"Beginner's Only" Class of 2005

This is the third years that I have been Swapmeister of the ?Beginner?s Only Fly Swap?. Over those three years, there have been a total of 13 groups, that have committed to participating in a series of monthly fly swaps during the late autumn and winter months. I created these fly swaps, for those members who were new to fly tying, as well as those members who were new to fly swaps.

Over 100 members have participated in these swaps, the past three years. The members vote on choice a category, for each months fly swap, and no category is visited twice. So these swaps have been a learning experience for all members, to push them outside their comfort zone, of fly patterns.

Each group of ?Beginner?s Only Fly Swap?, having ten members, tied and submitted twelve flies for each swap (extra two flies are spares). Here is the consolidated categories, that the four different groups chose this season...

Dry Fly
Emerger Fly
Midge Fly
Nymph Fly
Salmon - Steelhead Fly
Streamer Fly
Terrestrial Fly
Wet Fly

It is with great pleasure, to post the names of those members, who are now graduating as the ?Class of 2005, and become alumni of ?Beginner?s Only Fly Swap?....

Mark Adams, Group 3

Norman Beggs, Group 3
Michael Belloma, Group 2
Paul Bent, Group 4
Tony Buda, Group 3

Wayne Christensen, Group 2
Randy Collins, Group 2
James Coward, Group 3
Brian Crotts, Group 4

John Eaton, Group 1

Jeff Frye, Group 2
Matt Fuller, Group 4

Kevin Gilroy, Group 3
Sean Gould, Group 2

Bruce Herb, Group 1
Charlie Hennigar, Group 4

C J Klenske, Group 3

Diane Maluso, Group 1
Steve Marshall, Group 1
Cole Martin, Group 1
Dev McCabe, Group 3
Ailsa McIntosh, Group 4
David McLaren, Group 3
Brian Miller, Group 1
Chad Miller, Group 2
George Miller, Group 4
Sonny Morgan, Group 4
Chris Morrison, Group 1

Kevin Payne, Group 2
Joe Pegnetter, Group 2

Paul Ratcliffe, Group 4
Jim Roik, Group 2

Patrick Sande, Group 3
Bruce Schneck, Group 3
Rick Schlarb, Group 4
Matt Shackelford, Group 2
Joshua Sommermeyer, Group 2
Tim Swihart, Group 1

Bob Widmaier, Group 1
Darren Wilson, Group 3

Mike Zysk, Group 1

Swapmeisters of FAOL, the members who names that I posted, tie some of the ?Best Dang Flies? you will ever see! They are now Intermediate Fly Tiers, and will be a bonus to any fly swap that you host on FAOL.


~ Swapmeister Parnelli

In Memory of Sonny Morgan, who passed away March 23rd, 2005...







[This message has been edited by Steven H. McGarthwaite (edited 17 April 2005).]

Parn,

Excellent post. Knowing what you expect in terms of on time delivery of flies and quality, I'm sure these Alums will be a welcome addition to any fly swap.

Congrats to the grads, and a huge thank you to the swapmeister.

REE

[bassman]

It was a pleasure and an honor for me to be in the beginners only swaps. I learned an awful lot. I thank all of you for your help. A special thanks to Steve for hosting the swaps and for teaching me so much. John

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I wish you everlasting flies and tight lines.

[FlyingCarp]

I'm very interested in the "beginner's only fly swaps". What do I need to do to become a participant?

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Land Em',
Carp

[cklenske]

Parnelli,
Thanks for letting me be a part of the Beginners Only. Not only did I have fun tying all of the different flies, I learned a lot in the process. I feel I am a much more accomplished tier than I was at the beginning of the session. Plus I have a whole box of flies to use as patterns for future tying.

To anyone that is interested, if you get the chance, get in on the Beginners Only Swap. It is very well organized and run, and you will stretch your tying ability much further than you would ever expect.

Thanks again.
CJ

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The only limitations we have are the ones we put on ourselves.

I will post the forming of "Beginner's Only Fly Swap", on the Fly Tying and Fly Swap Boards of FAOL this coming autumn. If you wish, you can email me of your interest in the 2006 Beginner's Only Fly Swap at the following address...
[email:092fd]parnelli@comcast.net[/email:092fd]

I will inform you (or anyone else that is interested) when I start the the new season in the autumn.

~Parnelli

[Rick Z]

I have had a few of these folks in swaps and they tie nice flies.

Rick

[SG]

Parnelli,

It was great being a part of the beginners only tying group. As I've mentioned before to you I think I've learned quite a bit from the experience.

One thing, I hate to correct you, but since I came into the beginners only tying group halfway through the tying season, I don't think I've earned the right to be called a graduate yet.

I'll be in the beginners group again next season. After that, I'll be glad to accept the graduate status with pride.

Sean Gould

Sean:

I understand your feelings, and that is why I offered you (and one other member who also joined in January) the opportunity of continuing with the swap in the autumn.

From the 3 monthly swaps you participated in since you joined Group2, your flies were always on time, arriving before the deadline. Your flies were nicely tied, and you always included the recipe and pattern name. You make a Swapmeisters life, a lot easier.

Some of the members listed have been in other years swaps, and I did not have the heart to toss them out at the end of the season. This time everyone is getting graduating out onto the main Fly Swap Board, to make room for others to join. While you are with the Beginner's Only Group for the coming season, do not hesitate to join another fly swap that you are interested in.

Swapmeister Parnelli

[Crotalus]

Thanks for the opportunity to participate in the beginners group. It was a great experience.