I have been throwing around the idea now for over a year of tying my own flies. I'm sure that there is a lot of satisfaction of having a fish take your pattern. I would like to start tying flies, but I need some suggestions.
I realize that probably the best thing to do would be to take a class. The problem is that my local fly shop offers them only on a night that I wouldn't be able to attend. So what do you suggest? Should I buy books or are there videos available. Are there certain products (materials, tools, etc) that I should buy? What I don't want to do is make an investment in something that I can't use because I lack the knowledge.

I suggest a book first. There are a ton of videos out there on you tube to tie certain flies and there might even be some on specific tying techniques. I learned from a book but it was a book that taught you easy techniques to hard techniques as you progressed. This way you can go at you own pace.

Any paticular book that you would recommend?

Skip Morris's "Trout Flies for Rivers"
John Barr's "Barr Flies"
Charlie Craven's "Charlie's Fly Box"
And these videos are incredible, I learned to tie watching these. The first links videos are far and away the best, however the others are great also.

http://vimeo.com/channels/patterns

http://www.youtube.com/user/hansrcsd

http://www.youtube.com/user/mtbpt

You live in Pittsburgh and probably have a good library system. If you don't want to spend the money up front, try there once you have book titles. If they don't have them, inquire about their ILL (Inter-Library Loan) program. I live in Philly and have gotten several good FF books using the ILL service. I think one of the books even came from somewhere in Montana .

I know a few FF books I received from ILL came from the Carnegie Library in Pitt.

i am quite sure there are those of us on this board that would show you also.come to the jam and we'll teach you.

you can get started easily,using half hitches instead of whip finishes.raid your sewing box.

i started with sewing thread and hemostats in a clamp as a vise.

not a good way to start,but it got me started,haha

also,tell us some of the flies you like to use and we'll tell you what's easy to tye!

don't start, its addicting and doesn't save money (i'll argue that second point though)

join a beginners class at internatiol angler or somewhere, that way you can pay a fee, use their tools, and you usually get a lot of materials for what you paid......this way you can see if you really want to invest in tools, materials, etc

see if a Trout Unlimited chapter near you has a tying class. They are often low cost. I think there is a chapter in Pitt. here is a list of chapters:

http://www.patrout.org/chapters

L.L. Bean in Pittsburgh is running free fly tying classes on tuesday and thursdays starting on March 12 from 7:30-8:30pm. They only run for three weeks so be sure to make it out!

Thanks for all of the info so far gang. I plan on stopping by the library tomorrow on my way home from work. Also thanks for he heads up on the L.L. Bean classes.

As suggested, contact you local TU. We get together every other Saturday to tie. We have both an advanced and beginner class. This runs from January through March each year. Also, if you know someone who is a good tier, have hem show you the basics. You will them be able to copy any pattern by watching videos on the many websites.

Books are great. I started tying by reading books on tying. Tying dry flies by jay Nichols is the book that started me. It has some great patterns in there along with a couple of other famouse tyers favorite patterns as well.

Tying books are nice, trouble is there's no one to ask questions. Dvd's are better because you can actually see what the tyer is doing and that answers a good deal of questions, but you're still at the mercy of what info. they talk about. The best way to go by far is get with someone and tie. Then get the books and dvd's.