Fly tying book suggestions please.

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The more I learn about this fly tying lark the more I realise that I don’t know. I’m pretty green when it comes to tying and don’t know a great deal about the history, or development of patterns. In the main I tend to make things up as I go along, and expect that I am not using some techniques which would help my tying.

Can anyone suggest some books which cover the traditional (wet) flies? I’m looking for some definitive recipes and the thinking behind their development and also a book which covers tying techniques. The two don’t have to be the same book.

Any suggestions gratefully appreciated.

All the best - Steve

[oakham orange]

Hi Steve,

As far as wet flies go, you wont get better than these three. They are on offer at the minute on Amazon.

Trout and Salmon Flies of Ireland: Amazon.co.uk: Peter O'Reilly: Books

Trout and Salmon Flies of Ireland: Amazon.co.uk: Peter O'Reilly: Books

[marmalade]

This is not a book, but by far the best exposition on dubbing techniques I've seen is over on the UK Flydressing forum:

UKFlyDressing - Dubbing Techniques

For book suggestions on North country patterns, try the website of Phillip Bailey, flyfishwithme on this forum: he has quite a few recommendations from yesteryear.

[Steve Walker]

Originally Posted by marmalade

UKFlyDressing - Dubbing Techniques

That's a great link!

[ACW]

Originally Posted by oakham orange

Hi Steve,

As far as wet flies go, you wont get better than these three. They are on offer at the minute on Amazon.

Trout and Salmon Flies of Ireland: Amazon.co.uk: Peter O'Reilly: Books

Trout and Salmon Flies of Scotland: Amazon.co.uk: Stan Headley: Books

Trout and Salmon Flies of Wales: Amazon.co.uk: Moc Morgan: Books


Hope that helps OO

The irish and scottish ones are classics ,never got on with the welsh one !
I do own all 3 and would not part with them unless silly money offered !

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Thanks gents - I've ordered all three that OO suggested, even the Welsh one despite ACW's comments, it might be a waste of money though 'cos I can already tie a Diawl Bach

Thanks for the link marmalade, I've skulked around the UK Flydressing forum quite a bit - lots of good stuff on there.

Cheers - Steve

[marmalade]

I try not to let people know I lurk round UK flydressing and then it looks like all my clever ideas are my own.

[midlander]

Here's a few more for you Steve. The first is a bit outdated but it's the book I learnt to tie from and still has very relevant info...

Fly Dressers Guide. By John Veniard.

The second I bought on a whim and it's pretty good although mainly instructional in technique which you might find elsewhere. Definitely worth a read though as there's some bits you wont find anywhere else...

Tying flies in the Irish Style. By E.J. Malone.

This one is one of my favourites just because it's got a mind boggling array of dressings. Some old, some new but they're all just added inspiration...

Irish Trout and Salmon Flies. By E.J. Malone.

This last one is the mother of all technique books and quite honestly not something to read from cover to cover. It's definitely a case of dip in when you're in a quandary about how to get things to work...

Fly Tyers Benchside Reference. By Ted Leeson & Jim Schollmeyer.

Another one definitely worth a read, several times...

A Man May Fish

A Man May Fish

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Thanks for that Midlander, I'll keep a note of the thread and look to get another couple next month - some of the ones on your list are a bit pricey!

Thinking about it, does my daughter really need ballet and swimming lessons, blow it, where's my credit card gone!

Steve

[arkle]

Hi Steve, If it's pure technique you're after, then Alex's recommendation of Leeson & Schollemeyer's Fly Tyer's Benchside Reference book has no equal.

Although I've not seen it, I gather there's a book by Charlie Craven, that's very popular with some members here as well.