Beginner's Only Fly Sway (Advance Notice)
Sometime after October 1st, 2009 I will be accepting newbie fly tiers for 5-monthly fly swaps. They will be for the months of November, January, February, March & April (I do not do December Fly Swaps).
Each monthly "Beginner's Only Fly Swap" will be for a different category for fly pattern. Some categories maybe....Dry Fly, Wet Fly, Larva, Pupa, Nymph, Streamer, Midge, Terrestrials, or Emergers! I will post the November Fly Swap category with the posting in October. Monthly fly swaps should be mailed so that they arrive before the end of that months fly swap.
I will supply the mailing envelopes, the shipping container for the flies, and the toe tags for each member of the fly swap. There will be only 10 positions available in this fly swap. After the fly swap has 10 members, I will take additional applications to fill a vacated seat, if a seated member has to leave the swap.
Each member will dress 12 flies, two flies are spares if returned shipments are lost in the mail.
Every member, who's flies arrive before the end of the month will be awarded a raffle ticket for the end of season drawing for the spare flies. I set of each months swaps will be awarded to the lucky winner. The Grand Prize is one member will receive "Parnelli's Pick", which will be a complete collection of the whole fly swap, in a genuine fly box. There will also be little other trinkets handed out.
I will require email communication with all members of the "Beginner's Only Fly Swap' as well as a phone number that they can be reached at with time that they are available to take calls.
As Swapmeister, I am here to answer all questions (there are no stupid questions, only occasional dumb answers!) I can assist with a fly pattern recommendation for a given monthly fly swap, I have all the fly patterns on FAOL in "PDF" format (requires Adobe Reader for viewing). If there are problems acquiring needed materials, I can purchase supplies locally (I have contacts that can ship this anywhere, and bill me) and you can send the renumeration with the next shipment of flies. Other times I will dig into my supplies and offer the material free of charge.
All flies are sorted and packed for return, as soon as all members contributions arrived, I mail out the return boxes no later than the 5th of the month. I also send out a email with a PDF file, with jpeg photo of each fly and the fly patterns material list, when flies are mailed out.
As Swapmeister I will critique (words of encouragements only) you efforts, helping anyway possible. If you have not learn then I have not done my job.
All you have to do is dress some hooks, have the proper amount of postage on the envelope (and same amount on the return envelope), and get them into the mail soon enough so they arrive before the end of that months fly swap.
NOTE: All postage on return envelopes must use postage stamps, not meter strips...
I do this for those who help me, specially Al Campbell. I did his full 60-part series on fly tying. I even sent him a sample of every fly pattern in the series for his judgement..... He was 4-years younger than I, but he will always be my senior, mentor & friend. ~Parnelli :D
I want you to have fun while you are learning, if you are not having fun, then something is wrong!
I will let you in on my nickname ( I am always asked). Got it in the U.S. Army, for the way I drove at top speed down tank trails, and jumping the military vehicles off hilltops. "Sergeant McGarthwaite should not be allowed to drive nothing but an Army Tent Stake, he thinks he is "Parnelli Jones!":p
