The Essential Fly Tier

J. Edson Leonard, one of the country's preeminent fly fishing authorities and the author of the pioneering angling classic, Flies, here applies his refreshingly original approach to the tying of all types and styles of flies. He describes how to create flies for the express purpose of actually catching fish.

In The Essential Fly Tier, renowned author, illustrator, tying instructor, and fly-fishing authority J. Edson Leonard cuts clean through the fog of irrelevance that so often surrounds the art of fly tying and comes straight to the point: creating flies that will actually catch fish.
Starting with the basics, the author thoroughly covers fishhooks and the relative merits of the various points, bends, barbs, and styles for different types of fishing and all species of gamefish. He also covers equipment for the tier's bench, including vises, tools, and materials, with an in-depth discussion of fly-tying nomenclature and the fundamentals of the tying art.
Leonard then delves into the rich area of specific flies for specific fish. He offers dozens of patterns and tying instructions for drys, wets, nymphs, and streamers for catching trout, steelhead, salmon, bass, panfish, shad, pike, and all saltwater gamefish.
Beginners and advanced tiers alike will enjoy the unique features of Leonard's approach. Besides covering the standard flies, he also develops a theory of pattern selection that enables the reader to construct new and original ties from a synthesis of the time-tested basics.
Broad in scope, rich in detail, and beautifully illustrated by the author, The Essential Fly Tier is a classic book no fly fisher can afford to miss.