Bryon Anderson 0 Report post Posted August 29, 2017 Everyone knows that fly patterns are not sacrosanct. Every fly has an "original recipe" that almost invariably starts getting altered the moment someone other than the originator gets his or her hands on it. (Even the originators can't help themselves from changing it up sometimes!) There are lots of reasons to "tweak" a fly recipe -- maybe you think a different material would work better for the wing or tail or whatever. Maybe you hate working with one of the materials called for in the original recipe and refuse to use it. Or, if you're like me, as often as not it's about what you happen to have lying around when you go to tie something up. Whatever the case, I think we can agree that fly tiers are, by nature, tinkerers. With that in mind, I propose the following: Pick a well-known (or at least somewhat established) fly pattern, and tie up both the original recipe and your own version of it. "Your own version" is open to interpretation within reason--the only rule is that your "tweak(s)" must cause the fly to behave differently from the original in some way. Examples would include (but are not limited to) things like using a synthetic over a natural material to improve durability or floatation in a dry fly, adding weight to cause a streamer to jig or to swim with the hook point up, tying a streamer as a bendback, etc. You don't have to re-invent the fly, but whatever you do to it should "improve" the fly in some way--if only in your own mind. Things like changing the color of a material, adding markings with a marker, or other changes that don't affect the fly's behavior would not count as a new version of the pattern. Since everyone will be tying two versions of their chosen pattern for each swapper, so I'm going to limit the swap to no more than 9 participants plus the SM. That means--assuming we have a full swap--that everyone would tie 18 flies (9 original recipe + 9 variations). Make sense? Normal swap rules -- toe-tag each fly with your screen name and pattern name (plus either "original" or "variant"), placed in a crush-resistant container (Altoids tin, etc.) and mailed to me along with a return envelope and return postage. Since we'll all be tying more than the usual number of flies for this swap, I am suggesting a due date of October 15 -- that's a little over 6 weeks from today. I am going to be ambitious and do two original patterns /two variations for this swap -- see below. Who's with me? SWAP IS FULL! 1. SM - Double Bunny / Improved Double Bunny ; Humpy / Foam Humpy DONE 2. rockworm - Muskrat Nymph / Muskrat Nymph variant RECEIVED 3. vicrider - Woolly Bugger / Woolly Bugger Variant RECEIVED 4. Trouta_Control - Yellow Sally / Improved Yellow Sally RECEIVED 5. Bruce Derington - Adams / Adams Variant RECEIVED 6. EuroOrBust - Son of Sexy Walt's/ Son of Sexy Walt's Variant 7. Mike West - Stimulator / Warmwater Stimulator RECEIVED 8. Vicente - Sierra Bright Dot / Sierra Bright Dot Variant RECEIVED Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rockworm 0 Report post Posted August 29, 2017 This is a great idea for a swap! Count me in; but give a couple of days to decide on a pattern. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vicrider 0 Report post Posted August 30, 2017 . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trouta_Control 0 Report post Posted August 30, 2017 I want in! Yellow Sally / Improved Yellow Sally Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bryon Anderson 0 Report post Posted August 30, 2017 Vicrider I'm assuming you're in with pattern TBD? Trouta_Control you're in with the Yellow Sally/Improved Yellow Sally. Thanks for joining guys! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bruce Derington 0 Report post Posted August 31, 2017 Im in, i'll tie the adams Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bryon Anderson 0 Report post Posted August 31, 2017 You're in with an Adams/Adams Variant Bruce--thanks for joining! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EuroOrBust 0 Report post Posted September 1, 2017 I want in! I will tie up the Son of Sexy Walts and my variation on it, hope the recipients like fishing tiny hooks Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bryon Anderson 0 Report post Posted September 1, 2017 EuroOrBust, you're in, thanks for joining! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vicrider 0 Report post Posted September 1, 2017 I want in! I will tie up the Son of Sexy Walts and my variation on it, hope the recipients like fishing tiny hooks What do you call small? I found some packs of hooks that have been missing and just done tying a half dozen each size 32-30-28. These were just basic grizzly tails, dubbing, and hackle collar. Then I just finished a run of half dozen each 24-22-20 Griffith's Gnats on standard hooks and yesterday I ran off several parachute Adams in size 24 Mustad Ultra Midge hooks in 1x short. Tomorrow I plan to do some 24 and 26 Adams standard flies with grizzly wings. I haven't tied smaller than a 16 for about a month and a lot of bigger stuff so I just got a bug to get out the jewelers goggles (5x) and do a few runs. When I send out your EuroOrBust swap flies you'll see an idea I have for the small stuff since I can't see to tie it on the stream. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vicrider 0 Report post Posted September 2, 2017 I know this doesn't sound like a very exciting choice but I personally don't like the Wooly Bugger. With that in mind I'll soil my hands and tie everyone a Wooly Bugger, but then tie a variation I personally like a lot more which combines elements of a couple of different materials and I personally like more than the bugger. I need to tie some of these anyway to replenish the Bugger box for the White River next month. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mike West 0 Report post Posted September 2, 2017 I've been watching this and I'm surprised it hasn't filled up faster. I think it's a great idea. I'll jump in with the classic yellow body/orange thorax Stimulator and my own warmwater version of The Stimulator which uses foam,rubber legs and some other non traditional materials. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bryon Anderson 0 Report post Posted September 2, 2017 Mike West, sounds great, you're in! Thanks for joining. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vicente 0 Report post Posted September 2, 2017 Bryon I'll jump in and do a sierra bright dot both traditional and with an alternate tail material. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bryon Anderson 0 Report post Posted September 2, 2017 Vicente, you're in, thanks for joining! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites