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Crackaig

"Let the Fish Critique Your Fly"

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I am a beginner and I agree the fish are the ultimate judge. but for a beginner to be told just that is the same as being told " go figure it out for yourself ". I ask a lot of question and have received some very good advice here which I am very thankful for. But as a beginner I ask questions that seem a no brainer to the experts. What i am trying to say is that beginners as stupid questions but we need to learn. This is how I am other learn differently but a figure it out for your self answer doesn't help a person learn. That being said when I have asked questions here whether I liked the answer or not it was an intelligent answer patiently given and I learned from it. Thank you all for your patience and understanding and willingness to share Mike K

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Let me start by saying I don't believe I have ever used that phrase here. However, I do see why people would say it, and honestly I do think there's some validity in those words. Why do most people tie flies? I think most people tie flies to catch fish. Some folks I know just tie for the artistic quality and value, and make a lot of "presentation" flies that never see the water. I'm more of a warmwater guy and I don't follow a lot of the "standard" recipes for patterns. I love to brainstorm, create, and test for a live swimming audience. My #1 carp killing pattern that I have come up with, honestly, has very little eye appeal to humans. It's not sexy, it's not something that I think would catch a lot of fishermen, but it's devastating on ol' rubber lips. Had I looked at it for aesthetic qualities, "vise appeal," and logic, I probably never would have put it in front of a fish. Now it's my mud flat staple that I won't dare fish without.

 

I know where the argument/rant is coming from and I get it...but at the same time, I think there's some validity to field testing. I think if you tie flies to catch fish, letting the fish decide what works and doesn't work makes at least a little sense.

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KOKO ... I have to argue that you asked "no-brainer questions". One, I remember a lot of what you asked, and they weren't ... simple as that. Two, being an "educator" by trade ... I truly believe there are NO stupid questions.

 

There ARE inappropriate questions. I.E. Asking, "What would be the best mix of colors for the rhododendrons in my oil painting?" on this site ... would be an inappropriate question that some would think of as "stupid". It is still a valid question, but it probably wouldn't get a valid answer here.

 

There ARE stupid people. Their questions will seem stupid to more intelligent persons ... but for those people, the question is a valid question. If you don't know the answer ... the question is a valid question.

 

Last, but not least, Change the word stupid to ignorant. You can't fix stupid. Stupid is a mindset ... one thinks they know more than they do, and you can't teach them anything. THAT'S stupid.

Ignorant is a lack of knowledge. You can always fill gaps in ignorance, because an ignorant person is willing to learn.

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I only wish I had this sight when I started tying. But when I started tying a computer took up a room the size of a two car garage. I can remember the days of tying deer hair bass poppers that looked like crud. Was a while before I learned that buck tail was NOT the proper material to use. LOL.. At this stage of my fly tying life, I probably answer more questions then I ask, but I still learn new things on this sight all the time. So I'll take a minute to thank all the awesome, intelligent, knowledgeable tyers on this sight that have answered my questions in the past. What's great about this sight is no "ONE" knows everything. But between all the different experts in their style or technique or species of fish on this sight, I don't think there is a fly related question that can't be answered intelligently on here. Whether it's a tiny #20 midge for a certain creek in Colorado, to a 12" long salt water fly for Sailfish off the Gulf, some one in here knows the answer. I think that's incredible.

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I'm new here but not so new to other tying forums. This topic has been a pet peeve of mine for years. I'd characterize myself as more old school. I either heard Poul Jorgensen say or read in one of his books that his instructor would make him undo his flies till he got them right. A.K.Best is known for saying you really don't know how to tie a fly until you've tied one hundred dozen. I have a video of Del Mazza doing Catskill dries that I really appreciate. He insisted that every thread wrap has a purpose. When I read on a forum "That dog will hunt" or "That fly will fish" when the fly looks like it may fall apart after a few casts I have to wonder what has happened to my off and on passion. The one unknown is that this is the internet and I never know if a kid or an adult is looking for feedback or approval. Each can easily be discouraged when we are really trying to encourage them.

 

Anyhow, this topic hits home. Thanks for bringing it up.

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I truly want and need critiques, tips, and instruction. To myself, my flies never look like I want them so I need more experienced tiers to let me know what I can do to achieve the goals in fly-tying I set for myself.

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Let us see what we learned.

I just created a new fly. I searched the internet, and saw nothing like it, so I am relatively certain it is NEW.

I am posting it on this thread to see what kind of critiques it gets. Please be honest.

Although it is new, it does have a certain emotional value to me. It reflects my feelings about ... some opinions.

It is an easy fly, consisting of only hook, thread and foam.

 

 

It is a work in progress, so I don't have an SBS or anything.

I call it Chell's Finger Crab.

 

 

It's a fly you can throw at the fish, when they refuse everything else you have.

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Let us see what we learned.

I just created a new fly. I searched the internet, and saw nothing like it, so I am relatively certain it is NEW.

I am posting it on this thread to see what kind of critiques it gets. Please be honest.

Although it is new, it does have a certain emotional value to me. It reflects my feelings about ... some opinions.

It is an easy fly, consisting of only hook, thread and foam.

attachicon.gifFinger Crab 1.JPG

 

It is a work in progress, so I don't have an SBS or anything.

I call it Chell's Finger Crab.

attachicon.gifFinger Crab 2.JPG

 

It's a fly you can throw at the fish, when they refuse everything else you have.

first i have to stop laughing. that's some funny sh!t. i think you should send a copy to Umpqua and Orvis. Who knows....

 

the critique...

 

it is hard to see the detail. do you have a marco setting on your camera ( it looks like a tulip)? that will help bring it into sharper focus.

the other thing i see is that will only work in North America. for the UK, you will need to present the fly with both the index and middle finger. the presentation is the same.

i see that you are having an issue with the colour tone. that fly looks like it has spent too much time under a sun lamp. think more of using the natural tones of white, black, red and yellow.

that is all i can see with my expertise in this area of flies and sarcasm.

 

hope this helps :)

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Mike, you crack me up! laugh.png

 

I know I've used that phrase, but often in response to questions such as "will a fly catch fish?" or simply, "what do you think?".

I've learned that often I can offer my opinion as to whether a fly will catch or not, but sometimes if I don't feel I can offer that with any degree of accuracy, the best thing to do is let the fish decide. I don't however recall ever telling anyone a fly they tied won't catch something!

 

If that means waiting until such a time as the person can actually fish the fly, so be it. That's what all of us have to do.

 

As far as critique of tying, that's certainly not an appropriate reply alone so I agree. There's a difference between whether or not a fly will work for catching fish, or whether or not it is tied properly. Often they go hand in hand, but we all know that even less than perfectly tied flies can be fish catchers, but whether or not the tying will result in a desired affect, such as how the fly may appear on or in the water, or how long the fly will last is another matter.

 

I guess we all have our pet peeves. unsure.png

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It's been good while back when someone questioned some creations true effectiveness and requested some proof to the catchability. So we followed suit no problem??????

IMG_6636.JPG

lil_brwn_crwdd.jpg

Can't do search well w/ dis iPhone .....hehe

sculpins.jpg

103_0597.JPG

Unless artistic tying catchability, ease of casting, depth goals, etc are the whole reason for me tying. I tie and welcome input to create effective flies cuz that's what we're for....none off this should be personal conflict. There are some stuff that comes on here that looks like chit but most always use tact to be fair and nurture future tiers rather than slam them. Great group on this sight in that regard and what makes this place work so well for so long....so what da problem, I have always claimed I tie cuz I really can't buy what I truly want! And that's always changing and much alive. Stay around here and you will experience some amazing innovations and new techniques!!!!!

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Let us see what we learned.

I just created a new fly. I searched the internet, and saw nothing like it, so I am relatively certain it is NEW.

I am posting it on this thread to see what kind of critiques it gets. Please be honest.

Although it is new, it does have a certain emotional value to me. It reflects my feelings about ... some opinions.

It is an easy fly, consisting of only hook, thread and foam.

attachicon.gifFinger Crab 1.JPG

 

It is a work in progress, so I don't have an SBS or anything.

I call it Chell's Finger Crab.

attachicon.gifFinger Crab 2.JPG

 

It's a fly you can throw at the fish, when they refuse everything else you have.

first i have to stop laughing. that's some funny sh!t. i think you should send a copy to Umpqua and Orvis. Who knows....

 

the critique...

 

it is hard to see the detail. do you have a marco setting on your camera ( it looks like a tulip)? that will help bring it into sharper focus.

the other thing i see is that will only work in North America. for the UK, you will need to present the fly with both the index and middle finger. the presentation is the same.

i see that you are having an issue with the colour tone. that fly looks like it has spent too much time under a sun lamp. think more of using the natural tones of white, black, red and yellow.

that is all i can see with my expertise in this area of flies and sarcasm.

 

hope this helps smile.png

 

I just got the camera two days ago. I was getting ready to take these pictures and it tells me the battery's getting low. I also bought those two days ago. Either this camera is going to eat batteries, or I got a bad set of triple A's.

I also just replaced my computer last week, and the photo program on it sucks.

Either way ... I wasn't looking for critique of my photo taking ability ... but of the fly, Artimus. So, just to be clear, let me flip show you the fly, again.

 

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