David Klausmeyer - The ORVIS Guide to Beginning Fly Tying: 101 Tips for the Absolute Beginner

THE

O R V I S

GUIDE TO

BEGINNING FLY TYING

THE

O R V I S

GUIDE TO

BEGINNING FLY TYING

Preface by

TOM ROSENBAUER

David Klausmeyer

Skyhorse Publishing

Copyright 2012 by David Klausmeyer

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file. ISBN: 978-1-61608-622-0

Printed in China

For fly fishers who are ready to take the next step and become fly tiers.

THE

O R V I S

GUIDE TO

BEGINNING FLY TYING

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WHEN WE DECIDED THERE WAS A NEED FORA 101 TIPS BOOK on fly tying, the list of possible authors was very short, and Dave Klausmeyer was at the top. Ive known Dave for about twenty years, and have watched him grow from a fly-fishing historian and bamboo rod maker to a superb editor, teacher, and photographer. And having Dave slaving by himself on some arcane bit of history or planning strips of cane in his basement is a waste of his greatest talent, which is his gregarious, open, and sympathetic manner whenever he meets a fellow fly tier. Hes always happy, typically hilarious, and constantly has his ear open to whats new.

All of those talents come through in this book. From the very first entry about washing your hands and its reference to what your mother always told you, Dave endears himself to us with his openness and easy-to-read style. He has also never forgotten what its like to be a novice fly tier with burning questions that have to be answered right now because you have thread hanging from a size 16 half-finished Parachute Adams and you dont know how to make a parachute post. Yeah, you could sort through all the videos on YouTube and then get sidetracked on watching a talking dog video or a clip on fly fishing for Doradomeanwhile your Parachute Adams hangs unfinished. Wouldnt it be easier to just open a tightly organized book and find just what you are looking for, from a guy who has been at it for more years than youve been alive, as opposed to some bozo on YouTube who may have begun tying last week?

Ive written a couple of fly tying books myself, and looking through these chapters I cant believe I have never mentioned stuff like thinking ahead to the next step, how to store your flies, how to read a pattern description, or whether natural fly tying materials are safe to handle. Dave has listened to novice fly tiers, carefully, and has really answered questions that both novices and experienced hands ask all the time.

I know he has answered these questions because I do a weekly podcast on fly fishing, and all of the topics I cover are suggestions from listeners. I have kept track of all the questions about fly tying Ive been asked in more than 120 podcasts, and I was truly floored to find out that Dave has answered every one.

I know this book will be a treasured guide, but I also know it will make you chuckle. Who else would do a chapter called The Craziest Fly Ever? and then proceed to tell us about a fly tied out of a condom? Only Dave, who knows full well that fly fishing and fly tying are supposed to be fun, not deadly serious, and that fun should extend to the way we learn new stuff.

Tom Rosenbauer
March 2012

CHANCES ARE YOU FLY FISH. HOW DO I KNOW THIS? BECAUSE you purchased or have been given a book about how to tie flies. Sure, there are a few folks who tie but have no keen interest in fishing; they tie simply for the joy of crafting beautiful flies. These fly tiers, however, are in the minority. For the vast majority of us, learning to make flies is the next step in our odyssey to become more complete anglers.

For novice tiers, making flies that catch fish seems like alchemy. We lash bits of feathers and fur to pieces of bent wire to trick wild, scaly creatures into thinking we are giving them something good to eat. If that doesnt sound like turning lead into gold, then I dont know what does. But fly tying is not alchemy: if you have the interest, you can learn how to make your own flies that catch fish.

My goal is to take some of the mystery out of fly tyingto make it seem less like alchemy and more like a craft that you can enjoy and perhaps even master. We will deal with the most elemental basics of fly tying: how to read a pattern recipe, the three attributes of a good fly, and even how to store the flies you tie. We will discuss how to select a quality yet affordable fly-tying vise, and how to set up your fly-tying station to reduce back, neck, and eye strain. We will study the basic types of materials you will need to get started, and I will show you how to save money tying your own flies. Next, we will see how to craft the basic types of flies you will want to add to your fishing kit, and I will even challenge you to develop some of your own unique patterns. You might just create the next hot fly!

Theres an expression in fly fishing called time on the water. It means that your knowledge and ability to fish grows in direct proportion to how much time you spend on the river, lake, or shore with a fly rod in hand. You are the pupil, the water is the classroom, and the fish are the teachers. Youll never graduate if you dont spend sufficient time in school.

This same principle is true for learning to tie flies. Nothing replaces time at the vise for developing your fly-tying skills: learning to master thread control, selecting and manipulating materials, and crafting durable flies that do not easily fall apart. Any expert can demonstrate the finer points of fly tying, but how quickly you develop your skills is directly related to how much time you spend at the vise. How much time? This depends upon your schedule and how much free time you can devote to the craft, but there is a similarity between learning to tie flies and learning to play the piano: you will get more out of practicing one hour per day for five days than playing five hours before going to your next music lesson. Tie flies when time permitseven if its only 30 or 45 minutes per sessionbut tie regularly, and you will develop the skills to make the patterns necessary to catch fish on your local waters.

Youre already a fly fisher. Now youre ready to take the next step and become a fly tier. In short order, you will be catching fish with the very flies you tie. Enjoy the odyssey!

David Klausmeyer
First day of Spring, 2012