On Mar 29, 11:55 am, "Tom Nakashima" wrote:
I earlier posted Altering Dry Flies to Wet Flies question, and
some suggested that I start to learn to tie the flies to get a better
understanding.
I think they're right.
recommendations for starter fly-tying?
Kits? Purchasing items separate? Books?
-tom

I'm a newbie to fly tying. I tried getting a few books and after
searching the internet and reading posts from this group I bought some
tools & a vise. One person on this group recommended that I go to a
class first. He was 100% right. I wish now that I had just taken the
class FIRST, then I would have known what to buy (and what NOT to
buy).

The local class provided tools to use (and to purchase if we wanted
to.....but no pressure either way). Things that looked SO complicated
in the books, actually were VERY easy with a patient teacher working
with me. Instead of being stressed trying to figure out the book, I
had a TON of fun with other newbies tying flies. Man, the first flies
that I made were ugly as sin, but the teacher made me feel like I had
tied the most beautiful fly (but then he kindly told my how to improve
the NEXT one I tied). After a few classes, the flies actually began
to look decent (and catch fish).

After the class was over, the books then made WONDERFUL sense, and now
they are valuable references for me to keep. I looked at a ton of
books, but there are 3 that I bought and VERY much like (especially
for a newbie like me):

"The Fly-Tying Bible" by Peter Gathercole
"Trout Flies - The Tier's Reference" by Dave Hughes
"The Fly Tiers Benchside Reference to Techniques and Dressing Styles"
by Ted Leeson and Jim Schollmeyer

Also, to the people in this group that gave me advice, I want to say
"thanks" for the help. I have been having a lot of fun catching fish
and tying my own flies, thanks to you guys helping me get started on
the right foot.