Any good books on fly tying?
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Jimmie
Well-known member
The one that I still reach for most often is The Complete Fly Fisherman----"Fly Tying Techniques & Patterns". It's a hardback for under $20. It has patterns for most popular flies. It has tie in techniques for most fly tying materials. Plus beatiful pictures. I also have one that costs five times more that I rarely open.
mcnerney
Administrator
Fly2Fish
Well-known member
I agree with Larry. I have a number of good fly tying books, but if I had to pick just one for overall general tying, it would be Charlie Craven's.
peregrines
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Another fan of Charlie's book here (assuming you're talking about trout flies). It is very well laid out, and Charlie obsesses over details that other books often blaze through. This really helps a beginner get a good grasp of techniques, and his book has excellent and detailed photos that help explain techniques. And I've been tying for 30 + years and found a lot of very useful info there too.
In addition to doing a very thorough job covering tools and materials, he covers 17 specific patterns (and includes several variations for each). These patterns are great flies in their own right, but more important teach you a variety of techniques used on other patterns not included in the book. The patterns are a logical progression and go from very simple to more difficult. He also does a very good job of demonstrating and correcting pit falls you may run into and does a very good job covering proportions on different types of flies.
And you can pace yourself (and your wallet) a bit by buying materials for one or two patterns at a time.
Here's a listing of the contents:
1 How to use this book
2 Tools
3 Hooks and Thread
4 Attachment Techniques
5 Dubbing
6 Brassie
7 Black Beauty
8 RS2
9 Gold Ribbed Hare's Ear
10 Pheasant Tail Nymph
11 Hackle
12 Bead Head Prince Nymph
13 Copper John
14 Woolly Bugger
15 Hair Selection
16 Elk Hair Caddis and X Caddis
17 Stimulator
18 Adams
19 Rusty Spinner
20 Parachute Blue Wing Olive
21 X Comparadun and Sparkle dun
22 Royal Wulff
23 Humpy
24 Goddard Caddis
After you work your way through the patterns, you'll have a very good grasp of different techniques. With the wealth of information on the web, including the zillions of step by step patterns out there, it becomes very easy to google a pattern like a Thorax dun (not included in the book) and follow the steps to tie it without the need for any additional hand holding, or pick up a book like David Hughes "Trout Flies" that is geared towards intermediate (rather than beginning) tyers, but covers a ton of different styles of flies including many different styles of wet flies, terrestrials and streamers not covered in Charlies book. Many of the specific patterns you'll want for PA just differ in hook size and color, so it's a simple matter of applying the same techniques. For example if you can tie a comparadun, you can tie a Sulphur, Hendrickson and any other Comparaduns, and if you can tie a BWO Parachute, you can tie other parachutes by simply varying color of hackle and dubbing. And learning the style of tying an Adams with the ability to split and tie divided wings (covered in the Wulff) will let you tie all the Catskill style flies.
If you want to get a feel for some of Charlies instructions, take a look at some of the step by step patterns he covers on his website www.copperfly.net and click on dry flies, nymphs or wet flies. Just be aware that the step by steps on his website assume some experience and familiarity with tying. The book is more detailed and helpful for beginners and doesn't assume any tying experience. But after working through his book, you'll be able to tackle all kinds of stuff on his website and many others out there, and in many cases just a pic of the fly and a list of the ingredients will be all you need.
Good luck-- and don't hesitate to ask questions here as you get into it. Also, as the fishing season starts to wind down as winter approaches, be sure to look into local fly tying classes offered through shops or groups like local TU chapters and FFF affiliated clubs.
mark
In addition to doing a very thorough job covering tools and materials, he covers 17 specific patterns (and includes several variations for each). These patterns are great flies in their own right, but more important teach you a variety of techniques used on other patterns not included in the book. The patterns are a logical progression and go from very simple to more difficult. He also does a very good job of demonstrating and correcting pit falls you may run into and does a very good job covering proportions on different types of flies.
And you can pace yourself (and your wallet) a bit by buying materials for one or two patterns at a time.
Here's a listing of the contents:
1 How to use this book
2 Tools
3 Hooks and Thread
4 Attachment Techniques
5 Dubbing
6 Brassie
7 Black Beauty
8 RS2
9 Gold Ribbed Hare's Ear
10 Pheasant Tail Nymph
11 Hackle
12 Bead Head Prince Nymph
13 Copper John
14 Woolly Bugger
15 Hair Selection
16 Elk Hair Caddis and X Caddis
17 Stimulator
18 Adams
19 Rusty Spinner
20 Parachute Blue Wing Olive
21 X Comparadun and Sparkle dun
22 Royal Wulff
23 Humpy
24 Goddard Caddis
After you work your way through the patterns, you'll have a very good grasp of different techniques. With the wealth of information on the web, including the zillions of step by step patterns out there, it becomes very easy to google a pattern like a Thorax dun (not included in the book) and follow the steps to tie it without the need for any additional hand holding, or pick up a book like David Hughes "Trout Flies" that is geared towards intermediate (rather than beginning) tyers, but covers a ton of different styles of flies including many different styles of wet flies, terrestrials and streamers not covered in Charlies book. Many of the specific patterns you'll want for PA just differ in hook size and color, so it's a simple matter of applying the same techniques. For example if you can tie a comparadun, you can tie a Sulphur, Hendrickson and any other Comparaduns, and if you can tie a BWO Parachute, you can tie other parachutes by simply varying color of hackle and dubbing. And learning the style of tying an Adams with the ability to split and tie divided wings (covered in the Wulff) will let you tie all the Catskill style flies.
If you want to get a feel for some of Charlies instructions, take a look at some of the step by step patterns he covers on his website www.copperfly.net and click on dry flies, nymphs or wet flies. Just be aware that the step by steps on his website assume some experience and familiarity with tying. The book is more detailed and helpful for beginners and doesn't assume any tying experience. But after working through his book, you'll be able to tackle all kinds of stuff on his website and many others out there, and in many cases just a pic of the fly and a list of the ingredients will be all you need.
Good luck-- and don't hesitate to ask questions here as you get into it. Also, as the fishing season starts to wind down as winter approaches, be sure to look into local fly tying classes offered through shops or groups like local TU chapters and FFF affiliated clubs.
mark
peregrines
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Anthony-
For many years the "classic" for getting started was "Fly Tying made Clear and Simple" by Skip Morris [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Fly-Tying-Made-Clear-Simple/dp/1571882316"]Amazon.com: Fly Tying Made Clear and Simple (9781571882318): Skip Morris: Books[/ame] It's a good addition to consider, with more of an Eastern flavor than Charlie's book, and more of an emphasis on classic "old school" fly patterns. A spiral bound copy will lay flat on your tying desk, and is relatively inexpensive at 13 bucks or so.
It's got a good intro to tools and materials, and covers many good patterns that represent a well thought out introduction by including representative patterns that teach a variety of skills including:
Rick's Caddis (a simple caddis larva pattern)
White and Grizzly Woolly Bugger
Gold Ribbed Hare's Ear
Morristone (stonefly nymph)
Pheasant Tail
Skip Nymph
Mickey Finn (bucktail streamer)
Black Ghost (featherwing streamer)
Partridge and Yellow (soft Hackle wet Fly)
Adams (and other Catskill style flies)
Gray Wulff (divided hairwing)
Elk Hair Caddis
March Brown Comparadun
Light Cahill Parachute
Griffiths Gnat
It also as well as an appendix of additional fly recipes that utilize the same techniques learned tying the above.
Charlie's book though takes it to a whole new level in terms of the detail and is jam packed with tips and "aha" moments, even for those that have been tying for years, so I'd highly recommend his book if you were to get only one.
And, there's a huge volume of free resources of step by step tying instructions and videos out here on the web once you've worked your way through the book, and you'll have the chops to tie them with confidence.
mark
For many years the "classic" for getting started was "Fly Tying made Clear and Simple" by Skip Morris [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Fly-Tying-Made-Clear-Simple/dp/1571882316"]Amazon.com: Fly Tying Made Clear and Simple (9781571882318): Skip Morris: Books[/ame] It's a good addition to consider, with more of an Eastern flavor than Charlie's book, and more of an emphasis on classic "old school" fly patterns. A spiral bound copy will lay flat on your tying desk, and is relatively inexpensive at 13 bucks or so.
It's got a good intro to tools and materials, and covers many good patterns that represent a well thought out introduction by including representative patterns that teach a variety of skills including:
Rick's Caddis (a simple caddis larva pattern)
White and Grizzly Woolly Bugger
Gold Ribbed Hare's Ear
Morristone (stonefly nymph)
Pheasant Tail
Skip Nymph
Mickey Finn (bucktail streamer)
Black Ghost (featherwing streamer)
Partridge and Yellow (soft Hackle wet Fly)
Adams (and other Catskill style flies)
Gray Wulff (divided hairwing)
Elk Hair Caddis
March Brown Comparadun
Light Cahill Parachute
Griffiths Gnat
It also as well as an appendix of additional fly recipes that utilize the same techniques learned tying the above.
Charlie's book though takes it to a whole new level in terms of the detail and is jam packed with tips and "aha" moments, even for those that have been tying for years, so I'd highly recommend his book if you were to get only one.
And, there's a huge volume of free resources of step by step tying instructions and videos out here on the web once you've worked your way through the book, and you'll have the chops to tie them with confidence.
mark
bono
Well-known member
http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/beginners/
this site is good it by al cambell really good for beginners I my self learned alot here
this site is good it by al cambell really good for beginners I my self learned alot here
HuronRiverDan
Well-known member
I haven't seen the book the others mentioned, but I would say look at the Randall Kaufman books; they are very thorough.
Dan
Dan
RMTrouter
Member
I've recently taken up tying, and I picked up Charlie's book. Penegrines is right on point with his description of the book. Go check out Charlie's shops website, there are a ton of patterns there, and his instructions are exactly what you will get in his book.
http://www.charliesflyboxinc.com/
http://www.charliesflyboxinc.com/
Jimmie
Well-known member
Hi Ant
Just got home and on my door step was Charlie Craven's "Basic Fly Tying" that I ordered because of our member recommendations. I've just browsed through it and I can already tell it's the best fly book I've got. This is a good one.
Just got home and on my door step was Charlie Craven's "Basic Fly Tying" that I ordered because of our member recommendations. I've just browsed through it and I can already tell it's the best fly book I've got. This is a good one.
I really like the [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Fly-Tiers-Benchside-Reference/dp/1571881263/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1251307351&sr=8-1"]The Fly Tier's Benchside Reference[/ame] It doesn't show how to tie any flies from beginning to end, but it shows many different techniques of prepping and attaching material. I use this book more than any of my others. I definitely recommend it, though it is a bit pricey if you are first starting out.
BlueDun
Well-known member
My bible when I started tying flies was: The Benchside Introduction to Fly Tying by Ted Leeson and Jim Schollmeyer.
This book does the same as many others already mentioned regarding good descriptions of materials and tools. The cool thing about this book is that it is split in halves. The top half has quite a few common flies. The bottom half has instructions for different steps. For example, the instructions for tying a parachute Adams lists each step (with photos) with the page number for the bottom half on how to perform each step (with photos). This might sound confusing, but it was soooo helpful to have photos for each single thing that needs to be done to tie each fly.
This book does the same as many others already mentioned regarding good descriptions of materials and tools. The cool thing about this book is that it is split in halves. The top half has quite a few common flies. The bottom half has instructions for different steps. For example, the instructions for tying a parachute Adams lists each step (with photos) with the page number for the bottom half on how to perform each step (with photos). This might sound confusing, but it was soooo helpful to have photos for each single thing that needs to be done to tie each fly.