Customer Reviews

The Art of Fly Tying (The Hunting & Fishing Library)

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

No longer limited to stuffy old Englishmen and elitist trout snobs, fly fishing has come to the masses.

"The Art of Fly Tying" provides an easy entry into the mysterious world of imitation insects, minnows and other critters that fish eat. The book's sharp and colorful closeups are typical of the macro lens and high-intensity light photography that Cy De Cosse and company have become known for in their many other "how to" guides...from microwave cook books to sewing primers.

This book actually combines the two latter themes by giving "recipes" of thread and other ingredients used to make the most common flies. It introduces each major type of fly pattern with a precisely photographed, step-by-step example using the basic tying techniques. If the fictional Betty Crocker had fished instead of cooked, this is the book she would have written.

"The Art of Fly Tying" also includes some science: A simple introduction to insects and other aquatic dwellers' life cycles. And to the welcome relief of readers feeling overwhelmed by the presumptuous jargon of more advanced fly tying guides, Van Vliet illustrates and explains fly tying equipment. A simple photograph of five types of bobbins, for example, saves the rookie from embarassing himself at the fly shop...since none resemble what you'd find in a sewing machine.

With its handy spiral binding, the book stays open and the pages lay flat for easy reference while you work, typical of the common sense approach the author takes throughout.

It's one book you can't WAIT to put down, so you can pick up your tying tools and start cooking.

I have reviewed a number of books on this subject and this one by far is the most easily understood. The illustrations are clearly printed and the subject matter is thorough from beginning to end. I highly recommend this book for those truly interested in learning to tie flies.

In The Art of Fly Tying, fly fishermen find many ways to tie high-quality, well-crafted classical flies, and most popular fly patterns. The book itself is a work of art. All color pages full of beautifull photographs.

This book is great to see step by step how to tie flies. The pictures are well done. It is easy to see what is going on at each step. You can even determine lengths of materials from measuring against hook length. The book leaves very little to guessing. What you guess is really more of a show of creativity and style.

This is the second book on fly-tying I've read; all the things shown inside are really clear and also a child could tye a catching fly following the illustrations and the photos. Congratulations!

Bought this book for my son to expand his knowledge and to give me some free time. Couldn't have spent my money any wiser.

The text is written with clarity, and accompanying photos are excellent. It's an excellent guide for beginners as well as those more advanced.

This is a great book with great illustrations and basic explainations of the different types of flys. Specific instructions on one of each type, then good pictures of many more of that type fly.

THE ART OF FLY TYING is the title that the Golden State Flycasters has used for the last two years as a teaching supplement to beginning fly tying classes with the USMC Wounded Warriors Battalion II- West fly tying class conducted at Camp Joseph H. Pendleton, teaching wounded Marines to fly fish and tie their own flies for that purpose. GSF also uses the title for own member tying classes. Presentation of the subject is logical, progressive and comprehensive. Many of the instructors keep a copy in their personal tying libraries as a reference.
Capt. W. H. Price - tying instructor

Copyright date on my copy of The Art of Fly Tying is 1994. Guess that is about when I picked up a copy of the book, and did NOT put it back on the shelf. I had been tying flies for about 20 years at that point in time, but felt that this was a must have book for my fly tying library. I have enjoyed working with this book so many times, I can not begin to tell you how valuable I have found it. I owned a fly shop in Northeast Oregon and many,many times I put a copy of The Art of Fly Tying in people's hands that wanted to learn to tye flies. Plain and simple... it's the best.
NOTE: buy a spiral bound copy of this book to work with at your tying bench, it will make life more fun.