Scary stuff...in that "most" folks learn hand crafts by being shown and doing themselves..most, I say though, many, many learn by book.
Much like "learning" to cook...the best book will not always produce the best result.
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Scary stuff...in that "most" folks learn hand crafts by being shown and doing themselves..most, I say though, many, many learn by book.
Much like "learning" to cook...the best book will not always produce the best result.
Back in 1998 I started Al Campbell's Fly Tying Series, here on FAOL. Al Campbell did not just teach how to dress a given fly pattern, he also was teaching techniques, that you would be using for other patterns. Amato Publishing was interested in publishing his series, but it never came to fruition.
THE BEGINNERS SECTION: 20 lessons!
Part 1 Welcome to Beginning Fly Tying
Part 2 The Hook
Part 3 The Fly Vise
Part 4 Tying Tools
Part 5 Matarelli-style Whip Finishers
Part 6 Thompson style whip finisher
Part 7 The EZ-Nymph
Part 8 Fall Midge Emerger
Part 9 SHWAPF
Part 10 Tailwater and Spring Creek Favorites
Part 11 All Time Favorites - Hare?s Ear and Pheasant Tail
Part 12 Hackle and the Woolly Worm
Part 13 Woolly Bugger and Montana Nymph
Part 14 Marabou Damsel Nymph
Part 15 The Basic Dry Fly
Part 16 Split Tails, Wings and Thorax Flies
Part 17 Turkey Flats and Hackle Tip Wings
Part 18 The Adams
Part 19 Royal Wulff
Part 20 The Humpy
THE INTERMEDIATE SECTION: has 32 lessons!
Part 21 Parachute Adams
Part 22 Paradrake
Part 23 Extended Body Damselfly
Part 24 Elk Hair Caddis
Part 25 The Stimulator
Part 26 Sparkle Caddis Emerger
Part 27 CDC Flies
Part 28 Hare Wing Flies
Part 29 Comparadun / Sparkle Dun
Part 30 Al's Hopper
Part 31 Dave's Hopper
Part 32 Henry's Fork Hopper
Part 33 The Muddler Minnow
Part 34 Simple Deer Hair Bass Bug
Part 35 Standard Deer Hair Bass Bug
Part 36 Diving Bug
Part 37 Stacked Hair Diver
Part 38 Deer Hair Perch
Part 39 Poppers
Part 40 Wiggle Frog
Part 41 Al's Crayfish
Part 42 Foam Flies
Part 43 Clouser Minnow
Part 44 Hair Mouse
Part 45 Epoxy Head Minnow
Part 46 Mega-Minner
Part 47 Simple Streamers
Part 48 Simple Wet Flies
Part 49 Flesh Flies
Part 50 Poor Man's Spey
Part 51 Tequila Sunrise (Salmon Fly)
Part 52 Al's Salmon Fly
THE ADVANCE SECTION: has 8 lessons
Part 53 Tiger Weave Bitch Creek Nymph
Part 54 Hook Weave EZ Stone
Part 55 Woven Hackle Flies
Part 56 Granny Weave Stonefly
Part 56 Virtual Stonefly
Part 57 Al's Lace Caddis Pupa
Part 58 Al's Flash-Pan Crayfish
Part 59 Al's Diver
I cannot think of a better person to teach you how to dress hooks, and learn fly tying techniques, as well as learning to properly dress fly patterns ~Parnelli
Try EVERY one you can find at your local library....for FREE!
My local library is part of an 80+library state wide (Ohio) library consortium. All the catalogs are combined into one big catalog on-line. If any one library has an item, it shows up in the catalog from my local library. When I reserve something, they ship it to my local library. If it's available, I usually get an item within 3 or 4 days. This goes for all library material that can be checked out. Books, DVD's, VHS, CD's etc. Over the years I've checked out dozens and dozens of various fly tying books and every video and DVD on fly tying available. This was how I was able to watch most of the entire original Hooked On Fly Tying: series From Bennett?Watts (excellent videos by the way and now re-released in HD DVD)
Just about every library these days is part of an Inter-Library-Loan system. If they don't have something you're looking for, they will try to find it for you. I tried to get a Geirach book one time that was not in the system. I asked if they could get it and about 2 weeks later they called and said it was in. They bought it from Amazon for me to read, and when I was done with it, they just added it to their inventory. How cool is that??? I don't mind waiting if it's free!
If nothing else it's a great "try before buy". Most of the newer books (published in the last 5 years or so) all have high quality digital color photos, whereas many older books have low resolution black and white photos. When I flip thru books in the book store I usually put them right back on the shelf if they have black and white photos of tying sequences.
Incidentally, hypothetically speaking of course, videos and DVD's could be copied if one was to cross over to the dark side. But none of us would do that, right?
I'd have to agree with the Craven book guys. I've read it and it's a great book for a beginner, very concise info.
Beaver
Thanks guys for the help. I ordered The Cravens book.
I have used the info on this site a few times, I just wanted something i could have at my bench with me.
You get much so more by seeing a fly tied then by just reading about it and looking at the pictures in a book. Once you can imitate the techniques demonstrated you can tie any of the recipes in a book. If you can?t watch in person at a TU, FFF meeting or fly fishing show there a quite a few good DVD?s you can buy. I recommend all the fly tying videos made by A.K. Best, and his fly tying books are excellent too.
John
Terry -
Check your PMs.
John
I second (or third) the suggestion to save money by using this site, an Charlie's fly box, as well as the local library. Then go out an buy books showing flies you are interested in (but chances are...they are online too.)
Alternatively, you could make your own binder by using your printer?!?
Al Campbell's series here on FAOL are excellent. Charlies book is the most detailed beginners book I ever found. I bought mine through Charlie. Contacted him and asked if he please autograph it. Charlie was more than happy to do so. Skip Morris book/video on Fly Tying Made Clear and Simple is another excellent one to consider.