Fly Tier's Benchside Reference

[mickporter]

For ages now I have read posts about this book, seen adverts, and heard people sing its praises.

Until now I resisted buying it, mostly due to its very high price, but also because I am a British fly tyer and the book is an American book, I thought it would have been mainly concerned with the needs of American tiers. Flies for Panfish, big mouthed bass etc etc. fish that we don't get in the UK.

I spotted the book for sale on Ebay. I tentativly put in a modest bid for it, and surprise suprise I won the auction!

The book arrived today. Over 400 pages filled with high quality colour photographs. The book is heavy and an extremely high quality. No wonders it is expensive.

My fears of the Americanisms is unfounded. The book is not a fly recipe book, but is filled with fly tying techinques. All types of fly tying is covered, from small trout flies, salmon fly techniques, salt water and presumably pan fish fly techinques as well!

The book appears international. (Apart from the normal spelling mistakes most Americans always make!! LOL) It doesn't appear to be aimed at a beginner nor an expert. It covers all aspects of fly making from beginning to end, all explained in the text and also by step by step photographs. Already I have seen pages on pages of tips on tying that I have never ever seen before, and also pages and pages of techniques that I have never understood or mastered. I consider myself a fairly advance tyer, however this book is going to teach me so much. If you are starting out, then this book will be invaluable. The paper quality is glossy and superb. The type is small but clear. When i described the book as heavy I did not mean hard going, but weighty! It is easy to see why this book costs so much. (About the price of a half decent vice!) It is a reference book that you will read over and over again. It is packed full of invaluable 'how to's'. I am delighted.

Wherever you are in the world, my recomendation is to bite the bullet and buy this book. It is definatly worth every penny (or cent). It will take months to read, and is a book that truely lives upto its name as a 'Benchside Reference'. I am sure I will be going back to it over and over again. Easy to follow colour pictures, step by step illustrations will enable me to enjoy even more of my hobby.

I doubt I will have time now to go fishing!! However I will have the best flybox in my club!!

If you are hesitating or wondering whether or not to get this book, then take my word "BUY" it by whatever means. Sell the house or car if you need to. But get it! I promise you will not be dissapointed.

[bassman]

You might want to also look into getting the Benchside Introduction to Fly Tying. It is also by Ted Leeson and Jim Schollmeyer. And also Published by Frank Amato Publications. It is a bit pricey also but well worth it. I have both and Find them to be my most valued publications. They are great. John

[cholcomb13]

I have the Fly tier benchside reference but on CD-ROM and it is a wonderful resource and highly recommend it....John since you have both what's the biggest difference in the intro book?

[TyroneFly]

An exceptional book.

[Eight Thumbs]

Mick,

I don't think you're going to find much disagreement with your assessment of the Benchside Reference from this side of the pond. I don't think I've ever seen a negative post concerning this book. All seem to agree it's a winner. 8T

[bassman]

Cholcomb13, the intro is spiral bound hard back. half of the pages are split down the middle and there are fly paterns and tying instructions for them. Also on the other half of the split pages there are a lot of helpful tying techniques. It is a fantastic book also. There are other differences also. At $49.00 I consider it a good buy. Those are some of the differences, there are others. I use the two of them together for reference a lot. John

[Rick Z]

There is so much in the book that I finally gave up and read it cover to cover.

In fact I have done that twice. I find it invaluable that way as it reminds me that there are many things that I don't know how to do, but that I can find them there.

Many times I did not even know that things could be done many of the ways tha tthey are.

Rick

[ridgeliner]

It is worth every penny that you pay for it. I find myself grabbing it quite often.

[cholcomb13]

Thanks

[RonS81]

I also have tying emergers by the same authors. Both are great books.