WWKimba

no intent to change rules and my Fly Swaps 102 covers it.

Myth #3 - I don't really know what a swap entails/How much time? money involved?? Anyone who knows me will tell you that I can only understand simple things! So by that definition swaps are easy as pie. First, any swap has a host that sets the swap theme, registration details, and when the flies are due in. This host then divides the flies up so everyone gets one from every other tyer and mails this new set of flies back to you, the swapper. For this swap I am the host and the theme is Woolly Bugger-style fly patterns. You, as the swap member will tie 12 flies (in this case) of the same pattern and send them to the swap host. There are 5 BASIC things that you will send to the host - your flies, each with a toe tag, all in a swap box. The last two things are your SASE (self-addressed, stamped envelope - so you get your set of flies back) all placed in your sending envelope. The only cost will be the cost of materials for your flies (which balances out when you get your new set back) and the postage times 2 (the SASE and sending envelope). I have a Fly Swaps 101 piece that I can send to any interested party that further defines the 5 BASIC terms if you'd like. Anyone interested yet?! I can play Myth Busters all day! Just sign-up and find out what fun these swaps are! Kim BTW, the time involved is up to you and the pattern you choose to tie BUT it will be less and less as your skills develop - so sign up for more than one swap!

Where do you think I got all my grey hair from!

Mines listed first! I'm just blind!!! Sorry about that!🤪 Kim

Gee. where is Camillus NY?

Always love when I can see and learn! Great video on a technique that is quite flexible! Kim

Myth (Excuse) #2 - I don't know what to tie/can't find a pattern! All you need is a fly that fits the theme - in this case a Woolly Bugger/Woolly Worm pattern or one of their cousins! Back in the early 70's (when I learned to tie!) this was THE first pattern most people were taught to tie with! I know that there are probably TOO MANY patterns to choose from! Here's where a your friendly neighborhood swap host can help. Just ask and I can suggest some patterns that fit the bill and will match your tying skills. In fact I know of one pattern that only uses 2 materials (and I can even give you one of them!) and is easy to tie and effective on the water - how could you miss! Also, ANY pattern that you choose, from my help or one you find, I can give you tying hints and tricks in tying that pattern so you look like a pro. I warn you all, I can be LONG WINDED! So one of you better take me up on this offer and join in this swap. Did I mention that swaps are FUN! I hope that I talk one of you into joining the swap!🙂 Kim

Welcome to the site from a born and bred central NYer. I've been tying flies for over 50 years and hosting fly swaps for the past 14 years. This site is loaded with many fine tyers, fishers, rod builders and teachers. Check out one of my swaps if you'd like. I look forward to seeing your future posts on this site! Kim

Myth (Excuse!) #1 - I don't/can't tie swap quality flies yet. ANY FLY IS A SWAP QUALITY FLY! I have had more than one person join one of my swaps WITHIN TWO WEEKS after getting their first fly tying kit! And swaps are great for developing 2 skills that you need to be a good fly tyer - your small muscle memory and your tying eye! How does a swap do this and why are these skills important, and just what are these skills??? Well, I'll tell you. Small Muscle Memory - Small muscles are mainly the muscles in your fingers and hand but can also be the ones in your feet, jaw and tongue. These are needed for playing an instrument, crafts, painting and fly tying. Ever see someone tying on a video or playing an instrument and make it look so easy - the thread wraps just right or their fingers hitting the keys each time, well that is muscle memory. Just like the old joke about Carnegie Hall this memory is developed through repetition (otherwise known as practice!). As a new tyer watch how the thread heads on your first ties look compared to the thread heads on your 100th, 1,000th flies and you'll see what I mean - your finger muscles KNOW where to go without much thought from you. In a fly swap you will HAVE to tie the same pattern multiple times and that practice will be what develops your small muscle memory doing the exact same thing over and over. (And yes, there is such a thing as large muscle memory - those are learned YOUNG - for example when you first learn to turn over, creep, crawl, and walk. You are using the muscles in your legs, butt, abdomen and arms - the larger muscle groups.) The Tyer's Eye - Most of us tied our first fly from a picture/directions in a video or book (or maybe a demo). We had the picture right in front of us and then tied our fly. One question, did they look exactly the same? Ever see a painting, pick up a brush and paint the exact same picture? Why not! The item was right there in front of you!!! Well that's why we need to develop a tyer's eye (or an artist's eye for the painting, but I'm a lousy painter so let's focus on fly tying!). Your fly's body was probably thicker, the wing/tail longer or shorter,... Yet again, look at same person tying in that video seems to make picking out just the right amount of dubbing, just the right amount of material for the tail, just the right amount of material for the wing, tying the abdomen just right and then the thorax just right,... well this is what the tying eye is for. You will begin to see just how long and full the body parts are to be to tie a good fly and you will gain a feel when the amounts/ratios are wrong - that's a tying eye. One big and common problem a newer tyer has is crowding the eye of the hook - that is not having any room to finish tying off your fly so you cover the hook eye with thread wraps! As you develop your tying eye this issue will happen less and less. Also your body ratio will be better, wings/tails will be the right length and will be more sparse and proper. See what a swap will do to improve your skills! And just think, you STILL get back 12 different flies to help build your personal pattern database, get 12 flies to test drive on your home waters (and any good fisher knows that it's ultimately the FISHES vote that counts!), and some free fly tying material to add to your ever growing stock of materials! Have I talked one of you into trying a swap yet? Feel free to contact me. Kim

You got it, Bob.

There is a special reserved opening available in the "You Give Me the Woollies" fly swap. We are looking for some new faces and here is a great opportunity for anyone looking to try out a fly swap. This swap is one where tyers will exchange woolly bugger/woolly worm type fly patterns - a GREAT pattern for newer tyers to cut their teeth on! First person who meets the requirements - someone newer to fly tying and/or new to fly swaps - gets that opening! Support that I am happy to provide any newer tyers is 1) provide you with some suggested patterns for this swap, 2) give some tying tips in tying your chosen pattern, and 3) provide you with educational feedback on your flies that includes where you are doing well and where you could improve with specific steps to take to make that improvement. Any or all of these support steps are available to you, if you wish. Also, with my swaps, I give out a fly tying gift or 2 to all members of the swap. Registration for this swap will be open for another month and the flies will be due in to me (the host) by Wednesday, January 10th. You will need tie a total of 12 flies for this swap. Love to see you in the swap! Kim

I am opening a 13th spot for this swap. First, you will all STILL be tying 12 flies each (NOT 13!). Steve (stabgnid) loves to tie but does not want flies back because he does not fish, so we all only need 12 flies each. Next, we still have over 1 month open for registration which will help with this idea. This is going to be a SPECIAL RESERVE spot open only to someone who is new to swaps/new to tying. A try to get some more new faces into our swap programs. If you have any questions/concerns please let me know, but I am going forward with this idea. Kim

You are in my friend and the swap is now FULL! Kim

You are in and most welcome! Nice to see a new face. Kim ONE last opening - who wants it?

Looks like a 2nd cousin to the Magnus - same red headed bugger form! Kim

You are all in and 2 spots left to fill. Anyone new out there interested?? Kim

"It looks like a Wooly Bugger! - statement by Russell Blessing's 7 year old sister, Julie, upon seeing his first attempt at a dobsonfly larva imitation, thus naming his design! This is an over the holiday, 1st of the new year swap. The flies will not be due until Wednesday, January 10th, 2024 so we can 1) AVOID the holiday season - your families can appreciate this, 2) AVOID the holiday mails - those USPS ponies need the break, and 3) to AVOID anyone missing out on Nick's Christmas Swap - I HIGHLY recommend anyone join in this unique swap! Flies for this swap have to be Wooly Bugger/Wooly Worm and their cousins/variations - if it looks like it belongs in a Wooly Bugger family photo, it belongs in this swap! The registration for this swap closes on Monday, December 4th, 2023 and, as mentioned, flies are due to me by Wednesday, January 10th, 2024. This will give more than a month to register as well as more than a month to finish your flies after that! We need a minimum of 6 tyers and the swap is open to up to 12 total registrants. It is open to ALL level tyers and new faces, including anyone new to tying/swapping is most welcome! As always, I will share a fly tying gift or two with all swappers. When you register (or shortly thereafter, please include the name of the pattern that your going to tie - we DO NOT want see a whole bunch of olive Wooly Buggers! ALL SWAPPERS - remember to include the 5 basic items needed for each swap - your flies each with it's own toe tag, sent in a swap box, with a SASE included (so you get your set of flies back!), all included in your sending envelope. If you'd like to SPOIL the swap host (ME!), please include your screen name on each of the last 4 needed items. If you are new to swaps and/or fly tying please contact me and let me know so I can give you any assistance to make your swap a great experience! Lastly, and most importantly, HAVE FUN! That's why we took up this hobby! Kim 1) psychoprince - Thin Mint - received 2) vicrider - Our Lady of Guadalupe Bugger - received 3) DarrellP - Catalpa Wooly Worm - received 4) Chasing_Tails - Krystal Bugger - received 5) fishingbobnelson - Mini Trout Bugger - received 6) niveker - received 7) Bryon Anderson - Gierach's Weedless Woolly - received 😎Woodenlegs - Woolly Worm - received 9) cphubert - Golden Retriever received 10) stabgnid - received 11) Mudfish620 12) gadabout - Golden Wooly Bugger -received

If I EVER was to spend that much on a vise (AND it be worth it!) it would have to automatically tie the flies for me! And that would take ALL the fun out of it so it STILL wouldn't be worth the money!! Kim There's just something wrong with sitting with a drink in your hand watching your vice tie the flies!

Welcome to the site from a born and bred central NYer. I've been tying for over 50 years and hosting fly swaps for the past 13+. Feel free to check one of my swaps on this site. I look forward to seeing your posts on this site. Kim

Welcome to the site from a born and bred central NYer. I've been tying for over 50 years and hosting fly swaps for the past 13+. Feel free to checkout one of my swaps on this site. I look forward to seeing your future posts! Kim

Welcome to the site from a born and bred central NYer. I've been tying for over 50 years and hosting fly swaps for the past 13+. My swaps are open to all tyers and I encourage you to check one out. I look forward to seeing your posts. Kim

Thanks. Tied my usual 3 patterns: 1) THE Rivalry - To honor the BEST rivalry in any sports, the annual Army - Navy game. They are fierce rivals during the game BUT show great respect after the final gun, as they play on the same team then. Also, some may not live to see the next game in protecting our freedom. 2) The Pop Fly - To honor Glenn Scobey "Pop" Warner during his years with Jim Thorpe at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School. I could do a whole series of these flies, his alma mater - Cornell (near me and where my brother works!), Iowa State, Georgia, Pittsburgh, Temple, San Jose State, and Stanford! What a series of flies that would make! 3) 222-0 - For the most lopsided final score ever in the college game. Georgia Tech Engineers- 220 - Cumberland College Bulldogs-0 in 1916. GA Tech ran up the score because of a baseball game between the two schools the year before. It was 25-0 Cumberland on top and the Engineers felt that Cumberland had brought in some ringers to play for the Bulldogs. GA Tech scored 24 touchdowns on one play or LESS in the game!! As they say - "Payback is a ..."! This game is why college sports have Divisions now. BTW, Cumberland had only 1 play that gained any yards throughout the whole game. The anniversary of that game is this week (October 7th).

Flies sent out, USPS tracking #9500 1108 4512 3275 6562 80. My apologies to all of you for my tardiness!😒 Kim

It figures that a fellow swap host would screw things up!🙄 October snuck up on me, I'll drop my flies in Monday's mail and send you the PO tracking#. Sorry about that! Kim

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