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I usually tie a dozen, then don't go fishing. I end up giving them to buddies who actually do fish, then live vicariously through them. I have way too many flies in boxes, unused.
Or I tie up a bunch of new flies which look promising, and end up using the old reliables to begin with, then they work, and I don't get to the new ones.
That said, I am sure that no matter how many I tied and took with me, I would always be one short at the end of the day, having lost, mangled, etc. the rest because it was the hot fly...then I run out and try to use markers and scissors to make one like it out of another.
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I must be the only belt and suspenders guy in the group. I like to tie half a dozen and bring them to the steam. This allows me to fish them in tight places and not have to worry about losing my last Super-Duper Gargoyle Special. I also try to press a couple of flies on my fishing friends to see if they do well with them. Six seems like a lot but the way I cast, it really isn't too many. 8T :)
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I use to tie just two. Bluntly the tie wasn't as good as it should be tying only two and most of the time was spent just dragging out the material and then putting it away. If I tie anything new these days I tie at least 4 and 6 is better. If I don't think that I will use 6 of that pattern, I choose something else to tie. It helps me make a decision if the pattern is really what I want to tie. I like to give away flies to those who like to give me flies or new people that I know don't tie. When I tied just two of a pattern, I find that my box has a whole bunch of one of a kind flies. I didn't want to loose the last one that I had and I was afraid that it might be the hot fly of the day and I would loose it after a fish or two and not have another one. A One of fly in my fly box is a lonely fellow indeed.
Rick