What would you do to improve beginners fly fishing books.

[Dirts 0]

What would you do or include in your book for beginners to stimulate and magnify enthusiasm and diminish overwhelming frustration? You will be their mentor into the fly tying world. Lets hear your suggestions and ideas. You went through it; now how would you change it.

[flytire 0]

what would YOU do?

[mikechell 0]

As much as I hate to see books go ... I have to admit, they probably will.

For improving a beginner's fly tying "book" ... do a video. Show techniques (chest camera, to show the tier's viewpoint) and a finished fly ... then a few seconds of a catch. Repeat until all the basics have been covered.

[dontheo 0]

I would have the next chapter, after tying a wolly bugger or some other pattern, on how to fish it. This being a digital book, thanks to mikechell, one can not get the next chapter until they fished it and caught something. There is nothing like catching a fish on your first fly.

[Crackaig 0]

Modern E Books open many possibilities. At least one beginners book I know of has incorporated video. As always the problem is one way interaction. Nothing can replace the instructor seeing what the student does and advising how it can be changed. As with many instructional books they may be better written by someone who doesn't know anything about the subject, and is going through the learning process. That way will certainly avoid the jargon that we all use, which so often causes the beginner confusion.

 

Cheers,

C.

[Henrik Thomsen (DK) 0]

In my opinion a new beginners fly tying book should take the Zen way, mastering through repetition.

I find that most book teaches just a few patterns, but lack the general explanation of what techniques that's used in the pattern and how to train these techniques.

Also whenever I teach classes in fly tying, I use quite some time on the basics, even with people who have tied for years.

You will wonder how many that cannot lay thread on a hook in nice touching turns, and then tie in something with turns just on top of each others and not building huge and ugly tie-in points.

 

Focus on the basic and the repetition then you'll teach fly tying and not pattern fabrication.

[JSzymczyk 0]

First thing I would do, is improve the attention span of the beginners.

 

Today's world of youtube, twtter, and information overload has created a whole population of people who want to go from zero to a million miles an hour instantly. Everyone wants to tie Copper Johns and Deer Hair bugs before they learn how to tie a good woolly worm.

 

Henrik stated it exactly. There must be a solid foundation of basic techniques, then patterns can be build on them. I own several recent books which do cover the basics. Authors and publishers know, however, who makes up their prospective buyers. If I wrote a book entitled "Why Your Flies Fall Apart and Look Like Crap" I'm fairly certain very few would be sold.

 

I learned exclusively from old books in the public library when I was a kid. If I learned from books, ANYONE can learn from existing books.

[netabrookie 0]

I have to agree with JSzymczyk and Henrik Thomsen. I also learned from books from the public library when I was younger. There wasn't that many books to choose from and a computer was something that you seen on a science fiction movie. The selection of books that is available now is awesome, but most don't stress the point of practicing a certain technique until you master it. The Zen approach is a good way of phrasing it. If you are trying to learn a certain throw or take down you don't just do it a few times and think you have it whipped because in the end you will be the one getting whipped. The same thought process should go into your tying. You can't just tie a few hair wings or spin a few deer hair poppers and think you have the tying thing mastered. In my opinion, too many books try to cram too much information into too little of a space and completely forget to emphasize the concept of "practice makes perfect". I have tied off and on for many, many moons and practice very, very much but I still have a whole heck of a lot to learn before I will think that I have mastered just the summit of the great tying mountain...

[wayne offord 0]

so would you list your "Zen lessons" in order?

 

such as ...

 

1) single layer thread wrapping tight together

2) neat and tidy heads

3) dubbing

4) whip finishing

 

what should we, the newest of fly tiers master first and how would you suggest we grow?

[switch10 0]

I bought some books when I was a kid, and learned almost everything I know from them. Most were very good, and one I have in particular is very bad (poorly hand drawn pictures of tying techniques, poorly proportioned flies, etc.). I'm glad I recognized this as a 12 year old and set that book aside.

 

Most books cover the basics like materials, tools, basic tying techniques, and some patterns. I don't see many books that cover WHY we use certain techniques though; i.e. counter-wrapping the rib on quill, herl, or feather-barb bodies, or why you wrap your thread across (perpendicular) the lead wraps to lock them down. Most people will just take the easier route and not think about these simple things that will make your flies much more durable, and look much better.

 

My favorite book is "The Fly Tier's Benchside Reference". I recommend this book for beginner and advanced tier's alike. No patterns, just pretty much every tying technique ever conceived.

[Davidpensfan87 0]

I would have a set of two books. The first book would only focus on the basic techniques like whip finishing, laying down a base layer of thread, and so on. A section of the first book will also be focuses only on proportions of all types of flies. The second book would teach the tier patterns. The patterns would start out easy and then get more difficult as well as build upon previous learned knowledge like a technique or skill used in the previous flies.

Also, the books would include a DVD showing the various techniques and flies.

[RedRoverMike 0]

I would make it so that the first page in every fly tying book said "Go Now And Google Davie McPhail!!!!"

[WasagaWader 0]

Being an absolute plug begginer at fly tying I have to agree with Davidpensfan87. A book with DVD would be great. Trying to learn by video alone is not going great for me. I am starting and stopping the video as I tie, but without fail i will be going through a part of the video for the 40th time while I am doing it. be focused on what I am doing and look up and video is now 4 fly's ahead.

 

having an experly illustrated guide to follow after watching the video would be great. Spiral bound to lay flat.

 

I have a theory on how the patterns should be laid out too but being an absolute novice I will wait a bit before sharing that opinion

[flytire 0]

page 1

 

take tying lessons. it shortens the learning curve

 

page 2

 

repeat page 1 as necessary

[Jimr1961 0]

I would center the book around techniques as a desk reference with small chapters on tools, materials, etc., then the accompanying dvd would have a section on tying various flies that showcase techniques, a section on using various tools, a section elaborating on material selection and properties, a section dedicated to concepts and approaches behind various techniques and material handling, a primer section on fishing various types of flies. The book would have notations to the pertinent dvd section for further elaboration so the book could focus more as a desk reference. The dvd would be in chapters so you can view only the chapter you want to view at that time.

 

I like the way this book is laid out. Most of it is chopped in half horizontally to act independently. The top portion showing fly patterns and the bottom portion showing techniques. The dvd would demonstrate tying the fly patterns above as well as demonstrating the techniques below. Once familiar, the book stands on its own without the need for the dvd reference.