Sometimes the best fly is a simple one. Whether you're a beginner looking to get started with tying or an expert looking to get back to the basics, these simple wet flies, nymphs, dry flies, and streamers will often catch fish as well as--if not better than--more complex patterns. This guide shows you all the techniques, tools, and materials you need to get started.

Morgan Lyle uses simple flies to catch trout in the mountains, stripers at the beach, and any other fish he can reach with a cast. A regular contributor to American Angler, Fly Tyer, Trout, The Drake, and other magazines, he lives in New York.