Individual taste in books varies as much as the favorite rod or fly.  With that in mind, we hope to review books and videos from the ever-growing fly fishing world, and share them with you.  Books will be the best of all worlds, new and old.  Many of the old books are now available in reprint, and the wisdom contained is timely today.  Others can be found in second-hand book stores, or by mail order dealers. As we find videos we feel are outstanding they will be included. Be assured, reviews are based on what we have actually read, and due to that fact, may not appear weekly.
July 9th, 2001

Basic Fly Tying - A Beginner's Benchside Reference
 By Dick Talleur
 Published by The Lyons Press

Reviewed by Deanna Birkholm

 Basic Fly Tying Basic Fly Tying - A Beginner's Benchside Reference is a NEW, full-color edition containing information originally published in Talleur's Basic Fly Tying and then as Fly-tyer's Primer in 1986. Even if you have both of those, this will be a wonderful addition to your library.

Dick Talleur's earlier books have become the standard in fly tying instruction, taking the beginner to a position of confidence and skill - and even improving the technique of the most advanced fly-tyers.
Hackle and related flies
The helpful chapters include:

  • Tools and Instruments.

  • Getting Started.

  • Wet Flies.

  • Nymphs.

  • Streamers.

  • Dry Flies.

  • Putting It All to work.

Also included is an apprendix with a hook substitution chart and a thorough index. Color photos and recipes for many flies, (besides the instructional ones) are given, including some not commonly found in other tying books.

My complaint is the lack of instruction on either the use of a whip finisher or how to do a whip finish by hand, and some of the photos are quite dark. However, on the plus side, each fly taught has information preceeding it about the specific materials used. Very nicely done.

For a sample fly from Basic Fly Tying - A Beginner's Benchside Reference, here is an excerpt, The Professor.

If you missed Talleur's books the first time around - or have a friend or family member just getting into fly tying, do pick this one up.

The author, Dick Talleur is one of the most authoritative and respected instructors in the fly-tying world. He is the author of many books, including The L.L. Bean Fly-Tying Handbook, Modern Fly-Tying Materials, Pretty & Practical Salmon Flies, and The Versatile Fly-Tyer. He lives in Manchester, New Hampshire. ~ DLB

Basic Fly Tying - A Beginner's Benchside Reference
152 pages, Full-color photographs
8 3/4" x 11 1/4"
Softcover, $16.95 U.S
ISBN 1-58574-213-9
Published by The Lyons Press.

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