Fly tying book

flyfisher101

flyfisher101

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Joined
Jan 28, 2008
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Hey Guys,

I would like to start tying my own flies this winter. Do you have any recommendations on any good books? I've been messing around on youtube and found great videos, but I want to learn as much of the basics and terminology from a legitimate source.
 
My first and favorite:

http://www.amazon.com/Orvis-Fly-Tying-Guide/dp/1592281214

It will walk you through something like a half dozen basic patterns, such as a hare's ear, bugger, adams, and a few other basics. From there, you apply the skills taught in them to tie any of the hundreds of patterns listed in the final section. I think they have the recipes for the entire orvis fly catalog from the year it was published.
 
Thanks Jay! So what am I getting myself into?!? I've been thinking about tying for a couple of years but wanted to learn how to fly fish first before tying (duh!). To be honest I am a little intimitated about the whole tying thing.
 
It is what you make of it. I kind of fell out of the tying thing since I've had no time, but I used to do it weekly. I got really intricate and complicated for a while, but now I just tie tried and true patterns, and pay for tougher patterns at local fly shops.

That book will get you started with a bunch of the main fly types: catskill dries, elk hair dries, dubbed nymphs, pheasant tails, and buggers, to name a few. I think there are detailed instructions for some other stuff, as well.

If you learn to tie your green weenies, pheasant tails, caddis, foam ants, san juans, and globugs, you'll be covering 85% of the trout fishing on the eastern side of the state. Throw in easy to tie thread midges, al's rats, and tricos, and you'll be in good shape for the nearby little lehigh.

Anything beyond that, and it becomes a consuming hobby which is pretty rewarding. I anxiously await the coming months, where hopefully I'll start tying again.
 
Thanks again Jay...hopefully Santa will be good to me and get me the tying kit I asked for :) if not I will have to go out and spend some $ on it. Looking forward to getting the book and trying out a few patterns.
 
The materials kits aren't that great. I use a tool kit that I got from cabela's years ago, and found that it's usable. It's not great, but it gets the job done.

As far as materials, I'd buy them separately. Half of the stuff in the kits isn't even usable.

If you're going to take that path, I'd start another one of the "what stuff to buy" threads in fly tying forum. I did it years ago, and it helped me to build a decent kit.
 
I have a book by Randall Kaufman called "Tying Dry Flies"
It's excellent. It starts off by explaining about hooks and fly tying materiels. Then gets into the tying aspect, with many common patterns shown step by step. I wish this book was around when I started tying. I highly recommend it.

I believe he also has a book about tying nymphs
 
I would recomend The Benchside Introduction to Fly Tying by Lesson and Schollmeyer. It is the best entry tying book out in my opinion. It has a neat construction, with split pages, the top being patterns (@50) while the bottom is techniques. This way you can see the methods for tying each pattern step by step. I have found this book to be very helpful. This book goes for bout $45, don't get confused with their Benchside Reference which is more advanced and goes for bout $100.
 
i also recommend the tying books by randall kaufman i have both "tying dry flies "and " tying nymphs" excellent books
 
Please don't yell at me for not recommending a book in the readers' corner. If you have a TU chapter near you, you might find that it offers fly tying classes for free or for a minimal charge. Here in Blair County, the John Kennedy Chapter will be offering classes beginning the 1st Sat. in January and will host them for 7 weeks, every other week. The basic class is free. Check out your local TU chapter to find out.

(Sorry not recommending a book.)
 
Thanks for the heads up on the kit...I've been lurking on a couple different threads that talk about vices and starter kits and they all seem to say what you are saying Jay. Thanks for all the other leads guys...looks like I will be doing a lot of reading this winter!

rrt- How dare you not recommend a book?!?! J\K I've been trying to find a local chapter near Bethlehem, but I also heard that the L.L.Beam store in the Prominade offers weekly classes either for free or for $10 not sure though.

Thanks again
 
The Hokendaquia TU (sorry guys, I always spell that wrong and I've lived here for 19 years) has a great class on Saturday mornings starting in Jan. Or the Monocacy TU often has tying instruction at their monthly meetings, although I don't know the schedule for this year. Come on down anyway.
 
flyfisher101 wrote:
Thanks Jay! So what am I getting myself into?!? I've been thinking about tying for a couple of years but wanted to learn how to fly fish first before tying (duh!). To be honest I am a little intimidated about the whole tying thing.

I'll second the Orvis fly tying book. Almost any book Orvis puts out is quality.

Fortunately the fish are often less discriminating on how well the fly is tied than we humans are. I sometimes fish with my brother who is just learning to FF. He has no interest in learning insects, fly selection, or tying. He just asks my to select a fly for him and that's what he fishes. He's also a terrible caster so he looses many of my flies. I keep a collection of my poorly tied flies for him (he doesn't know it). Many times he ends up out fishing me with my "reject" flies. I think those "imperfections" often make the fly more "buggy" to the fish.
 
If you are only going to buy one book. IMO start with one of the best "The Fly Tier's Benchside Reference". Also as stated above, buy only the material to tie a pattern and stay away from the bargin bins (unless you need the material for a patern).



Joe E
 
AK Best's book called Fly box is pretty awesome if you're big on matching the hatch w/mayflies, and tying nymphs.

I guess they don't print much of them anymore.
 
I plan on getting as many books that I can afford...keeping in mind to save enough for all the stuff I need to start tying.
 
I found that I spent way too much money on books, and not nearly enough time scouring the web and spamming this forum with questions.

Don't break the bank unless you have to. Books are nice, but they are expensive.

I found the technical stuff here and on other websites, and spent the cash on gierach after a few years. Turns out that was a better option.
 
I agree with that you shouldn't buy a lot of books and only buy the materials to tie the flies you use the most.

Start with a simple pattern or two then build from there. I started with CDC Caddis (a tully must), ants, Wooly Buggers then went from there. You'll waste less money on material you'll rarely use. Once you're hooked you can go crazy.

As was mentioned earlier "The Benchside Introduction to Fly Tying by Lesson and Schollmeyer" is a great book to start with. It's unique split layout allows you to continuosly view a pattern while flipping to the appropriate individual tying techniques. Between this book and online videos I had more than enough information to get me started. I rarely use the book now but it was great in the beginning. It explained the basics and from there I felt confident enough to ask intelligent questions from other tyers.

You can get most of the basic video instructions you need from online sources like youtube or tying sites. The rest you get from other tyers & forums. Nothing beats being shown by another tyer. Sometimes I just ask an employee at my local shop to show me a pattern then I buy the materials.

Good Luck!
 
The guys are right, spend most of your money on a decent vise, tools and materials. A single book and/or a DVD on the basics should suffice. The Internet has a lot of patterns and tutorials. I can't remember the last time I referenced fly tying book.
 
Just saw this book on a trip to B&N...looks like a really good tying book, Good illustrations (photos) and the patterns are pretty good choices. I would recommend this for a beginner and even someone with some experience from what I was able to read in the 15 minutes I looked at it.

btw this price is 15 bucks less than B&N was.
 
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