mainly because of the difficulty that arises when you perform the task with hands. It’s just a bit more feasible to use a Fly Tying Vise. It is hassle-free and more convenient.
The best thing about using a fly tying vise that you are able to tie your flies with extreme precision. The control that you get is quite commendable. If you perform the same thing manually then you don’t really an expected outcome. For instance, placing the thread on the stem of a bobbin cradle and simultaneously adjusting the size of the jaw to hold a fly is not possible manually. Only with a dedicated vise can you perform this task with ease.
Also, A fly tying vise helps you thread a fly in a faster way. Doing it by hand may be very slow. If you have bought a rotary vise then threading a fly will be even faster. You can just tie the fly by rotating a lever present on the shaft of the vise.
You also receive a whole lot of flexibility with a Fly Tying Vise. The customization options are more than enough, You don’t have to worry about the size and shape of the fly bottlenecking your experience. You can choose any sized flies with different shapes and still be able to tie them with a good vise.
How To Use A Fly Tying Vise?
There is a two-fold knowledge that you must be familiar with before using a vise. The first is that you should know how to operate a fly tying vise and the next thing is to know the methods to produce a fly. The main point is to put some flies onto a vise’s hook in a particular way.
Doing this requires some level of skill. You should have your vise held firmly in a place via C-Clamp or a Pedestal base. Also, you should adjust the height of your vise that is comfortable to use. One bonus tip; make sure you have good lights as flies are pretty small and sometimes you might lose them. The next thing you’d want to do is to pull the level on your vise’s Shaft, this opens up the moveable side of the vise Jaws. You now need to adjust your jaws’ size. This can be done by rotating the screw present at the shaft’s end. After this, you should be able to place the bottom of your hook into your jaw.
That’s about it. Doing this will certainly seem like a difficult job at first but when you do it for a while, it’ll get easier. Most of the vises can be tied by this method. There are some exceptions though and they may require you to slightly alter the methods. You can perform some hit and trial operation to properly tie the flies.
How To Select The Best Fly Tying Vise
There are some terminologies that you should have some knowledge about and there are some factors in play and these two things determine which vise to select. Here are the things you should consider:
Adjustments & Jaws
The first thing that you should look for in a vise is how the Jaw actually works. There are a lot of Jaws that just don’t perform to your expectation so, be aware of those. The Jaws you buy should be able to incorporate a wide range of hooks and they should also be able to tie bigger and/or smaller bugs. Some vises even offer you Jaws that you can interchange. As far as the type goes, a Jaw can be textured on the inside and it can also be flat and even smooth. A lot of people actually like the basic, flat kinds of jaws.
As far as adjustments go, some of the cheaper alternatives of the vises have a lever and dial adjustment which is fine for basic usage. But what we would recommend is the dual screw adjustments that involve a cam lever. It is quite debatable if the adjustments are needed or not. Rookies hate it while professionals can’t like without adjustments. It boils down to preference so, you can get whatever sails your boat.
Rotation
There are many vises that come with a “rotary” feature which enables them to spin the jaw assembly at 360 degrees angle. This will allow you to view all sides of the fly. True Rotary vises provide a full 360-degree field of view while there are some other vises that provide the field of view below 360 degrees. If you use a vise with True rotary feature then you are able to hold the thread and rotate the vise to wrap the hook. The True rotary vises come handy when your aim is to wrap materials like wire ribbing or dubbing around the hook. As far as standard rotary vise goes, the hooks have a really awkward rotation that makes it even difficult to wrap. We suggest you go with a full rotary vise but there are people who still prefer the vise that doesn’t have this mechanism.
Base
The most important thing about a vise is the kind of vise that it has. There are mainly two kinds of the base; Pedestal base and C-Clamp Base. A pedestal base has a flat shape, it is heavy and it can be detached from the vise’s stem. It is an ideal selection if you want to tie your flies by keeping the vise on a flat surface like a desk or a boat’s seat. You can use the vise in any flat surface with a pedestal vise. The clamp style base can’t be used on a thick table or a table with weird angles but it can be used in places where the clamp can be installed. The best thing about Clamp Style base is the weight which is super less, adjustability and also portability. Most of the vises come with an option of either Clamp or Pedestal type base. You can buy one of them separately as well. Get the base option that you best prefer.
Build Quality & Price
The Final thing to consider is the actual build of the vise. Don’t get the vise that has a plastic build or the build that seems fragile. Tempered Steel, Aluminium and Stainless Steel are some of the best materials that you should look forward to. If you’ve read the article in full, you now know that the price range is quite a bit as far as a vise goes. You can get them for below 200 dollars but you can also get them for way expensive price point. So, what’s the takeaway? Well, make sure to buy the one with a good price to performance ratio and you should be fine.
Final Words
Vises are a norm if you want to efficiently tie flies and save time while you’re fishing. There are a lot of products to choose from. The best fly tying vise is the one that fits your budget and provides you with maximum performance and quality. We’ve also covered the ways to use a vise so, you don’t have to face many difficulties. Keeping our readers in mind, we have split the vises into two categories; one over 200 dollars and one below it. You can definitely buy our top picks or you can go with any of the other vises that we’ve covered.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Is it difficult to use a fly tying vise?
Ans. It depends on the person. There is a learning curve initially but it is not that much difficult.
Q. Are fly tying vises expensive?
Ans. Well, you can get good quality vises below 200 dollars so, we won’t say it’s that expensive.
Q. Are the vises a necessity?
Ans. Definitely No. People can tie flies without ever relying on a vise, it’s not necessary but it is convenient.
Q. Do you really have to spend more than 200 dollars on a vise?
Ans. Not really, you can get good vises for less than 200 dollars but if you want to get premium quality in all the departments then, do consider a vise that costs more than 200 dollars.