I have to admit from the front end, it’s going to be hard to be impartial on this review. Being that the author of the book is one of my best friends on the planet… I think you can see my dilemma. It’s not hard bragging about Tim Cammisa though. With over 26k YouTube subscribers and counting and big crowds at all the fly fishing and fly tying shows, when Tim puts his mind on something, he does it well.
Acknowledgements
From his Uncle John, who started him down this rabbit hole, to his wonderful family, including his wife Heather, to Chuck Furimsky (the creator and original director of The Fly Fishing Show), to yours truly, Tim is always quick to let you know who’s shoulders he stands on and who he stands beside. Moreover, he’s invariably there to share his knowledge and lift the next person to higher ground. Here, you see Heather with a huge Florida Snook. That’s one thing Heather and I have in common, we both catch bigger fish than Tim does!
Foreword – Chuck Furmisky
There’s no question that Chuck Furimsky is a pioneer of fly fishing. Back in the day, there was no such thing as a fly fishing show, and Chuck created the space. From Seven Spring Mountain Resort in Pennsylvania, Chuck and Lefty Kreh started hosting a local fly fishing event. Over 30 years later, that has grown to the largest consumer fly fishing event in the world. After a bit of a back story similar to this, Chuck gets around to talking about Tim. He mentions how Tim is part of this new school of fly tying. How he has great respect for Tim for managing being a school teacher, having a growing and active family, and all his tying and media responsibilities. He finishes by saying what a great asset Tim is to The Fly Fishing Show as a celebrity tier and speaker.
Introduction
I love reading the acknowledgments, forewords and introductions in books. I want to know about the author before I read his material.
In the introduction to Fly Tying for Everyone, we learn who this book was written for, and, just as the title says: the book is for everyone. While reading Fly Tying For Everyone, the reader can learn to tie flies with the latest patterns that catch fish.
Further in the introduction, readers learn the secret formula that makes this book a success. For each of the fly chapters, the author follows a winning formula: he offers the pattern recipe, provides opening comments on the fly, gives some tying tips, highlights a featured technique, advises on materials to consider, and finishes with fishing suggestions.
In total, there are 14 chapters in the book. There is an opening chapter with a detailed review on modern day tying best practices and 13 fly patterns with step by step tying instructions and helpful photographs. The author goes in deep with recommended equipment and materials. And, he provides solid data breakdown on various pieces of equipment like scissors, bobbins, vises, hackle pliers and other various tools. He gives specific notes on material choices like resins, threads and hooks. With that many years of fly tying experience behind him, it’s good to learn what and why a piece of equipment has proven successful, in turn shortening the reader’s learning curve.
The Chapters
The thirteen fly tying lessons are broken up into four main headings: Dry Flies, Emergers, Nymphs, and Streamers. The thirteen lessons come from learning how to tie thirteen modern and effective patterns. The reader will learn how to tie dries like the Corn-Fed Caddis, emergers like the Pliva Shuttlecock, nymphs like the CDC Quill Body Jig Nymph and streamers like the Articulated Streamer. In these lessons, the reader receives a well rounded arsenal of tips and tricks for tying success.
The reader will learn various tying techniques and tips in these thirteen lessons. The lessons are designed and written to teach the reader various tying techniques, materials, and tricks. It’s written in such a way to allow for the reader to use these techniques to tie an unlimited number of other patterns in the future. The goal of the book was not only to teach the reader how to tie these specific thirteen fly patterns, but to teach the reader how to tie many flies using the techniques and tips as instructional material.
In Conclusion
Tim Cammisa is a teacher. He teaches middle school Math, he teaches fly-tying on a successful and engaged YouTube and social media audience and he teaches fly tying and fishing on The Fly FIshing show nationwide tour. His teaching skills and his easy going personality come through in the pages of this book. The book reads easy, almost as if you can hear Tim talking to you directly. I have been fortunate to get to know and fish with Tim over the years, and getting to know him has made me a better fisherman. By watching his videos, and reading this book, you will also feel like you know Tim. I think in doing so, you will also become a better fly tier and fisherman as well.
Fly Tying for Everyone can be found in various traditional and online bookstores. Autographed copies can be purchased on his website: https://www.troutandfeather.com/shop.
