Let's tighten up on our swap promises...

[vicrider 0]

The last thing I'm out to do is piss someone off and have them quit swapping. BUT GUYS...it's been seeming like the deadlines are more like a prompt to start tying the flies instead of having them sent in. There's been a few commitments made and not followed through and I know a few of those that haven't gotten responses from the SM when trying to finish his swap.

 

I enjoy running the swaps. Gives me something to do since I'm much to much homebound these days and provides other tiers an opportunity to share in the fun while I handle the chores. It's not as simple to keep up on a swap as I've seen it expressed by those who haven't run one and prompt filling of commitments without having to try to chase people helps us SMs a lot,

 

There are many good reasons to drop out of a swap or be a little late...actually most of the reasons are Not Good for the person having health or home problems but these are easily forgiven. LET US KNOW!!! Don't make us have to try to contact you and get no response. We hold swaps up without an idea if you're still in or out.

 

As we finish out the summer season of kids out of school and most vacations being scheduled in summer maybe things will improve on the swap front. There will also be more swaps starting as fall approaches and when you make the commitment let's try our best to keep it or contact the SM if you're delayed or can't make it. Most people are good about this but some not so much so.

 

Once again, I'm not out to PO anyone. I am going to again fire up a Christmas swap for this year starting with a thread early next month and having done it last year it was a lot of time consuming work and yes, I gift wrap all the packages. I'm going to tighten up on some of the requirements for this year and want to have it even bigger and better than last year's swap. That one, because of size and time requirements really needs good participants and Santa rewards us with a great bunch of flies and a new fly box.

 

ps...That's only for Christmas Swap and a nice box will be provided by all swappers for the Christmas flies. Thank mikechell for this clarification.

 

pps...Special THANKS to those who step in at last minute requests to fill a swap or take the place of someone who needs drop for very legitimate reasons.

[atxdiscgolfer 0]

I agree 100% with you Vicrider; whats even worse is when you have someone sending in flies over 2 weeks past due date, they dont follow the swap instructions, and then they sign up for 3 or 4 more swaps the following week. 😳

[mikechell 0]

I've gotten into two swaps now ... and I might have reached my limit. But I might have made a mistake on the "Halloween" swap.

I was under the belief that the box you sent your flies in would be the one you got them back in, until you wrote "... Santa rewards us with a great bunch of flies and a new fly box."

I just sent off my flies in a cardboard, flat rate USPS box. I assumed I would just get that box sent back to me.

Did I do wrong?

[vicrider 0]

I'll rephrase that Mike. That's only for the Christmas swap to come. There I want everyone to include their flies in a nice box for Christmas special. You're right in the way your thinking of the regular swaps. Just make sure the container is big enough for the swap you're in. An Altoids box is fine for flies but won't cut it for bass bugs.

[netabrookie 0]

I'm glad that you started this topic and I couldn't agree more. The thing that really irritates me is when a swapper just leaves everyone in the dark about the ongoing swap but still logs in and is active in another thread. I understand that life happens and throws unexpected situations at us and sometimes its difficult or impossible to let everyone know what is going on but if you have the time to log in and comment on another topic then there is absolutely no excuse for not taking a moment and updating where you stand in the swap.

[flytire 0]

if you are a swapmeister and you set a date for when ALL flies are due, its your responsibility to KEEP THAT DATE. its also the responsibility of the swapper to send in flies by the due date

 

maybe i send in my flies a little too early and then get frustrated when others send in late and makes the rest of the swappers wait. it shouldn't take over a month to tie 12 flies

 

i too have had to back out of fly swaps due to unplanned business trips that required my attendance and for cataract surgery. these are incidents that could not be avoided (i needed to keep my job and my eye sight)

 

i will be more selective of joining swaps on this forum

 

netabrookie

 

your post seems to reflect on the swapper but its also the responsibility for the swapmeister to correspond with ALL swap participants especially when the due date is nearing.

[netabrookie 0]

Flytire, I'm not wanting to argue, debate, fuss, grump, bitch or quarrel with you but the way I see it nobody forces anyone to join a swap. All swaps are on a voluntary basis and if you are interested then you join. I think it is the responsibility of the swapper to honor his or her commitment without the persuasion of the swap meister. A reminder from the swap meister is a tactful way to encourage swappers that the due date is approaching without putting anyone in the spotlight by asking where the heck is your flies or why haven't we heard anything from you. It is a big enough chore to receive all of the packages of flies, keep them all safe, sort them and then mail them back to everyone. Having to send numerous personal messages to someone is just an aggravation that shouldn't be necessary if the swapper would just honor their obligation. If you don't plan on finishing a swap then don't join. If something comes up and you can't finish the swap then have the courtesy to let , at least, the swap meister know.

[mybadhabit 0]

I heartily agree with netabrookie, I have hosted many swaps and had my fair share of drop-outs. There is nothing more frustrating than having someone sign up and then never respond to any of the PM's sent to them, not post on the thread, but just disappear into the nothingness that is the web. Then show up a couple of months later and do the same thing to another SM. It is my belief that almost everyone that has hosted more than one swap has had someone drop out, that's just the way things go, and speaking for myself, I understand that life can get in the way, I have had it happen to me on more than one occasion, but telling the people in the swap that I needed to drop out of the swap was what I needed to do to take care of the loose end I had incurred.

 

If a SM has sent 2 or 3 PM's and gotten no response then I personally would start looking for a substitute for the missing swapper, at least that is what I have done in the past. If I take the time to host, the least the participants can do is to respond to PM's that are sent, if they are spaced a fair amount of time apart. I know that not everyone is on the FTF everyday and shouldn't be expected to respond in a day or two, but 2 weeks with no response is about the same as a drop in my book. Don't get me wrong, I don't enjoy replacing swappers, in fact I'd like to never have to do it again, but that's asking a lot from people. In my book there are many SM's out there that are more than forgiving when it comes to late send dates, and I appreciate their patience, and that of those that understand about being late, but leaving flies til the last possible day is just immature and irresponsible in my book. If you can't make the deadline then man/woman up and let the group know that you are experiencing life difficulties and move on. It's not like the world is going to end if you have to pass on a swap, but pissing off a group that has done their part in a swap, is just not right, no matter how you slice it. IMHO.