Best Beginner Fly Tying Book

[ColindaFlyguy 0]

The Fly Tying Bible is a great Trout, Salmon fly tying book. But as for bluegill and bass not so much. If you fish for bluegill and or bass i would pick up

 

http://www.theflyfishers.com/fly-shop-details.asp?cat=Books&ID=165&pID=1454

 

and

 

 

http://www.scribd.com/doc/32692120/The-Fly-Tying-Bible

 

this link has a PDF dowload of the book .

 

but you don't have money to go out and buy books: http://www.youtube.com/ and http://vimeo.com have good fly tying videos for free. but far as books for bluegill i would rather go to websites like

 

http://www.warmwaterflytyer.com/patterns.asp. and meny others. but books are hard to come by and it is hard to find that perfect book.I hope i have given you some ideas

[Ugly Bob 0]

I'd recommend "Fly Tying Made Clear and Simple" (An Easy to Follow All-Color Guide) to start with. Skip Morris is a professional fly-fishing writer and is the author of numerous other fly-fishing and tying books. To date, he has played host on three fly-tying videos. He writes regular columns for Flyfishing & Tying Journal and Salmon Trout Steelheader magazines. For years, Skip supported his writing and fishing by playing guitar several nights a week and teaching it at a college. Now he is too busy writing, fishing, and performing fly-tying clinics to do more than practice the guitar an hour or two a day and perform only occasionally. Skip and his wife, Carol, and their three cats live on Washington State's Olympic Peninsula.

 

Next I'd recommend spending the big bucks on "The Fly Tier's Benchside Reference: To Techniques and Dressing Styles". The book is different than many fly tying books, in the way it is organized. Not by fly or type of fly. In fact it isn't a book of patterns or about insects or even frankly about flies. It is a book of techniques and it is organized as such. It has 15 chapters and begins with a very brief summary of fly tying materials. Something that the reader of this book should already have well versed. However it does have a few handy charts and pictures. And gives a very brief explanation types of hair and feathers etc. . It then goes on to give you several methods of de-barbing hooks and then sharpening them, (yes even chemically sharpened hooks need to be honed at some time.) Then Leeson and Schollmeyer go into thread handling, again it seems perfunctory. But finally the fun starts. With 21 methods of mounting and trimming materials. One thing about how-to books, I always find interesting is the author's ability to breakdown and name procedures you probably discovered all on your own, and never thought twice about them. This books is no different, but it does force you to think about fly tying, taking it off auto-pilot here and there is always a good way to question and improve.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Fly-Tying-Made-Clear-Simple/dp/1571882316

http://www.amazon.com/The-Fly-Tiers-Benchside-Reference/dp/1571881263

[budd 0]

I'd recommend "Fly Tying Made Clear and Simple" (An Easy to Follow All-Color Guide) to start with. Skip Morris is a professional fly-fishing writer and is the author of numerous other fly-fishing and tying books. To date, he has played host on three fly-tying videos. He writes regular columns for Flyfishing & Tying Journal and Salmon Trout Steelheader magazines. For years, Skip supported his writing and fishing by playing guitar several nights a week and teaching it at a college. Now he is too busy writing, fishing, and performing fly-tying clinics to do more than practice the guitar an hour or two a day and perform only occasionally. Skip and his wife, Carol, and their three cats live on Washington State's Olympic Peninsula.

 

Next I'd recommend spending the big bucks on "The Fly Tier's Benchside Reference: To Techniques and Dressing Styles". The book is different than many fly tying books, in the way it is organized. Not by fly or type of fly. In fact it isn't a book of patterns or about insects or even frankly about flies. It is a book of techniques and it is organized as such. It has 15 chapters and begins with a very brief summary of fly tying materials. Something that the reader of this book should already have well versed. However it does have a few handy charts and pictures. And gives a very brief explanation types of hair and feathers etc. . It then goes on to give you several methods of de-barbing hooks and then sharpening them, (yes even chemically sharpened hooks need to be honed at some time.) Then Leeson and Schollmeyer go into thread handling, again it seems perfunctory. But finally the fun starts. With 21 methods of mounting and trimming materials. One thing about how-to books, I always find interesting is the author's ability to breakdown and name procedures you probably discovered all on your own, and never thought twice about them. This books is no different, but it does force you to think about fly tying, taking it off auto-pilot here and there is always a good way to question and improve.

 

I have to go with skip morris's books. very good interactions and pix. also very clear.

http://www.amazon.com/Fly-Tying-Made-Clear-Simple/dp/1571882316

http://www.amazon.com/The-Fly-Tiers-Benchside-Reference/dp/1571881263

[ColindaFlyguy 0]

My 2 books i would recommend if you can find them are

 

http://compare.ebay.com/like/350363122070?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar

 

and

 

http://www.amazon.com/Tying-fishing-terrestrials-Gerald-Almy/dp/0811717461/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1367338044&sr=8-4&keywords=tying+terrestrials

 

these books are old but very useful

[niti-1 0]

just bought the benchside introduction to fly tying by ted leeson and jim schollmeyer on Friday at flyfishers in state college also seen it at barnes and noble book store paid $42.95 for it. flyfishers felt that was the best book for me to buy since I am just getting started. and I must say it sure is a great book, very very helpful. real simple to understand step by step instructions and techniques. I am pleased with it.

[carl pitts 0]

It's official: Charlie Craven's book is the best. Period.

 

Research has shown that those suggesting other titles have not bothered to read Charlie's book.

 

Just say'n.....

[Dirts 0]

I'm a beginner and two books that twik my interest is "Fly tying with Poly yarn" by Lee Clark. The author was an art teacher and was teaching macrame tying and started combing out ends when the thought of fly tying with this material was triggered.

The other is "Tying glass bead Flies" by Joe Warren. These two individuals Co-authored these books. The six five star reviews on Warrans book in amazon stated. Best tying book I ever owned, well written, easy to understand, innovative and creative, opens a new world, photos clear and demos easy to understand. The best part of the reviews was that two stated that the flies patterns catch fish.

Every review reflected enthusiasm to share the review. Warren did a dvd for glass bead trout flies but it is no longer available.

 

Food for thought or comment.

[utyer 0]

I have read Charlie Craven's book and agree, it is the best book out there for LEARNING the basic skills. All the books about specific tying materials, are fine, but they should be something you check out of the library. Once you have learned the basics, then you can quickly learn how to use specific items. I have always preferred to follow my own path. I do have quite a few books about bugs, (entomology,) but they are mostly obsolete now that the taxonomy has changed, but they still make good reference material. A reference book like the "bible" is always a good thing to own.

 

The only book I had to "learn" from was the Wise Fisherman's Encyclopedia, instructions were pretty sketchy (only about 20 pages,) so I am pretty much self taught. One hundred and fifty books later, I am still learning, and still self taught.

 

To me one of the best things about fly tying is pursuing your own inventiveness.. Reading any book should be the beginning of a new journey of discovery.

[Dirts 0]

Since no two people are genetically alike it makes it difficult to follow a line of consensus. We might find similarities but not true consistancies that are the same. The base of tool choices and techniques is straight but then when category of fly use, colors, type of material or the preference to technique you will limit the number of books that will satisfy all beginners. Then I can only assume when a tier gets more experience with his individual choices the difference from other tiers widens. Consistency lies in fly tyers copying patterns of individual attraction..Having said that I believe that a beginners book has to be void of indivduality. A good beginner book needs to channel beginners individual choice to patterns that he likes instead of a bible of patterns. It prevents frustration, spending on uneccessary materials. Success in tying feeds enthusiasm to continue through the void and over the hump.

I feel that a lot of starters are lost by being influenced by an overwhelming of individual fly patterns and materials that don't satisfy their individual interest. I always think about the Fly fishing father showing his son how he ties the flies they use to catch fish. The same flies that are past on thru genetic preference are used to enhance shared fishing experiences. Thats a home run.

Food for thought and discussion

[dontheo 0]

Start with the States rules and regulations.

[Dirts 0]

Oh Don, what are you doing mentioning the states rules and regulations from the state of Texas? I was looking for ideas and help. Already your looking in all the wrong places I didn't ask to see Don Wrinkles fly pattern It doesn't cast, its dull and it scares fish..

[Dcap240 0]

I like Charlie cravens basic fly tying. I read a few other beginner books and learned more from his book than all the others combined. His book is about $40 new. I also just picked up the orvis guide to essential American flies for $10 at Barnes and nobles. Not really a beginner book but large pics and good step by step for popular patterns. I'm sure there are a lot of great books out there but some of them are very pricey.

[GdubyaSmith 0]

Dave Hughes Essential Trout Flies is a great beginners pattern book.

X2 ...I just picked this book up from another member here in a Book Give-Away.

Though I've been tying for a few years I found it informative, simple, and clear on instructions for 31 basic pattern styles.

There are also 6 Variations of each Pattern Style included.

It goes over all of the Basic Tools and explains their uses clearly.

I have confidence that Anyone could pick up this book, follow the step-by-step, and learn a great base to expand from in their future or feel they never need to expand.

 

My first book years ago when I started was Favorite Flies and Their Histories ~ Mary Orvis Marbury

It wont help anyone new in tying though it is a good read.

 

 

Another Option for some people may simply be YouTube...find something you want to try, play, pause, continue.

 

 

"To me one of the best things about fly tying is the pursuing your own inventiveness.. Reading any book should be the beginning of a new journey of discovery." ~ Utyer

Could not agree more!!!

 

[sthpaw 0]

I like Charlie Craven's book as well. Great photos and step by step. Also really like Davie McPhail's youtube videos though subtitles would be helpful.

[Andy Fisher 0]

Give "Fly Tying Made Easy for Beginners" a try. This is one of Randall Kaufmann's newer books. I met Randall and his wife at the Pleasanton Show in 2012, and he was kind enough to give a copy to my (then) 7 year old daughter with an autograph and personal note. That made her day and made my week. It is an outstanding book with great photography and step by step instruction.