The Orvis Guide to Beginning Fly Tying: 101 Tips for the Absolute Beginner

by David Klausmeyer, Klas Andersson (Photographer)

This Orvis-endorsed guidebook-part of a continuing series that includes guidebooks on fly fishing basics and saltwater fly fishing-will give you all the tools you need to begin making your own flies. Learn how to read a fly recipe, choose the correct tools (including vises, bobbins, threaders, dubbing needles, and hair stackers), select the right materials (everything from dry fly saddles, threads, beads, and Krystal Flash, to hooks, wires, cements, and paints), and pick the best flies to tie first. Before you know it, you’ll be tying such flies as the Wooly Bugger, Clouser minnow, beadhead soft hackle nymphs, Adams dry fly, and Hare’s Ear nymph. You’ll also get solid advice on how to set up a well-organized fly-tying area, so you can enjoy this fascinating craft in ease and comfort. Fly Tyer magazine editor David Klausmeyer shares his Five Golden Rules for tying better flies. Many books say they are for beginners but then quickly turn fly tying into a series of complicated finger calisthenics. The Orvis Guide to Beginning Fly Tying really is for the reader who has never made a fly. Catch fish with flies that you’ve tied on your own, and you’ll get more enjoyment from the rich sport of fly fishing.

177 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 20, 2012

Reviews

[Van Reese · Rating 4 out of 5]

David Klausmeyer is probably right up there with Jack Dennis with fly-tying and books about fly-tying. This book has some excellent tips, and I imagine would be a great beginning guide for a beginning fly-tyer. I would not, however, count on this as a stand-alone work on tying flies. Photos and directions are on the light side. That being said, as a person with a little bit of experience, I still found useful information. The thing that I really liked is the author's encouragement to experiment with what you have on hand, while still presenting tried and true techniques.

[Scott Dagle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Starter for the novice fly tier

There are lots of manuals available for anyone interested in making their own flies to catch fish with, but these manuals assume a certain level of previously attained knowledge. For those people, such as myself, who need to know the bare basics before moving towards learning about how to tie the various types of flies, this book is an excellent starting point.

[Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative and easy to read

I love the pictures that accompany the text, they do a great job of showing what the author was taking about. The author was concise and very crisp with the information. It is delivered in a nice format that makes reading easy.

[mick ellis]

Excellent book for beginners.

Great informative book for beginners and advanced tyers alike. The beginning statement is true for every one, wash your hands and wash them often. Your mama told you, do what you were told.

[Dave Koch · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting introduction. More step-by-step diagrams and more extensive definitions would be helpful.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great tips!

[Randal White · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent set of tips that will benefit the beginning as well as the advanced fly tier. Divided into sections such as tools, materials, dry flies, nymphs, emergers, and streamers. Highly recommend it to up your game!

[Olivia · Rating 2 out of 5]

No patterns with instructions.