With the Coronavirus/Covid-19 global lockdown, there’s a decent chance you have more time on your hands than usual. Sure, you can catch up on that to-do list backlog. Work your way through your Netflix/Amazon Prime queue. Re-organiase your sock drawer. But as a fly angler you really should take this enforced opportunity to get behind the vice. One of the original South African fly tying books, Elements of Fly Tying by Tom Sutcliffe has been made available by the man himself during this trying time.

If you are already an accomplished or advanced fly tyer, then you can proceed to filling an MC Coetzer OCD level flats box or emulating LeRoy Botha. However, if you are new to fly tying or just rusty, Tom’s book is the prefect place to get started.

As Paul Curtis of Platanna Press, the publisher of this book says, “The intention Tom had writing ‘elements’ was not just to share some of his favourite patterns but to teach beginner (and not-so-beginner) flytyers virtually every technique needed to tie just about everything. So each individual fly in the book is really a different lesson. Tie all of them and you’ve learnt most of techniques you’ll ever need.”

DOWNLOAD: The elements of Fly Tying

Once you have downloaded The Elements of Fly Tying, if you are looking for a great read we can strongly recommend Tom’s latest book Yet More Sweet Days, which you can buy here. Read an excerpt, Fishing Alone (an appropriate title for these times if ever there was one) here.

Thanks to Tom for giving, yet again, to the world of fly fishing.