2007 FTOTY Contest - This needs to be said.

[Batman 0]

Will, Thanks for having the contest every year and for all your hard work,,,,,,B,,,,

[purolohi kalastaja 0]

DISCLAIMER: This is not an attack on anyone, or me arguing with anyone, just my opinion of contests in general.

 

 

Being that this is my first contest, I don't expect to win any of the categories, but man, I had fun trying to come up with something innovative, or some variant that will make people stop and say, "wow, I never thought of that!" (Maybe I have, maybe I haven't. You judge that once the flies are posted and the voting starts.)

 

That's what I feel these types of contests are about. Does it sometimes seem discouraging that the kid who can build the NASCAR style go-kart (within the rules) wins at the local track because the other kids can't build the same thing? Maybe, but if all it's about is whether you can win the contest or not, I think you are missing the point. F-U-N in the process.

 

Our society has become so focused on winning - Superbowl, World Series, Lord Stanley's Cup, etc - that we've forgotten why these games exist in the first place.

 

Does it feel nice to get the recognition for an achievement? Sure, it does. But if that's the only reason you compete, I submit you might wish to reconsider your priorities.

 

Somewhere I heard that Japan has the highest rate of suicide among kids, and the reason that study cited was all the pressure to compete, to be number one. From what I read in the papers and see on the news, it looks like we are pushing our children to the same end - MEAP this, SAT that, and so forth.

 

Anyway, my 2 cents, for what they are worth with the rate of inflation.... I'll get off my soapbox now.

 

 

Oh, and Will, thanks for the great website and contest! I enjoy tying a lot, and this site and the people here help me to enjoy it even more with the feedback I get on the flies I submit, and the questions I ask.

[flykid 0]

I've got my one fly done and ready. If I win or not I don't really care. I had FUN tying it the best I could and will have FUN seeing all the other great ties. It would be a shame for this contest to end because of a little controversey. Sorry for my first two posts. (I don't know what I was thinking) :wallbash:

[Fly Tyer Guy 0]

I got thinkin' today, There is nothing wrong with realistics, I've been trying to remain neutral, Though at times it seemed like I was anti-realistic, But......, As long as a fly floats it can be considered a dry fly, you can't argue them out, I still will not tie realistics for those categories, But I'll gladly compete against them, Who knows maybe I can beat them. And if I can it'll give me more sense of accomplishment.

 

 

 

Edit: Just to clarify, For the contest I am sending one semi-realistic fly out of the realistic category. But it is a very fishable fly, Took about a half hour, It has realistic traits to it but the traits are not that realistic, i.e. gills on a nymph or a nice pair of eyes. No argument against that right?

[Twofingerz 0]

last year there were categories I just didn't vote in because I have no qualifications to determine what is right, wrong, good, or bad. vote on what you think should win and just go from there.

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

this is my first year tying for this contest and I have been sitting here following this topic and looking at my box of entries still trying to decide weather or not to send them in I don't tie realistics I tie fish getting flies and I can say that if you took my flies and fished them they will catch what they are meant to catch. Did I have fun tying them? Yes I did Do I need to win a prize for these flies? No I don't Am I going to send them in to be judged? maybe I am still deciding on that one I seen alot of valid points on both sides of this fence my personal opinion in this matter is that it shouldn't matter if they are realistic or not if they are tied by a person that is willing to fish them they belong

one of my past times besides fishing and hunting is competition mud bogging even though I only have about 10,000 into my bogger I still compete against trucks that are in the ups of around 100,000 dollars yet the many trophies I have is proof enough to me that an underdog can win so I guess I just made up my mind flies on their way tomorrow thank you will for such a great forum and for this really fun contest as for everyone else vote for my flies they are the ugly ones

[day5 0]

Realistics in the proper place do not bother me. Like I said trout nymph steelhead nymph etc. But to me it is a fishing fly contest. I tie fishing flies for the contest. My flies could be considered realistics by some. I guess. :dunno: I do not use legs I just pull the dubbin out for the legs. I do tend to look at a fly as how well it will catch fish and then vote. The only flies I do not look at form that perspective are the artistic and realistic flies. I might actually vote for a realistic fly in the panfish if it was a fly that made sense to me. Id throw a realistic scud to a gill way before a stone. I guess you have one choice as a voter its like the government you can voice your opinion and vote or you can not vote and then never have a voice..... Me Id say R.R.S.H.S. SEND YOUR FLIES IN !!!!!!!!! It is very cool to see them in lights and on the web!!!!!! Who cares if you win who cares if you loose it is all for fun!!!! Really! Any way has any one NOT received the pics of my flies for this year along with the big wad of cash!!! I sent out 10000 copies one to each member.....

[Dale 0]

day5: hopefully the cash you sent to me is still on the way!!!

[madkasel 0]

Edit: Just to clarify, For the contest I am sending one semi-realistic fly. But it is a very fishable fly, Took about a half hour, It has realistic traits to it but the traits are not that realistic, i.e. gills on a nymph or a nice pair of eyes. No argument against that right?

 

I think that all that anybody has asked is that tiers carefully consider the category (including realistic ones), and it appears that you have. I think there are plenty of fishable realistics that can fit into the general categories.

 

I'm still working on an entry. I don't tie anything that's fancy enough looking to actually complete. Me and my boys fish too many gills and hang too many in the trees to have to actually worry about a fly. Maybe in 10 years when they're grown up and off to college I can really hunker down on beautiful time-consuming flies like so many of you tie. But not tonight!

 

I've also scanned this thread for anybody asking Will to sort through the flies and recatagorize them, so I don't know where that outta-left-field counter-argument came from. Very confusing.

[hikefar82 0]

Gang,

 

Thanks for all the post, it allowed me to down a 6-pack while a read.

 

Being new to all this. I gather that we get to vote on the winners. Sounds Fair to me!

 

If your a realistic guy, vote realistic. Traditional vote traditional. WOW I just created two new political parties. I'll personally be voteing for the guy who can attach a bunch of dead animal parts to a hook better than most. I guess that makes me an Independent.

 

Bottem line. I am new to Fly tying and Fly fishing. I love it, I love this site. You guys give great Info and I have learned a ton from many of you. However, all of this, my fly is better than yours and your fly has illegal this and that. I'ts no fun.

 

Remember, We all do this because it makes us smile, gives us a little peace in our very busy lives.

 

Keep this thing fun, and I just might enter the beatle that I just impaled with a size 24 scud hook. I think it would be a perfect fit in the traditional Dry fly catagory.

 

Thanks

Nate,

 

 

P.S. I really did drink a 6 pack while reading all this nonsence. Please do not hold me responceable For this in the morning. Oh, don't bother to point out the spell check feature either.

[Steeldrifter 0]

Remember, We all do this because it makes us smile, gives us a little peace in our very busy lives.

 

Keep this thing fun

 

P.S. I really did drink a 6 pack while reading all this nonsence.

 

I see your 6 pack and raise ya a fifth of Popov

[Fishigan 0]

I think carlp5351 does have a valid point. I also think that SD, has a good valid point. It is what is. We vote. Us, you, me and Dupree. You see the fly, you say hey, why is a full dressed Atlantic doing in the BlueGill fly section? You don't vote for it. At the end of the day you kow your moral compass pointed you in the right direction and if that fly wins then that guy has to take pride in the fact that he spent 3 days burnishing floss and marrying wings to beat out a rubber spider for a BlueGill competition. What a stud! As Matallica once sang "sad but true..."

The contest is for fun and perhaps some guys have gotten a little greedy for the glory, don't let that small % take away from the big picture. I know Will puts in a tremendous amount of effort and time to this each year. I feel bad that last year I left my flies in a package on my tying desk until I realized it was 3 days past the deadline. I didn't get to enter. This year I don't know, I have a package with 3 flies sitting on my tying desk and one day to get the post office. I have to work 12 hrs a day so I might not make it again, I already feel bad. So if I make it and I see a damn realistic scorpion in the bass streamers section I'm gonna flip out.

Lets just keep it what it is and know that we the people control the vote.

[Fishigan 0]

Also, I can say I didn't like seeing someone get chastized for for speaking up about a concern on this forum. Escpecially since the concern was raised in a polite manor. That's not cool.

[Hot Tuna 0]

If you can keep 10,000 people happy at the same time, I want to nominate you for President!

That being said, lots of people have donated some very valuable prizes to this...good on you all.

I've been on the fence about entering but if I can put my ego in my pocket between now and tomorrow, at a minimum I'm going to get that Stockard certificate...

HT

[SullyTM 0]

I entered last year and this year because I want to support Will for all of his hard work. Unless he puts together a committee that judges the entries then leaving it up to the Forum voters is how the flies will be judged. I can live with that. I enjoy seeing the creative work of other members and like Hot Tuna, I really like that JS certificate

 

Later...