An artificial fly may be little more than a bit of fur or feather, bead, tinsel, and thread wrapped around the shank of a fishing hook, but for many fly fishers, there is no better way to pass the time between fishing excursions than crafting one of these miniature gems. In The Fly Fisher's Craft, veteran fly tyer and designer Darrel Martin examines fly design and tying techniques, both historic and modern. The Fly Fisher's Craft returns to our angling origins with chapters on constructing antique lines, hooks, and loop rods--all simply made with basic tools and knowledge. It also follows the silk wraps of the early tyers to reveal their craft and cunning. Here are Barker and Cotton, Venables and Stewart, Halford and Skues, along with many other esteemed tyers of the past. And it presents the author's modern patterns inspired by that past. Abundant photographs and illustrations by the author guide you on this enthralling journey, told with some surprises along the way. Sure to appeal to both the novice and the expert, The Fly Fisher's Craft is a book for the curious and creative fly fisher.