Copywriting Flies

[wayneb]

Hi All;

A question came up on another site I belong to: Can/does anyone copywrite fly patterns??

Thanks in advance;

Wayneb

[Grubb]

Seems I'v seen this topic b-4 along time ago, or read it some where else. I believe the response being that so many flie are so close together that to copy write one would be a copy of some sort of another. Something along those lines. Perhaps from book printing copywrites etc.

[TxEngr]

Like Grubb, I think was covered earlier in another thread. I think that you could copyright a name of a fly (good luck enforcing it) but you would probably have to patent the specific design. The problem with that is any slight variation of the design and it's outside the patent making it very difficult to enforce. Finally, I 'm not sure fly designs are a valuable enough commodity and the cost of enforcement would be more than any lost proceeds.

TxEngr

[Normand]

read this

http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/fa...l.html#protect

[J Castwell]

You bet; way back in '02 this appeared. Give 'er a look-see.
http://colo2.flyanglersonline.com/cst/cst061002.php

[Mike-Connor]

Hi All;

A question came up on another site I belong to: Can/does anyone copywrite fly patterns??

Thanks in advance;

Wayneb

Some people have done so over the years. While it is possible to patent a fly, copyright or "register" a name or a specific pattern in a lot of places, it hardly seems worth the bother. You can theoretically stop people from selling such flies or using the name you registered, but it is expensive, and you would doubtless need to sell a lot of flies to cover such expenses. Also, you can?t stop people dressing such flies for their own use anyway.

These flies were patented ( in 1994 as I recall);

http://www.waterwisp.com/info.htm

With regard to copyright, any thing you write is copyrighted automatically, as are some other works like photos, etc. If you register various works, then you can also defend that copyright more easily in a court of law. This is only usually worthwhile for people who write books, music, write articles for magazines, etc etc. for money.

TL
MC

[wayneb]

Hi All;

Thanks for the replies, I was more curious than anything else. What started my curiousity is a discussion on another site concerning a tier taking credit for anothers design.

My response there was that the flyfishing/fly tying community is fairly well connected and with the advent of the internet and sites like this, even more so. So, if someone were to take credit for another's creation, they would have a difficult time getting away with it.

Wayneb

[Mike-Connor]

Hi All;

Thanks for the replies, I was more curious than anything else. What started my curiousity is a discussion on another site concerning a tier taking credit for anothers design.

My response there was that the flyfishing/fly tying community is fairly well connected and with the advent of the internet and sites like this, even more so. So, if someone were to take credit for another's creation, they would have a difficult time getting away with it.

Wayneb

People have been "stealing" other people?s stuff for centuries!

One common occurrence is somebody changing one or two materials, or just the hackle colour or similar on a fly, and calling it something else. In point of fact, there is not really much true innovation, most stuff is based on something else.

This still goes on a lot, and there is a lot of discussion about it. It only makes a real difference to most, ( and you can only claim damages if you can prove loss of income or similar) when they are commercially involved.

There is also an easy way to avoid it. Give it away!

Nowadays angling is an equipment intensive "high tech" pastime for many, as indeed is fly-dressing, and has become extremely commercialised. It is a large industry in itself. People also spend a great deal of money on stuff. This tempts various people to do all sorts of things for the money involved. There are also a lot of people who want the "status" or "credit" associated with having a fly named after them, or being credited with its invention.

A "true" angler who fishes or dresses for pleasure wont usually care much, and shares his stuff to give others pleasure, ( thereby also increasing his own),not to make money at it, or gain spurious kudos.

TL
MC

[hap]

Michael Fortune is a Canadian furniture designer/maker from Toronto. I took a design seminar from him many years ago and someone asked how he protected his designs (very real and worthy designs with significant developmental advantages) and I still giggle at his answer...

Roughly, he said "If I thought it was going to be the last good idea I would ever have I might worry about that. But I just have to keep thinking about what I am doing."

There are many examples of guys going to great lengths to protect fly patterns... Pheasant tail nymphs come to mind... and it has to be a joke...
art

[J Castwell]

hap,,, and therefore you understand my column on it.
(you might notice the 404 page is not a standard one either)
I have actually had guys think the column was real. Oh well,,,