Fly Tying

This two-day course will introduce you to the art and craft of fly tying, which has a long and illustrious history in the Catskill Mountain region.  This course is designed for people who have never tied before or have just started out.  You will learn the basic techniques for tying a wide range of flies, including dry flies, wet flies, nymphs, and streamers, and you will tie patterns especially adapted for our local waters.  We will discuss entomology and examine the way that certain flies imitate different insects. You will learn about material selection (how to identify the right feathers, fur, and hair for the right fly), tool use, and a wide range of techniques, including dubbing, wrapping hackle, and doing pinch wraps and whip finishing. 

As we learn about fly tying, we’ll also explore the history of this local craft, tying some fly patterns that date back to the 1800s. The Catskill Mountains are the birthplace of fly fishing in America, and some of the most famous fly tyers in the world hail from this region. Figures such as Theodore Gordon, Walt and Winnie Dette, Lee Wulff, and Art Flick all called the Catskills their home waters. 

At the end of the course, you will be given a list of resources needed to continue your fly tying journey, including book titles, YouTube channels, lists of tools and materials to get started, and the names of local fly shops.

The instructor, Andrew Higgins, is a long-time angler and fly tyer who is also a past president of the Catskill Mountains chapter of Trout Unlimited, as well as a scholar of the literature and history of sporting culture in the Catskill region. Trout Unlimited is a national conservation organization whose mission is to bring together diverse interests to care for and recover rivers and streams so our children can experience the joy of wild and native trout and salmon. 

All tools and materials needed for this class will be supplied. If you already have a fly-tying vice and tools, you are welcome to bring them with you.