a b c of Fly Tying - Trout Flies

Priced at $50, Steve Chatterton’s CD is available through his website www.fishonfly.com.au."

QUICK LINKS TO:

Review by Peter Wilson for Fly Life - Number 52 Winter 2008

"Like a lot of people, I dabbled briefly in fly-tying early in my fly fishing journey. It just seemed to go along with the whole fly fishing ‘thing’. However, with out knowing any other fly fishers and with a lack of outside help (no FlyLife Forum in those days) the vice was soon packed away and forgotten.

It was not until several years ago, after joining a club, that the tying bug hit me again. Having access to tying notes for flies and techniques, or someone to ask for advice, is invaluable to a beginner, and something I was missing in my early fly-tying attempts.

Recently I’ve had the opportunity to look through a new fly-tying course put together on CD by Snowy Mountains guide Steve Chatterton. Titled the “abc of Fly Tying – Trout Flies”, the course comprises 5 modules each containing a theory section, followed by a selection of flies to be tied.

Each of the techniques required for these flies is explained in detail with excellent accompanying photographs: the next best thing to having someone tying in front of you. Once you feel confident with the techniques, you can move on to the next and slightly more advanced module, building up your confidence and abilities as you work through the CD.

Finishing the course will give you the knowledge and ability to follow almost any trout-fly recipe and even to tinker with known patterns to suit your own conditions. If you have problems with any of the techniques, or need to come back to a particular method later on, everything is listed alphabetically in the skills database, giving you convenient access to all the techniques covered throughout the course.

There is an amazing amount of information on the CS. Just looking at the ‘using deer hair’ link gives you detailed instructions and photos for spun and trimmed deer hair bodies and heads, deer hair for parachute posts, divided upright deer hair wings. Stimulator style wings, deer hair tails, Shaving Brush style wings, caddis style wings and deer hair bullet heads for grasshoppers. The same for eyes – 10 difference techniques from mono eyes to foam Booby style eyes. It’s an incredible resource of well described and photographed techniques.

This is a great CD for anyone thinking about tying flies for the first time, and for those with a grasp of the basics but needing some help to move on. And even the experienced tier will undoubtedly pick up a few tips throughout the course.

Copyright © under Commonwealth of Australia Copyright Act 1968
and subsequent amendments.

No part of the information on this disk or this web site may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the permission
of the copyright owner.

Each disk is individually numbered and the information on each disk is
protected by encrypted codes.

If you would like to buy

further copies of the CD

please contact me by email on

stephen@fishonfly.com.au

CD costs $50 each and are copy protected.

USING THE CD

The course has been designed so that as you tie each successive fly in the course your skills will accumulate and be reinforced. It is therefore best if you tie the flies in the order presented.

Click on a "Module Hyperlink" at the top of this page or at the bottom of any page in the course to access the module you are up to or the module you want to review. If you are just starting the course that should be the first module. Open the recipe for the first fly in the course you are up to. If you are just starting the course that will be the Red Tag. You can open the recipe for the Red Tag and other various flies by either clicking on the name of the fly or the picture of the fly. Follow the detailed steps to tie the fly.

As you proceed you will see hyperlinks saying "Access Info On Trout CD". When you access these hyperlinks by clicking on them the program will take you directly to further detailed information explaining the step in the tying of the fly that you have selected.

The course is also supported by access to a comprehensive "Skills Data Base" that can be accessed by clicking on the "Read It" hyperlink that is located toward the top right hand side of each page. The Skills data Base is arranged in alphabetical order and is an easy way to access information to review skills or check out specific skills that you want to know more about.

At the top of many of the module pages there are also links to articles that are relevant to what you are learning. By reading the articles you will gain a better understanding of fly tying and fly fishing.

THEORY (10-15 MINUTES)

At the top of every page there is also a series of hyperlinks that give you access to:

This is the entry page for the www.fishonfly.com.au website.

Provides details on guided fishing options as well as fishing reports on Lakes Jindabyne and Eucumbene and the local Alpine streams.

If you are on line this hyperlink will access the Jindabyne tourism web page that sets out various accommodation options.

We sell most of the materials and tools used for the 150 or so flies that are detailed on this web site.

The link gives you access to recipes for the flies that I carry in my fly boxes as well a many other flies.

I have written a range of articles and compiled a comprehensive Dictionary" of fly fishing and fly tying terms that can accessed through this link.

If you are on line this page gives you links to a range of other interesting web sites.

This link sets out the range of fly tying courses available.

DOING THE COURSE WITHOUT THE CD

This is a no cost way of learning or consolidating your trout fly tying skills.

The outline of the course is set out at www.fishonfly.com.au

Double click at the top of any page on the website and then follow the hyperlink to the course. The course outline provides the curriculum and the recipes but does not give the background detailed information on the 50 or so skills that you will need to learn to complete the course. The skills you need to master for each successive fly are identified just to the right of each fly tied but if you are not using the CD to do the course you will need some assistance from an experienced fly tier to show you the skills or you will need to search out information on the various skills in the many well illustrated books, videos etc. For example the first skill learnt is " CORRECT PLACEMENT OF THE HOOK IN THE VICE" and the methodology and reasons behind the correct placement of the hook in the vice are well documented in a range of literature, web sites etc. or if you have my CD there by just following the link.

PERSONAL AND GROUP FLY TYING COURSES

Course Duration:	For most people this is the easiest way of learning to tie flies. Completion of the course generally requires around 12 hours of guided leaning and a similar amount of personal practice. The course can be run over six evenings with three hour sessions each evening or over a weekend.
Tuition Cost:	The cost of fly tying tuition, including GST, is $40 per hour for the first participant and $15 per hour for each additional participant up to a maximum of six participants. For six people this works out at an average of $20 per hour or an average of $45 per module. The cost of all materials used to dress flies is included in the price.
Bookings & deposit:	Deposit of $10 per person per module is required at the time of making your booking.
What you should bring:	Bring your own food and drink requirements as well as your vice and tools and threads if you have them.
What we provide:	We provide a hard copy of all of the course content as well as expert and professional tuition.

Last modified:08-Jul-2008.