FTOTY Contest - Feedback Please!!

[Guest]

Well, another great FTOTY contest has come and gone. I was happy with the way the event turned out and thought everybody enjoyed participating and voting for their favorites.

 

Now is the time where I start planning for the 2006 FTOTY contest and I will be working on the guidelines for this year's event for the next few months. I am eager to hear some feedback from you and I want to know if there are certain aspects of the contest that you would like to see changed or you did not like. I am open for suggestions and will entertain any thought or idea on how I can make this event better.

 

Looking back,the only disappointment I have is I really thought I was going to get more participation. This year we only had roughly half of the flies we did the previous year despite having over a thousand more members. I havent pinpointed the reason for the lack of participation and it could be a number of reasons. Now the flies that we did receive we amazing so I cannot complain about the final result, I would just like to see more members get involved and be a part of this FTF tradition. I see this event as an opportunity for each member to challege themself to tie the best fly that they possibly can. To me, this is a great way to learn new techniques and to enhance the skills that you use everyday.

 

The big problem with the lack of participation was the there were several categories that only had a few flies competing(one category only had a single fly). Obviously when I designed the guidelines I did so thinking we would have more participation than the year before when we had over 450 flies. So with that in mind I may be putting things in place to keep that from happening in the future.

 

Here is one idea I am considering at the moment. For some of our less popular categories like pike and saltwater I would make it one category. Instead of "Pike - Streamer" and "Pike - Topwater" there would be just a "Pike" category. I will allow members to tie one topwater and one streamer pattern into the "Pike" category. So, members could still tie for both topwater and streamer(if they wanted) but they would be in the same category.

 

Anyway, I would love to hear your thoughts, ideas and suggestions. My ears are open and I am ready to listen. I will take each thought into consideration, some I may implement, others I wont. Either way I would like some feedback, after all this contest is for you, the members and it wouldn't exist without your support and participation.

[fcflyguy 0]

will

I willing to bet the overall numbers of fly will be a lot more next year.

FC

[conehead 0]

I had fun both years with the contest.

 

The first year I knew I did not have a chance, just from seeing some of the talented tiers on the site. This year I thought I might have a remote chance (but did not plan a fishing trip with that bamboo rod). I talent and the flies were so good, I would not have voted for my own, even if I had the chance.

 

I think all the tiers put their best effort and time into the flies they send, but some of those patterns are very unusual, and the talent needed to tie them is superb. I know I submitted only 5 or 6 flies this year compared to the many last year. I tried to get more bang for the buck.

 

Perhaps we could add a half dozen categories of standard patterns, for those guys with intermediate skills (like me). We may have a lot of guys compete for a March brown knowing that it will not be a blowout.

 

Just my 2 cents worth.

 

Conehead

PS I thought this years contest was great, Thanks Will

 

[mcfly 0]

I'd like to see an apples to apples contest like conehead mentioned where you tie a set pattern with set material.

 

Maybe an advanced but standard pattern like a humpy or a nice wet fly like a Blae and Black. Something where you can compare the person tying the flies vs the pattern chosen.

 

Another option would be your own version of say an Elk Hair Caddis or some other fly.

 

I think that it would be a good idea to combine sections that do not recieve a lot of flies as well. Maybe give an option of say panfish with a second option of streamer/top/nymph if there are enough participants. I know the panfish section wasn't as full as some of the others.

 

At any rate, I think you did a great job on the whole thing and I enjoyed it, even the surprise twist at the end.

[duckydoty 0]

This is just an idea that you might want to toss around. You could catagorize the flies into the apropriate category that you think they should be in. I also like the idea of a type of fly category such as crawdads, leaches, midges, deer hair top water, bead head, yadda, yadda, yadda, and you submit your best version to each category.

Or you could just leave it how it is because that works too!

Duckydoty

[day5 0]

to me it was great and now that I have seen how it is orginized I can plan for it and tie more flies. If you change it You will be takeing that away from me. My vote is to set a standard. And tweek it from year to year but stick to the standart of catagories rules timing etc....... Other wise you did a wonderful job!!!

[day5 0]

As far as why others did not join I think you can figure out who they are. You could ask them in a pm and give them the option not to reply if they wish. But some of it may be pride. I had a fly in this year that I was sure was a easy winner. But the voters did not agree. I was miffed but I got over it! It will not keep me from doing it again next year!!

[Guest]

 

Will, give some thought to combining some catagories.I think that the contest is unique in its own way, and you should leave it that way.

 

In other word I like it just the way it is , with deversity in all the different flies and style / patterns( I thought they looked great ).

 

You might want to make changes in the advertisements somehow . :dunno: Impress upon members as to how important it is to get involved. Whether win or loose the contest should be fun and serious, all at the same time, for young tyers or old tyers. No one should feel that there flies are not going to be good enough to win , but rather they will have a good time sharing , participating and learning.

 

Just my opinion for what its worth

 

I thought this years contest was great :headbang: Keep up the good work- Will

Leaky

[harleyhunter 0]

I agree with Leaky all the way!

 

-Sam

[Pastor Bill 0]

I am hoping to enter next year. Although I am new to tying I have been fly fishing since two months after I moved to Montana. I now live in Virginia and am close to trout waters and live near the James River for smallmouth. I have yet to fish with flies I have tied but I assume it is far more rewarding to catch a nice fish with a fly that one tied personally.

So what qualifies a person as a rookie in the contest?

[Guest]

Bill, rookies are members who have been tying for one year or less.

[Redwings1 0]

Will, I agree that the saltwater and pike categories can probably be paired down some. I do like the idea of a best of pattern category (i.e. everyone ties a Royal Coachman). The only real change I would like to see would be your ability to move a fly to a correct category, for example a true realistic pattern should be a realistic despite the fact that it could be used for another category.

[Isonychia 0]

I think this year's contest was exceptionally well done. I, too, would like to see it stay pretty much the same -- with perhaps the addition of a "required" pattern in each category (Royal Wulff dry, Light Cahill wet, Gold-ribbed Hare's Ear nymph, Dahlberg Diver bass bug, etc.) That way, the guys with ordinary tying skills and run-of-the-mill materials could compete with those with mad skills and access to rare and exotic materials.

 

Just my $0.02.

 

John

[Gregg A 0]

What the contest lacked in quanity, it made up for in quality. I was more excited reading who the winners were than I was Christmas morning.

 

Maybe combine some catagories such as pike and salt water. Other than that, I think it was a good contest and I can see participation increasing in the coming years.

[CapeBSalar 0]

Hey Will & Group,

 

I think this contest gets better and better year after year. I saw the entries from the first year and since then the entries, prizes and the overall coverage of the contest has grown into something that I think is one of the best contests on the web!!

 

I don't know if I would change a thing! The only feedback I really have is the accurate placing of flies into the categories for voting, there were a few flies that really should have been categorized differently, I don't have any specific examples, but upon review next year perhaps we should review the placement more closely.

 

Combining some of the categories might also be an idea.

 

Also, First Place, Second Place, Third Place might entice a few more participants, I know I'd feel more like entering some flies if I knew there was a "half chance" that I might win even a third place prize.

 

I know with the support of our sponsers and the fly tying community and members at large the pool of prizes this year was outstanding! I have faith that we could drum up some extra prizes enough to make the 1st, 2nd, 3rd or Gold, Silver, Broze.

 

Overall I say this was THE BEST contest yet and I'm sure they'll just keep getting better, hat's off to you Will!!

 

Damian