Swaps

[Woodenlegs 0]

I’m going to complete this swaps I’ve signed up for , but from now on I’ll wait to sign up as over 12 swappers isn’t on my agenda. 
Although I love these swaps in my opinion 12 swappers should be the limit. 

[niveker 0]

I'm with @Woodenlegson this.  Swaps are posted with a specified number of swappers which should be adhered to, IMO. The board is plenty active in the swap category that no one will be swap-less for long. 

[flytire 0]

On 1/2/2023 at 7:12 AM, Woodenlegs said:

I’m going to complete this swaps I’ve signed up for , but from now on I’ll wait to sign up as over 12 swappers isn’t on my agenda. 
Although I love these swaps in my opinion 12 swappers should be the limit. 

totally agree

12 is my limit. once it goes over i'm out

late comers should have responded earlier

if you snooze you should lose

[fishingbobnelson 0]

As a host of many swaps, I know this has come up before.  I agree that 12 is the standard number, but it is tough when you have two spots to fill and three tyers want to join.  I try to take the first two and place the third on a waiting list.  I think the solution is to sign up early if you can so the swapmiester is not waiting for tyers to fill the swap. 🐟😎

[flytire 0]

theres always "sorry, swap full"

[vicrider 0]

Wow, hate to see this animosity posted over adding a person to the list. I also agree that 12 is my normal limit both to join and to run a swap but just never thought of that as such a hard number. I will go along with this arbitrary limit so as not to lose some of my favorite swappers and people posting above but as the primary MOD for the swaps I will not make it a hard rule. I will say there were a few swaps where I dropped out and let someone else have my spot since they really wanted in for a particular swap and to me I just enjoy them all. I have seen a few and the includes myself and flytire say that we'd join but if swap goes past 12 we're out so I've done this myself but to have the great bunch of guys we have on this board and adding just one more means upsetting anyone then without making it a hard rule let's stick to 12 for most swaps.

It should be noted that for a few swaps like articulated flies or Intruders a limit of 6 is plenty considering the tying time and cost over 12 simple soft hackles in another swap. This should be considered before hand also.

[flytire 0]

we all have our limits

I have always been for 12 swapper limit so it shouldn’t be a surprise 

Many times I have given up my position in swaps when a late comer wants in

maybe I’ll just donate flies from my hoard of flies and no longer participate in swaps til they’re all gone

[RickZieger 0]

I am Ok if the swap is for 12 and it enus up with 13. Just tie 12 and don't get one of yours back.

Rick 

[DarrellP 0]

I will respect the 12 limit from now on.  I view it as a fun exercise and thought, "what's one more fly?"  Sorry I upset y'all.

[niveker 0]

Just to clarify -

I was simply expressing my opinion that may or may not agree with others here.  That doesn't mean that I'm upset by or have any animosity toward anyone who has a different opinion.  Sorry if I gave that impression. 

I'm always happy to join a swap that piques my interest.  I am equally happy to give up my spot if the # of swappers exceeds the stated limit.  I would much rather have a more numerous and diverse group of participants in the swaps here, even if that means I may have to sit one out.  Doesn't bother me in the least.

As to the 'its just one more fly', I agree.  But for someone  like me with limited tying time and relatively limited experience, when tying up a new to me pattern, (which I try to do for most swaps)  it's not uncommon for me to spend more (often way more) than 30 minutes on one fly.  I may not have the right materials that the original pattern calls for, I may not have the correct hook, so I substitute.  I like substituting.  I may not have that particular technique needed down pat to tie that fly.  So I muddle through and when I finish I think a different hook (longer, shorter, different style) or a different material may look better.  So I take the razor to it.  Or I think its not good enough to enter into swap.  So I take the razor to it.  Or  I may get 4 or 5 done, and then decide I don't really like what's coming off my vise, so those get ripped and I start over.  (This just happened with the pattern I chose for Darrell's most recent swap, so now I'm back to square one.)  Or the two I just tied somehow have different proportions than the two I tied up two nights ago - where's the razor?  And I rarely tie more than 2 flies at a sitting, often only one, sometimes even a half, due to time restraints as well as other factors.  So for me its not a simple matter of just 5 or ten more minutes per fly.  

No rant here, its just my rational.  My opinion is not meant to cause offense, to create animosity, or to upset.  It's just the boat I'm in.  I'm comfortable in it, and I'm happy to be sailing it on this forum, and the occasional wave makes it fun, too.  

I'll still join as many swaps as before, but I'll preface my entry as Flytire does, with no bad feelings either way.