The Feather Bender’s Deer Hair Masterclass – Barry Ord Clarke
The Feather Bender’s Deer Hair Masterclass by Barry Ord Clarke is a specialist book dedicated to working with deer hair in fly tying. In this comprehensive volume, the internationally renowned fly tyer shares his experience and presents detailed techniques, tools and materials for creating some of the most effective and interesting fly patterns using deer hair.
The book contains step-by-step instructions for more than 40 fly patterns, presented through detailed sequences that allow the fly tyer to follow each stage at their own pace. From classic patterns with a fresh approach to modern interpretations, Barry Ord Clarke explains how to select, prepare and work with deer hair so that it becomes an effective and well-balanced element of an artificial fly.
Deer hair is often considered a challenging material to work with, but this book demonstrates how the right techniques and approach can turn it into an extremely versatile tying material. Among the patterns featured are Muddler Minnow, Goddard’s Caddis, Sparkle Dun, Deer Hair Diver, Skitter Bug, Henry’s Fork Stone and many others.
What Will You Find in the Book?
| Techniques | Detailed coverage of the essential techniques for working with deer hair |
| Materials | Information on selecting and using the required materials |
| Tools | The essential tools for working with deer hair |
| Fly Patterns | Step-by-step instructions for more than 40 fly patterns |
| Video Demonstrations | QR codes linking to online video demonstrations by Barry Ord Clarke |
| Format | Hardcover |
Book and Video Learning Combined
One of the distinctive features of The Feather Bender’s Deer Hair Masterclass is the combination of detailed instructions in the book with online video demonstrations. QR codes placed alongside the relevant fly patterns provide direct access to videos by Barry Ord Clarke.
This allows you to use the book as a detailed reference while tying, and whenever you need to see the movement of the hands, how the material is positioned and manipulated, or the complete tying process, you can go directly to the corresponding video demonstration.
The printed book and the videos therefore complement each other – you can carefully follow each step at your own pace and then watch the complete tying process demonstrated in real time.
Fly Patterns Featured in the Book
Among the patterns presented by Barry Ord Clarke are classic and modern flies such as:
- Muddler Minnow
- Goddard’s Caddis
- Sparkle Dun
- Deer Hair Diver
- Skitter Bug
- Henry’s Fork Stone
The book also features many other patterns in which deer hair plays a central role in the construction of the fly.
About the Author
Barry Ord Clarke is an internationally recognized fly tyer, photographer and author. Originally from England, he has received awards at prestigious international fly tying competitions, and his flies have been included in the collections of the Flyfishers’ Club in London and the Catskill Master Fly Collection in the USA.
In 2016, Barry received the prestigious Claudio D’Angelo Award for Best International Fly Tyer, and in 2021 he was named Fly Tyer of the Year by Fly Tyer Magazine. He is the author of several books, including The Feather Bender’s Flytying Techniques, The Feather Bender’s Advanced Flytying Techniques and Flytying for Beginners.
Barry Ord Clarke has lived and worked in Norway for more than two decades as a professional photographer and fly tying consultant. His fly tying demonstrations are widely known through his The Feather Bender blog and YouTube channel.
Technical Details
| Title | The Feather Bender’s Deer Hair Masterclass |
| Author | Barry Ord Clarke |
| Publisher | Merlin Unwin Books |
| Publication Year | 2026 |
| Language | English |
| Binding | Hardcover |
| Pages | 384 |
| ISBN | 9781913159894 |
Advice from FlyFishing.bg
If you already have a good understanding of the basic fly tying techniques and want to develop your skills in working with deer hair, The Feather Bender’s Deer Hair Masterclass deserves a place in the library of any serious fly tyer. The detailed photographic sequences are particularly useful for working independently, while the ability to move directly from the book to a video demonstration through a QR code is a practical addition that makes complex techniques much easier to follow.