One of the most important aspects of fly fishing is knot tying. If knots are not tied appropriately for the situation at hand or if they aren't tied correctly, then you're not likely to land many fish.

Here are some tips for tying knots, plus links to the best sites for learning to tie your own fly fishing knots -- including animated photos and videos!

Tying your own fishing flies is an art that can be mastered with practice.

When you tie your own flies, it makes fly fishing more interesting. And when you learn to tie flies that lure fish to your line, you have a great feeling of accomplishment.

Before you begin tying flies, there are the most important tools you will need.

I love to give gifts. I hate to go shopping.

I don't like to go shopping for gifts. I like to go buying. What I mean is, I hate to go to a store and wander around aisle after aisle without something specific in mind. Every time I do that, I find myself walking in circles like an adventurer with a broken compass. It seems as if every aisle starts to look the same, just like trees in the forest. Searching, hoping something will catch my eye and shout "Hey, you! Mr. clueless lost man! Buy me! I'm the perfect thing. BUY MEEEeeee!!!!" Nope, I hate that part. I like to have a pretty good idea of what I want to buy for someone long before I go to a store. Once I know what I want, I'll go to a store, inspect the item up close and if it suits my expectations, I make the purchase. Hopefully they gift wrap because that is another thing I'm not fond of doing.

Seeing as how Valentine's Day is just around the corner, I'm taking some advice from a blogger friend of mine. Her name is Meridith and her family likes to fly fish. She sometimes writes about it on her website about Brentwood, TN. Check it out. She gave me the idea about putting together a list of Valentine's Day gift ideas for fly fishermen/women. That got me to thinking about fly fishing oriented gifts I have been given. Some good, some well intentioned but not so good. The beautiful and the ugly. Here's a list of 10 ideas that cover both ends of the map. In this list you'll find fly fishing gifts under $10 to over $1000. To my fellow shopping haters, quit walking in circles with that dazed look in your eyes. Here, my gift-seeking adventurers, is your compass.

These is a list of 7 products I really like and 3 that I could have lived without. I hope you find it useful.