Benefits or lack thereof

[Guest]

The fly pattern game that SH got us all "hooked on" (pun intended) got me to thinking

Do you think that the never ending list of fly patterns is the result of Tyer Boredom Or honest necessity ?

 

I think that having all of these pattern/styles of flys at our disposal does bad things to our flyfishing skill level/learning curve, and sometimes reduces our ability to follow through with the main objective, which is to "catch a fish".

What good is a beautiful new (to you) pattern that takes 15 minutes to tie if you can catch just as many, if not more fish on the time tested standard flys that we are all just sick and tired of tying. You know the ones.....Woolly-buggers, clousers, RFSN's, Hares ears, ect.

In perspective I consider myself a fisherman first/tyer second, a fly is only as good as the guy at the other end of the line and each pattern in his box is but a tool, the "tool" on the end of his line at any given moment is either the one he feels most confident using under the situation. Or it is something new he is trying.

The constant search for "something better" when you haven't mastered the ol' standby's yet is a "Fly Tyer disease".

For example: it took me 8 years to learn that 5 turns of hackle and 8 turns of lead made the best woolly buggers (for my waters), it took me that long because I was too busy tying and trying other stuff at the same time. If I had concentrated solely on the tying and fishing of the simple woolly bugger until I had it "down pat" I would have learned that much,much quicker.

 

I just wanted to pass this mindset along to the guys that are just getting started, it is good advise that I wish someone had shared with me many years ago. It's hard to follow because of all the cool and different patterns out there. Luckily when I got started the internet wasn't available or I would have been a REAL MESS

[Steeldrifter 0]

FW thats a hard question to answer but all i can do is give you my opinion.

 

I think that alot of the patterens that are out there are not "must have" patterens to take whatever fish it is that you are fishing for. I think quite a few patterens come from the fact that we all get a little board at times while sitting at the vise and try to come up with some thing better,then again that kinda brings us back to the old argument of what exactly makes a patteren "new"?

 

IMO i think alot of the patterens are deffenitly patterens that we wouldnt want to do with out but there are probaly just as many that we tie/buy that just satisfy us and not the fish.

 

Given the chance a man will always try to "improve" or make some thing "better" i for example had large 4wheel drive blazers years ago,first one had 4" of lift...2nd had 8"...3rd had 12"of lift. Now i'm into drag cars...first one had a 350cid second 454cid....now it has 632cid... Follow me on this? We will always try to improve things but when it gets right down to it what we started with would probaly work almost as well.

 

Or at least thats the way i see it.....sure is fun tryin though aint it

 

SD

[Guest]

Well, in the situation of horsepower...you know the deal.

There's no substitute for cubic inches

[Steeldrifter 0]

[Guest]

In my case I'm a tyer first. There are days I'd rather just tie than fish. I think this is because there aren't many quality fishing opportunities near the house. I have to drive at least 3 hours to find good water so it's hard to just fish for the day and I just work too many hours for 6 hours round trip.

 

In the future I want to live closer to quality waters and will put my tying second. But for now I enjoy the challenge of new patterns and look forward to the rare chance to use them.

[Guest]

Well, I've been fishing for quite awhile (big fish that is for my age). I've caught more then my share. I've caught QUITE a bit on the fly. And when I started, I actually only had a handful of patterns. Caught alot of fish on those simple patterns (most effective was the simplest, a pink bunny leech).

 

But, I've grown, and having to hookup all the time isn't a necessity (but I won't like, I do like having a fish on). I like tying the more intricate flies (but my speys, dees only take me about 6 minutes a fly to tie, not 15 lol). I prefer to fish those. Gives me greater satisfaction hooking one on a fly I have more love put into. Not saying I didn't in my others. But these are flies I find beautiful, and fishable at same time. I still keep some of my "essentials" with me. But I like grabbing my wheatley fly box full of speys and working them in a slot. More satisfaction at the end of the day.

 

Now, 15 or so years ago, I wanted fish on the hook. LOL

[Guest]

To swap flies and ideas is a good pastime for time we can’t be on the streams or lakes

 

I agree with this statement

 

In perspective I consider myself a fisherman first/tyer second, a fly is only as good as the guy at the other end of the line and each pattern in his box is but a tool, the "tool" on the end of his line at any given moment is either the one he feels most confident using under the situation. Or it is something new he is trying.

 

The fact of the mater is I can’t help many people be better fisherman very often by typing something for them to read.

I would have to be there with them on the stream to truly effect there presentation of the fly that there fishing.

So I guess I will just try to do my best to help people make better Flies (tools.) and introduce them to new patterns.

As far as fishing them – (You’re more or less on your own)

 

OSD.

 

[J Desjardins 0]

I think that there are definite benefits to tying. Tying, at least for me, leads to better observations of what is occuring on the water. Things like observing what color & size caddis is on those bushes, or what the heck are the carp eating off the bottom of the drift of leafy junk wouyld not have occurred to me before I tied.

 

 

[Guest]

I suppose I am just more simplistic, fellas.....I tie to fish....I fish to feel alive....therefore, I tie to live....it is all a part of the master plan for keeping my sanity. The pattern doesn't matter....the season doesn't matter...the hatch doesn't matter...all that matters is the rod and the fly...the rest comes together as if engineered by God....I fish to live....

[Guest]

As a relatively new tyer I think all new tiers go through the phase of tie every new pattern you can get your hands on. Not only does it help with tying techinques and also the use of new materials.

 

I always start out my tying with the patterns that worked through out the year and then try new stuff, it's just too much fun not too.

 

Living here in Vermont when the snow and ice fly that's all there is to do unless you ski.

 

Tight Lines,

Fatman

[Guest]

I agree with Fatman, it's too much fun to not try the new stuff that comes along. I don't fly fish exclusively, I use bait and hardware too. I think though, that in general, fly fishing offers me the most satisfaction due to the need to really "be the fly".

 

Then, when the fly is something that I have tied myself, and it catches fish, or even better, LOTS of fish, I think the feeling is a very primitive return to victory. It hits me deep inside and one or two fish on a fly I tied, even more so on a fly I thought up, (Or at least think I created 'cause the guy down the street hasn't shown me his fly box yet) puts me on cloud nine for the rest of the day, even if I don't catch any more fish.

 

Tying for me means peace. When I sit down at the vice, which is in a very quiet section of the house, and I start tying, the world melts away for an hour or two. Even if I'm just replacing Buggers, my mind and spirit quiet down, and it is a very real stress reliever. At least until the phone rings! Plus, I'm just the creative type, and this gives me another outlet for my creativity. It doesn't have to be a new style, but when I tie, there is suddenly a fish catcher where before there was just a hook.

 

In all seriousness, if I couldn't tie, it would really affect me adversely. It's a great outlet for creativity and stress, and I've gotten some of my greatest commercial ideas while tying!

 

 

[pacres 0]

IMHO

 

I just love to tie flies, and anything new is gravy for me. I have to admit I doo get bored tying the same thing over and over. I like to have a big variety of lures when I go out, so tying is just the best way I know of to get what I think may catch some fish.

 

I have lots of untested patterns that just look cool, but I think that is the great thing about tying is that you can be somewhat artistic in your interpretation of a given pattern.

[steelie 0]

Good Day,

 

I would say I am a bit of both... depending on the season. In the winter I am certainly a tyer more than a fisher and the opposite is true in summer....

 

Probably my favorite aspect of tying is constantly experimenting with new patterns, styles, techniques, materials, etc. I just love the cold blustery winter weekends with a hockey game on the tube and tying flies while thinking of summer breezes.

 

Steelie