Full color, fully illustrated, fly tying book?

[garetjax 0]

Hey guys.

 

I am looking for a book that clearly details and provides color photos of different kinds of dry and wet flies. The book doesn't neccessarily need to go into detail about the basics of tying flies, rather just how to make a wide range of dry and wet flies in great detail, coupled with excellent color photos of the process and the finished product.

 

Are there any books out there that you guys can reccomend that fits this bill? Like I said, I am not really needing a fly basics tying book, rather just a reference book on how to make various flies.

[Hairstacker 0]

I have always liked and recommended Dave Hughes' "Essential Trout Flies" for the purpose you're describing. If you want to spend more for something bigger and nicer, I like "Trout Flies" by the same author.

 

-- Mike

[madkasel 0]

I have a book called The Art of Fly Tying. It doesn't have much "how to" in it at all (just a bit at the beginning), but has really great color pics of all kinds of flies nicely organized with a materials list for each one.

[Guest]

Benchside Reference

[garetjax 0]

Those are nice references guys. I can pick up both books at Amazon for $110.00 if you buy both together. Anyone else have suggestions?

[Moxie 0]

I highly reccomend The Fly Tying Bible. Theres a 100 patterns in it, full color, shows how to tie them step by step as well.

 

I bought mine at Barnes and Noble, might want to start there.

[Chase Creek 0]

I'd take a look at "Tying Dry Flies" and "Tying Nymphs", both by Randall Kaufmann. Step-by-steps for about 30 flies with very good photos, some history of the pattern, and a very goodpattern directory in the back.

Also, "Flies fo Bass Panfish" by Dick Stewart and Farrow Allen. Book of patterns divided by type (Baitfish, nymphs, etc.) No step-by-steps, but good photos of the flies. You should be able to turn out any of these at the vice.

[garetjax 0]

I'd take a look at "Tying Dry Flies" and "Tying Nymphs", both by Randall Kaufmann. Step-by-steps for about 30 flies with very good photos, some history of the pattern, and a very goodpattern directory in the back.

Also, "Flies fo Bass Panfish" by Dick Stewart and Farrow Allen. Book of patterns divided by type (Baitfish, nymphs, etc.) No step-by-steps, but good photos of the flies. You should be able to turn out any of these at the vice.

Ironically, my brother-in-law has those same fly tying books by Randall Kaufmann that I am using right now. They are pretty good for the novice to use. I went ahead and checked out "Benchside Reference" that TroutBum linked as well as Dave Hughes' "Essential Trout Flies" that Hairstacker mentioned. I also looked at the various other books that were mentioned in this thread such as "The Art of Fly Tying" and "The Fly Tying Bible".

 

I visited my local Borders bookstore and checked them all out (for a few hours). WOW! What great references! I immeadiately bought the "Essential Trout Flies" and "Benchside Reference" books once I got home on Amazon.com

 

These books have quickly become almost a bible to me. And along with the Kaufmann series, I think I am ready to tackle just about any fly. =)

 

Thanks again for the great references you guys!

[RunninDetox 0]

There is a book I saw, I think it was called "Flies, the top 1000" It was just detailed pictures of finished flies and the recipe for each. It has a very wide variety of flies from dries to nymphs to streamers and I think it had flies for steelhead and salmon as well.

[Guest]

The Fly Tying Bible might be a good book to look at.

 

Have a good one

 

Pat carroll

[Troutnut 0]

I would definitely go with the Benchside Reference. It doesn't tell you how to do a single entire fly step-by-step, but it covers almost every known way of making any kind of feature (wings, tails, etc). It will give you infinite ideas for improving the flies you tie and inventing new ones. With so many techniques under your belt, you won't need to follow entire-fly directions anymore.

[pacres 0]

Check out Phil Rowley's "Fly patterns for Stillwaters" and Jim Schollmeyer and Ted Leeson's Tying emergers.

 

Al & Gretchen Beatty put out a great book this year called Innovative Flies and Techiques. It has a collection of tutorials from many different tyers across many styles.