Hey all you new and beginner fly tiers,

You are probably tying up a few flies for yourself and thinking, "what other patterns are out there for me to tie. Can I do that one?" Well, the short answer is yes, with a bit of guidance you can do it very well. The best way to get better at tying is not only to tie more, but to have a guide and mentor to show you how to dress those hooks better. Parnelli is an awesome mentor. He will help you with any question you have or material you can't find. He will give you an honest (yep, scary, but true) critique of your latest creation and he'll help you make the next one better. Your tying skills will improve with each successive pattern you dress and you'll end up with a nice stable of patterns that you can tie for your own box.

I joined Parnelli's last Beginner's Only Swap after tying on my own for only a few months. I was still tying on a home made vice and had only done a couple of different Wooly Buggers and a nymph or two. You learn quickly that you DO have what it takes to dress some nice flies. I went from not being sure of my skills to trying several new techniques during and after the swaps. Including spinning deer hair! Now I know that I can do it and I know I need more practice, but I'm not afraid to jump in to join another swap and learn something new from the guys in there. It's lots of fun and you learn a whole lot. Best of all, you get great flies to add to your collection. And you tied them!

So go on, you know you want to. Join up and start tying with the best teacher and mentor you will find.

Dave
WCCNovice (BOFS Alum 2010)