The Fly As An Art Form The purpose of this book is twofold: to trace the evolution of realistic fly tying and to feature the creations of the world’s most-skilled practitioners of this art form. Some of these contemporary artisans concentrate on imitations of aquatic insects most likely seen by fly fishers. Their focus is on mayflies, caddisflies and stoneflies. For others, the sky is the limit and they tie replicas of anything, including praying mantis, crabs, bees, hornets, ants, spiders, and fish. Theirs is a small, but expanding, cadre of enthusiastic tyers whose work will astonish even those who have never tied a fly. The realism of their fly patterns, whether an art form destined for framed presentation, or a working fly intended for the end of a fly leader, will amaze.

"A complete introduction to fly tying covering everything from materials to skills and patterns. Outstanding color photos illustrate every step and excellent descriptive text details the how and why of each move." --

A collection of Rick Takahashi’s most effective fly designs, this book emphasizes Rick’s background in art (color and design theory) as well as share tying tips and fishing methods. Takahashi was the primary author of Modern Midges and Modern Terrestrials and while recipes for his flies were included in these books, the tying steps and stories behind them were not. Flies included in the book will cover the range of trout fly design possibilities and the major food groups.

A beautiful and comprehensive manual carefully detailing for you how to tie 160 flies—listed in order from simple to complex In Mastering the Art of Fly Tying, one of the world’s most experienced fly-tying instructors reveals that the real secret to fly tying is not learning to tie each fly individually, but mastering and building upon the necessary skills and techniques. The 160 flies in this stunningly photographed guide are organized from simple to complex, rather than by type of fly as in other books. Each new fly teaches you another technique and builds your skill and confidence, along with an exceptional collection of flies.

The trout fly is both a tool for catching fish and an object of exquisite beauty. Newly reissued in a handsome hardcover edition, The Art of the Trout Fl captures the blending of art and function in these amazing constructions of fur, feather, fiber, and thread. Forty-three international masters of flytying share the secrets of their craft in wise and witty personal essays, each accompanied by a gorgeously rendered photograph of their most distinctive creations, as well as a list of the materials used to bring the flies to life. Also included is an illuminating introduction discussing the contributions of the flytyers to fly design, and exploring why tyers the world over are so fascinated by the craft. A justly celebrated classic, The Art of the Trout Fly is an excellent introduction to flytying for the novice and a valuable source of information and inspiration for the experienced fly-fisher.

A comprehensive, lavishly illustrated guide to tying popular trout flies. This book is aimed at all fly tyers, from those with modest experience to those with more advanced skills. The author’s intention is to focus on certain important elementary techniques, and then share some of his favorite contemporary twists on old, tried-and-true techniques. Many of the flies in this book are based in his own techniques and patterns, ones that he has developed in more than thirty-five years of tying. The book is arranged in sections to give readers the opportunity to easily locate the pattern or technique they are looking for. Patterns are not grouped alphabetically, but by technique. For example, the section on dry flies has categories demonstrating a particular dry fly style or technique such as mastering the use of deer hair, parachute, CDC, and so on. If you are fairly new to fly tying, the opening chapters on materials and special techniques and tricks will familiarize you with some basics and help you get started. Seasoned tyers will similarly find information here to help them raise their tying skills to a new level. Each pattern is listed with a recipe, recommended hook style, size, and materials. They are listed in the order that that author uses them, and illustrated by the book’s step-by-step images. This will help you plan each pattern and assemble materials your beforehand. Included are lushly illustrated photos for such well-known trout flies as: Pheasant tail nymph Klinkhamer Humpy Deer Hair Irresistible CDC Mayfly Spinner And much more. A special feature of this one-of-a-kind books is that its the first tying book to have a video link for all the patterns featured. Watch the author tying online, then turn to the matching chapter in the book to follow the step-by-step instructions so that you can tie your own fly in your own time. Author Barry Ord Clarke will respond online to your questions.