Where have all the swappers gone?

[Mike West 0]

Sent some flies in a small box for a swap. The meister was unhappy with that.

Said he had to tear the box apart to get it open.

Since I have many more flies than I will ever use, I am not swapping much.

 

Rick

If you are referring to me and one of my swaps you were in thats not the whole story now is it.

[mikechell 0]

I participated in two swaps, the first year or 2 that was on this site. I got good to great flies from each, but neither one ended when they were supposed to.

First thing that bothered me was the LONG time before the due date. The due date wasn't announced until after everyone was signed up. I figured, 12 flies ... at most, a due date of one month. But instead, they were 2 months out.

Then, on top of that extended time, both were delayed by a few late tiers.

 

I don't do swaps anymore.

[atxdiscgolfer 0]

As for myself I have been really busy with work and raising 2 young kids; I will still enter some swaps from time to time hat have a decent due date if at least 6 weeks out as that works with my family but all of these swaps with a 4 week due date during holiday months I will have to pass on. I still planning on running a couple of swaps with 6-8 week due dates in the future.

 

Mikechell- just an fyi, the reason why most SM dont announce a due date upfront is because you dont know how many flies to tie until the swap fills and if you announce a due date upfront and then swap doesn fill you typically tell everyone to tie x amount of flies and then set due date.

[vicrider 0]

atx, one of the problems with due dates too far off is that people have all that time to get to them and at last minute they get started, need to order some feathers, and next thing you with two months to get 'em done there's two people coming in late. I'm retired and an empty nester so for me it's not a problem but I still sometimes put things off too long. I get into tying too many of my own whims and ideas and forget the swap themes. Once the swap is full a due date leaving 4 full weekends in there should be adequate or a person shouldn't sign up. They can wait for the two month deadline swaps to show up.

[mikechell 0]

I know the "reasoning" behind the 2 month due date, ATX, I just don't understand it. Unless they're extremely difficult flies, most tiers can whip out 12 flies in one, maybe two sittings.

In both of the swaps I joined, I had the flies tied the first week ... then, basically, forgot all about the swap until I got the flies. I don't have A.D.D. ... but I do have too many projects to stay interested in a 2 month waiting period.

 

I like reading about the final flies ... but just glance at everything between the sign up and the end.

[chugbug27 0]

I've been doing them since joining the site maybe 18 months ago, so I only can say I'd encourage more to join them and to swapmeister them. It's definitely my favorite part of the site. The quality of workmanship is always inspiring, I find I tie better for swaps than I do for myself, and I find fishing the swapped flies even more fun than fishing my own. As evidence of this, I've gone to far greater lengths retrieving snagged swap flies than I should. Last trip I literally went neck deep getting my hand deep down to save Zip's Caddis pupa, and with a very cold back and a big smile felt it was well worth it.

[mikechell 0]

I've been doing them since joining the site maybe 18 months ago, so I only can say I'd encourage more to join them and to swapmeister them.

Agreed. I guess I didn't make it clear in my posts. Swaps are not "my cup of tea" ... but they are a good way for beginners to hone their skills. Taking on a challenge and testing your abilities. As chugbug states.

[chugbug27 0]

Not my point at all, actually

[Mike West 0]

I havent been here all that long so I dont know what the swaps were like in the past but it seems to me there are plenty of swaps going on all the time.

 

Seems like I only go two weeks without being involved in a swap somehow, either hosting or participating.

 

Id join in more but I dont do trout type flies anymore.

Has to be warm water or salt water for me.

[Bimini15 0]

I only have participated in one swap, the last Christmas one. I did receive some great flies and even some extra goodies, and that was great. But I never found who received my flies. I had not realized how much it would matter to me to know how my flies would do for someone else, somewhere else. Turns out it was a huge turn off.

[Li'lDave 0]

Sorry to hear that Bimini.

 

I am still here, and waiting for an appropriate warm or saltwater swap to come up.

 

I rarely fish for trout, so have an over abundance of these patterns at the moment.

 

The logistics of hosting swaps down under is a bit much at the moment, because of the necessary lead time, cost for all participants, and the increased risk of peoples flies going missing.

[MuskyFlyGuy 0]

A month ago we had snow on the ground and ice on the lakes, so now it's lawn, gardens, grandson, and oh yes, fishing. Flies are tied, only to replace lost ones. What I find gratifying about the swaps are expanding my perspective about what people are fishing and when people post a fish with a fly that I have tied. I try to do the same, but too frequently go to the same milk run of spots and use the same flies. Five days in a row of temperatures in the 90s. Hope to start getting out when if cools down.

Tom

[Kudu 0]

Bob

I did an easy one because of your post. Life gets busy in summer but it sure is my favorite time of the year. You are more than welcome to join.

[fishingbobnelson 0]

Bob

I did an easy one because of your post. Life gets busy in summer but it sure is my favorite time of the year. You are more than welcome to join.

Thanks for the invite, but I don't fish for panfish.

[Will 0]

I don't get in here as often as i used to..I retired and now find i have even less time then i did when i was working! I am just going to have to slow down a bit and get back in here time to time..Used to do all the Salmon and Steelhead swaps and kinda miss doing them!!