Does anyone have an opinion about this book?
“Complete Book of Fly Tying” by ERIC LEISER
Seems like it would be an excellent beginner’s book and I’m wondering how “experienced” tyers would find it?
Doesn’t seem to be mentioned much.
First printed in '77. Is it out dated?
Respect Your Elders!
Duckster, RW here,
If you really want to know everything there is to know about the sport of fly fishing then nothing is outdated.
Later, RW
“We fish for pleasure; I for mine, you for yours.” -James Leisenring on fishing the wet fly-
[This message has been edited by Royal Wulff (edited 06 July 2005).]
duck,
No, it’s not outdated and it’s an excellent book. One of his others, Complete Book of Fly Patterns, doesn’t offer many of the ‘modern’ flies, but it too is an excellent book.
Allan
Phil,
A book every tyer ought to have 
. Its got everything for traditional tying including terms, gear, traditional materials, traditional patterns, and basic tying. A great reference even for experienced tyers. Tyers will most likely need to find another book like Phil Camera’s “Fly Tying with Synthetics” if they want a book about synthetic materials.
Robert B. McCorquodale
Sebring, FL
“Flip a fly”
Hey Duckster,
Leiser’s book was a fine book in its time. You can certainly pick up all the basics of fly tying by careful reading and practice. Most of the methods covered in the book are still widely used today.
My only negative comment would be that black & white, pen & ink drawings, even very good ones, are not nearly as effective a teaching tool as good, clear, color photographs and step by step instructions. If you have grown use to the excellent, step by step instructions and photos here on FAOL, you will find Leiser’s medium but not the message a little dated. Any of the newer, how-to books by Morris, Schollmeyer, or Kaufmann are probably a better bet simply because of the high quality photos.
Just me my opinion. I’m sure others will disagree. 8T
You had better learn to be a happy camper. You only get one try at this campground and it’s a real short camping season.
[This message has been edited by Eight Thumbs (edited 06 July 2005).]
Leiser’s book is simply outstanding. I learned to tie with nothing but the book, and a ten-year-old’s enthusiasm. Eric and I once spoke of the creation of his text. Apparently the photographs and drawings were added almost as an afterthought. His singular intention was to write very clear descriptions of each and every process.
That is not to say the other texts mentioned are any better or worse. What you’ll find in Leiser’s book that you will not find in the others, however, is the application of what are now very traditional methods and material. The book was written before the advent of Krystal Flash, Fly Fur, Sparkle Braid, Microfibbets, etc. As such, I think it’s an excellent foundation for a beginner.
Best O’ Luck,
Mike D. [url=http://battenkill.tripod.com:0fec5]http://battenkill.tripod.com[/url:0fec5]
selling or buying ?,Good book,and nothing about it is out dated.Can a book on FFing be that…Truely???
Have a Signed edtion,Hard Cover,
And still find some very useful Pattern’s and info.
I taught myself to tie using Leiser’s book. My son has it now and will use it the same way. It’s an excellent book. Once you have the basics down you can advance to new materials and techniques not covered by Leiser, but you will have learned the basics and tied flies that remain essential for the serious angler.
I have all of Eric’s books and all of them are great. I still use it when I can’t remember something. The orvis beginner fly tyer book of his is the best, the pictures make everything clear.
I have been reading some trout fishing books from the early 1900’s and they are not outdated. A great book is Ray Bergmans Trout, it was reprinted a number of times and with good reason.
[This message has been edited by ashbourn (edited 06 July 2005).]
I have dozens of fly tying books, but was impressed with Leiser’s book when I checked it out of the local library and tracked down an out of print copy through a used book dealer. It may not be the first, or only, tying book you should purchase, (I started with Skip Morris’s Fly Tying Made Clear and Simple), but it makes a fine addition to any tying library.
count me in as another who learned from this still~incredible book. I have made it a point to re-open this book every few years and look at some of my early struggles and successes(I saved my first flies from each chapter) and then tie up a few to compare. Its amazing that I can learn something new and different from the same text each time. I guess thats the difference between text and context!
“The more widely one observes nature, the more it appeals to one’s soul. Why? Because there is a music there; and the wider one’s outlook on life becomes, the deeper one’s understanding of life, the more music one can listen to, the music that
answers the whole universe.” --Inayat Khan
When I first starting tying, I tried to learn out of a few small books and pamphlets that I had with minimal success. Then I found the Eric Leiser book and it made all the difference in the world. I was well on my way after that.
One important feature of the book is the use of illustrations rather than photographs to demonstrate fly-tying techniques. The illustrations, which were done by Dave Whitlock, can show things that would be lost in a photograph.
Oh man, … you guys are talkin’ like '77 was soooo long ago. 
Mick,
…I started with Skip Morris’s Fly Tying Made Clear and Simple …
Me too !! Started me along this wonderful road (tying that is).
I’ve already lent it out 3 times. Each time, it has come back from the “beginner” with thanks. The darn thing has visited almost as many continents as me
Christopher Chin
Jonquiere Quebec
Personal Page: [url=http://pages.videotron.com/fcch/:fcb7a]http://pages.videotron.com/fcch/[/url:fcb7a]
FishIn 2006:
[url=http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/Forum1/HTML/014084.html:fcb7a]http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/Forum1/HTML/014084.html[/url:fcb7a]
Don’t know if I have that one boxed up or not but I just bought Imitative Fly Tying by Ian Moutter for 9 bucks regular price 35 bucks yesterday and I think it is a very good book to have in anyones Library , and a Fly Tying/fishing dictionary by Darrel Martin for 6 bucks. The both of them were worth the money to me.Later Matt
To each there own !