Feather Brain: Developing, Testing, & Improving Saltwater Fly Patterns [Paperback]
Drew Chicone Author
“With Feather Brain, Drew Chicone has succeeded in illustrating not only the mechanics of his advanced tying techniques but more importantly the creative thinking that leads to the design and construction of a successful fly. I highly recommend and endorse Drew Chicone’s Feather Brain.” –Eric Leiser“
Feather Brain is a great roadmap for tying better looking and better performing saltwater flies.” –Jonny King
- Step-by-step tying instructions and explanations of how the author designed 14 winning saltwater flies
- Insights from nine top saltwater fly tiers, including Bob Clouser, Joe Mahler, Jonny King, Jon Cave, Bob Popovics, Norm Zeigler, and Chris Helm
- Tips on designing your own patterns, tying with saltwater materials, and fixing typical problems
Whether you tie up any of the 14 winning patterns Drew illustrates, or use the many invaluable techniques he describes to create your own patterns, Feather Brain is a great roadmap for tying better looking and better performing saltwater flies. Step-by-step tying instructions and explanations walk you through how to select materials as well as apply them. Insights from nine top saltwater fly tiers, including Bob Clouser, Joe Mahler, Jonny King, Jon Cave, Bob Popovics, and Chris Helm, will give you a unique perspective as to what factors led them to design their legendary pattens, and why they choose the materials they did and techniques to apply them. Whether you’re looking for information on designing your own patterns, tying with saltwater materials, or fixing typical problems, Feather Brain will improve the craft of any serious or beginning fly tier.
Drew Chicone Bio
Drew Chicone is a Fly Designer, Photographer, Author, Instructor and Materials Expert whose passion for the sport has led him to the salty waters of Southwest Florida. He has lived and breathed the sport since he was tall enough to sit at the vise and his fly creations are both well known and in high demand among Florida guides. Drew’s has been a FFF Certified Casting Instructor, and commercial fly tier for many years. His patterns are sold in numerous fly shops and have appeared in several publications and online articles including:
• Fly Fishing in Saltwater Magazine
• Fly Fisherman Magazine
• This is Fly Magazine
• Hatches Magazine
• Fly & Light Tackle Angler Magazine
• Front Range Angler Magazine
• Saltwater Flies of the Southeast & Gulf Coast- Angelo Peluso
He is a member of the Dyna-King Pro Tyer Team, Clear Cure Goo Pro Tyer Team, an Ambassador for Nucanoe, as well as a Royalty Tyer for the Orvis Company.
Drew is the past Vice President of Sanibel Fly Fishers, as well as a member of the Tarpon and Bonefish Trust, and plays an active role in the preservation of local fisheries by donating his time to Mote Marine’s Snook and Tarpon research programs. He enjoys instructing in person and on camera and has made several instructional videos. He is known for his willingness to help fly tiers young and old improve their skills at the vise. Drew is an entertaining and knowledgeable presenter, with an animated sense of humor and a high-energy personality that draws in the audience.
For more info on Drew or his latest works, please visit his website and blog at http://www.saltyflyting.com. For product reviews, tip, tricks and more, feel free to subscribe to the Monthly Newsletter The Salty Fly Tying Chronicle or join Salty Fly Tying on Facebook.
Testimonials From The Pro’s
“In all aspects of fly-fishing, there are those who are good and then there are those who have the ability to takes things to the next level. Drew Chicone is somewhat of a mad scientist when he sits at the vise and with Feather Brain, he gives you the keys to his secret lab. The descriptions of why a certain material is used or how a specific technique is preformed are absolutely invaluable and provide a solid foundation for beginners to learn from and experienced tiers to build upon. Whether it’s tweaking a pretty good pattern to make it great, insight on reproducing proven flies or customizing a new pattern for a very specific situation, Chicone has it all covered in this must have book.”
– John Frazier, Editor Fly Fishing in Salt Waters Magazine
The best instructional fly fishing and tying books spring from total obsession, andFeather Brain is part of that great tradition. With scrupulous attention to detail and countless hours of experimenting behind him, the author gives us all an exhaustive lesson in the mechanics of fly design. Whether you tie up any of the great patterns Drew illustrates, or use the many invaluable techniques he describes to create your own patterns, Feather Brain is a great roadmap for tying better looking and better performing saltwater flies.”
– Jonny King, Fly Designer & Outdoor Writer
“Feather Brain will improve the craft of any serious or beginning fly tier. It is superbly written; demonstrating advanced tying techniques and styles that will engender further creative concepts and designs. Not only has Drew Chicone brought us up-to-date and even into the future of fly tying, he has graciously included many of the best flies of the leading pioneers – at little of the old and lots of the new. I encourage anyone who ties flies to get a copy of this superb book.”
-Dan Blanton, Casting Instructor, Lecturer, Fly Fishing Author & Outdoor Photographer.
