Advanced Fly Tying: The Proven Methods and Techniques of a Master Professional Fly Tyer--37 Important Patterns [ILLUSTRATED] (Hardcover)

~ A. K. Best (Author), John Gierach (Introduction)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Wonderfully constructed with excellent color photographs for added clarity."--Salmon Trout Steelheader magazine

Product Description

Master fly tyer A.K. Best shows you how to bring your tying to a higher level.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 248 pages
• Publisher: The Lyons Press; 1st edition (April 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1585743399
• ISBN-13: 978-1585743391
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,387,177 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A.K.'s Best Book to Date, April 29, 2002

By	Gary W. Clark "Mad Rocket Scientist" (Layton) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

What I like about A.K. is his ability to teach me to tie better flies, faster. From the tiniest details of maintaining my vise and other tying tools to the layout of my tying bench, to specific patterns, each designed to teach me something. The chapter on hand positioning is worth the price of the book alone. If you are past the absolute beginner stage of tying, then you need this book. Whether you tie a few dozen or a few thousand flies per year, you'll find something in this book to help you tie more durable flies faster than you did before.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lots more to like, December 25, 2002

By A Customer

There has a been a certain amount of carping about whether the material in this text is really "advanced". I think that's fair. This isn't a PHD in flytying, but if you like AK, there is lots more here to like.

There is advanced material here like his chapter on dry fly collar shape. There is other material, like that on buying hackle, that is for professionals no doubt, but not useful unless you are buying hackle by the gross, and willing to dye it all. Though the approach he takes to the task is interesting, this is professional, not necessarily advanced content.

I found the chapters on vise maintenance and hand position baby. I have one of the earliest HMH vises too, and I haven't oiled it in 25 years, and I have tied heavily including professionally. I certainly wouldn't oil it with facial oil, which can be salty or acidic. On hand position, the fact is that if you can secure material to the hook properly, then you are probably already doing the stuff described here, though it might be useful to a beginner.

I loved the long sections on small flies, almost a book within a book. I also liked the other section on new or revised flies. It is, however, hard to know the validity of these patterns. I don't fish the same waters he does, and in general, his patterns aren't top sellers, nor are they likely to be correct as sold, given his sharp standards. But there is something about his flies that seems right, and I don't tire reading about them. Even his close friend Gierach makes the point, however, that some of these new innovations may only help 1 out of 10 times. So rather than the information in all cases being that useful, it is just fun to see what he has been up to with his flies, and where they have taken him since his last book.

AK has produced another classic.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, March 25, 2002

By	James Mosley (Rio Rancho, NM USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

After reading all of AK's books they have one thing in common. Teach you to tie better flies. His advice is very in depth, one whole chapter on hand postion sounds boring, but is very interesting and the reading goes by very quickly. The photos are great showing you what is missing in other fly tying books. There is a wealth of information to be gleaned from this book, for all levels of tiers. Anyone serious about fly tying will enjoy this book.