We sat down with Barry Ord Clarke, aka The Feather Bender, to talk about the unpredictability of sea trout, why fly tying still matters in a digital world, and what drives him to keep innovating in a craft that’s already centuries old.
Barry Ord Clarke needs no introduction, but we’re going to give you one anyway… Barry didn’t come to fly tying the usual way. He wasn’t handed a vise by his grandfather or baptized into the craft by a fish on a dry fly. Instead, it was the early 1980s in London, and Clarke was working as a commercial photographer. One day, a Scottish taxidermist walked into his studio needing a few shots of fully dressed salmon flies. Clarke—armed with a fine arts background and an eye for detail—was hooked before he ever wet a line.
Since then, he’s become one of the most recognizable names in modern fly tying. Known online as The Feather Bender, Clarke ties everything from midges to musky meat, has authored over 40 books, and, among various other accolades, was named Fly Tyer Magazine’s Fly Tyer of the Year in 2021.
His tying tables are workshops, his camera lens a microscope, and his philosophy refreshingly straightforward: keep it simple, skip the rare materials, and tie things that catch fish.
But don’t mistake his polished YouTube videos and museum-worthy patterns for perfectionism. What sets Clarke apart is his mission to make fly tying accessible. “If beginners hit too many snags,” he says, “their gear ends up packed away forever.” It’s why his latest book, The Feather Bender’s Advanced Fly Tying Techniques—now available at J. Stockard—includes not just stunning step-by-step photography, but scannable video links so tyers can follow along in real time.
In this conversation, Clarke opens up about his early days learning to tie before he ever fished, his lifelong obsession with teaching, and why books still matter in a digital world. Along the way, he shares stories from his Oslo fjord cottage, thoughts on the new generation of fly tyers, and the kind of tools he actually keeps on his desk.
How important do you think print media—actual books—still are for fly tyers today?
For the fly tyer, they're still really important. Even though you can get everything online now, it's always good to go back and reference a book. Fly tyers, as a group, I believe still enjoy buying and owning paper books. There’s something about flipping through pages, seeing the photography, the layout—it becomes a real learning tool.
Do you see that interest in books across different generations?
Oh, absolutely. Younger people—teenagers and such—often learn to tie flies online first. But even then, they find that referring back to a book can be incredibly helpful. Things move quickly online, and there's a lot of information, but it can be overwhelming. A book lays things out with much more depth and detail. That combination—digital media plus printed books—is perfect for fly tyers. In my books, I can include detailed references to materials, tools, techniques...
It’s information that videos just can’t always capture.
Have you always had that ‘teacher’ mentality—enjoyed helping others?
Yeah, that's always been a big part of it for me. The whole idea behind my last four books was to make fly tying easier to learn than ever before. The QR codes linking to video, combined with the printed book, have been really well received. And I do take time each morning to answer questions in the comments on my YouTube videos. Especially with beginners, that early stage is so critical—if they run into too much frustration, all their fly tying gear might get packed away and never come out again.
And it's not just beginners, right? Even experienced fly tyers might be missing the basics?
Absolutely. There are a lot of advanced fly tyers who’ve never really mastered the fundamentals. I believe if you get the basics down properly, those become your advanced skills. They’ll carry through to everything you tie, improve your technique, and your flies will just look better.
Let’s rewind a bit. When you were starting out, who inspired you? What references did you have back then; and who’s inspiring you now?
There’s a lot of inspiration now. But when I started tying flies—about 40 years ago—there was no internet, and barely any courses where I lived. My only reference was a book by Jacqueline Wakeford called Fly Tying Techniques. It was all about basic skills, with decent photography for the time. When I look back, it’s quite simple compared to what we have today, but those techniques are still used.
Also, back then, I’d buy flies from the shop and dissect them—deconstruct them to see how they were made. Interestingly, I actually started tying flies before I started fly fishing.
Really? So how did you get into it in the first place?
I had an arts and crafts background—bookbinding, calligraphy, life drawing, painting, fashion design, stained glass, all that. I met a guy at a jumble sale in London selling stuffed trout and fully dressed classic salmon flies. We got talking, I mentioned I was an advertising photographer, and he said he needed a brochure. I said, “I’d love to learn how to tie those flies.” He proposed a barter—I’d make him a brochure, and he’d teach me how to tie. That’s how it all started.
From that, would you say there are ‘different types’ of fly tyers out there—some who tie for therapy, some just to catch fish, some for the art?
Definitely. And all those types are important to fly tying. People tie for all kinds of reasons. Some use it to de-stress, others for the functional goal of catching fish, and others—like classic salmon fly tyers—do it purely for the art. Some of them don’t even own fishing rods! It’s all valid. And what’s beautiful is that most of these tyers are very open to teaching and sharing.
Do you think the craft is growing? Are more people getting into fly tying?
Yes, especially internationally. We’re seeing more young people coming into it—and, significantly, more young women and girls. That’s very important. It’s something that hasn’t traditionally happened in this space.
Anyone in particular come to mind from the online scene?
Absolutely. Take someone like Erin Hyde—@shetiesflies. She's amazing. She’s only been tying for a short time, but she’s built a huge following, and a lot of her audience aren’t even anglers. They’re drawn to the artistic style of her videos, which her partner Alex (Burnett) films beautifully. I met her at the big German fly fair earlier this year—she’s really cornered a unique genre and nailed it. We need more of that!
Speaking of, you’ve got a distinct visual style yourself. How important is that to your work—your photography, the way you show your flies?
It’s absolutely critical. It’s about brand building. I’ve been doing fly fishing photography for magazines for over 35 years. If you’re a fly tyer who reads those magazines, you’ll recognize my images immediately. That consistency matters and I’m very particular about it.
Let’s get a bit technical. You’re known for using natural materials. Any synthetic materials you’ve been excited about lately?
Not really, no. I love the color range and feel of natural materials. Especially when fishing for trout or salmon, I believe natural makes a difference. I do use synthetics when appropriate—foam, for instance—but I’m quite particular about how they’re used. I guess you could say I’m a bit nerdy about that.
Do you still get out and fish much?
As much as I can. But this is my full-time job—I tie flies and photograph them eight hours a day, every day. That’s what people don’t always realize. A three-minute YouTube video might take hours. That said, I’ve streamlined things a lot over the years. When I started, I was the only one doing POV-style fly tying videos. It was tough at first, but now it comes naturally.
Has that efficiency come with experience, or better tech?
Both. But I still use my Canon EOS, not a mobile phone or action cams. The gear helps, but it’s the experience and setup that make things run smoothly.
Are you as particular about your tools as you are about materials?
I wouldn’t say I’m nerdy about tools, but I know what I like. Sharp, fine scissors are essential. My flies are fairly stylized—I like them to look good. When I tie fishing flies, they’re quicker and less precise, but when I’m tying for show or for a book, everything needs to be just right.
Lastly, let’s round it out with something every fly tyer always wants to know: Is your tying desk as tidy as your videos suggest?
It’s messy during the day because I tie a lot of different patterns. But at the end of each day, everything gets cleaned and put back. Otherwise, I’d spend more time looking for stuff than actually tying. I’ve got so many boxes of materials—organization is essential.
There you go! What sets Barry apart isn’t just his mastery at the vise or behind the lens—it’s his clarity of purpose. Whether he’s answering a beginner’s comment on YouTube, dissecting materials at his desk in Norway, or photographing a step-by-step for his next book, Clarke is always thinking about the person on the other end of the thread.
Now, J. Stockard is proud to offer Clarke’s newest title, The Feather Bender’s Advanced Fly Tying Techniques—a book that brings together high-detail photography, practical step-by-steps, and digital access through QR codes, making it one of the most comprehensive fly tying guides on the shelf.