Meeting format

[Ray Kunz]

Over the past several years I have held programs for Beginning Fly Tying sponsored by the Town Park & Rec.Dept. At the conclusion of each program I'm asked if we could arrange to continue as a sort of club. We finally have arranged to have access to a neat faculty room in a school and will start bimonthly "klatches" soon where the folks would bring their own stuff. Now to the point,--- Could anyone suggest a format for these 2 to 3 hour sessions? I don't see them as continuations of prepared classes requiring a lot of prep work yet I can't see everyone just doing his, or her, own project. Any ideas would be welcome. Thanks

[Bruce Norikane]

A theme is a good idea. Could be a specific pattern, material or technique. Maybe the patterns for a particular local hatch that's coming up. It'd be nice, if someone could be a lead and start with a short demo.

You could start the meeting with requests. List them on a whiteboard and ask for volunteers to cover the topic.

[Betty Hiner]

For the past 8 years we have held a regular Thursday night get together, first at our Orvis store (till it closed) and now at the Dicks Sporting Goods store. It used to be one member would plan a fly to tie, and instruct all the others on the pattern. Usually it was a favorite fly of that tier....everything from salt to tiny streams. Most of the time now, we get together, with far fewer people, and tie what we want, tell stories, and share materials. Either way, it's great fun...my night out with the boys!

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Trouts don't live in ugly places

[William Fitzgerald]

First you will have to ask everyone which flies they would like to tie. For beginners, If you dont furnish the material you will have to tell everyone what to bring or make up packets of material for a small charge. Show how to tie one or two flies a night then have them break up into groups to continue tying. Soon the tying will turn to people doing their own thing and asking questions.

Our local ffishing club holds a free tying get- together every monday night thru the winter. Everyone is welcome to sit with a tyer. One man shows production tying. A womens club hold fly tying bee's instead of the sewing thing of years gone by.

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Bill

[Al Beatty]

Hi Ray,

Our club does some of the same things already suggested. In addition, we use the "get togethers" to mass produce flies for "Herbie." Herbie is a fish cut from foam that is about 2 feet long. Over the year we cover him with flies (all tied by the members). He is then sold in the live auction at our annual fund raiser. Herbie is alway a popular item. Take care & ...

Tight Lines - Al Beatty

[Diane]

My night out with the boys... that's a perfect way to describe it, Betty! A bunch of us here have been tying on some Monday nights at a room in the local mall. We have no program. Everyone brings their own tools and supplies and we sit, drink coffee, tie, and tell stories. Most of the time I end up watching Allan tie. He's amazing and very generous about teaching what he knows. I'm looking forward to starting up again. Sometimes I think no program is usually the best program. This is one of those times.

[William Fitzgerald]

On the monday night tying that I mentioned it's fun to listen to two of the top tyers in the mid west sitting across from each other at a table. "That fly should have less hackle" "Don't use supper glue" "That fly head is too large" On and on thru the evening.

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Bill

[Ray Kunz]

Hi, Thank all of you for comments. I'd also like to ask Bill F. what "supper glue" is (G). But then I've had some overcooked pasta that came close.

[William Fitzgerald]

RAY I type too fast and dont get my fingers off the key fast enough--I usually read what I type.

At least I can still type at my age-----

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Bill




[This message has been edited by William Fitzgerald (edited 03 September 2005).]

[Greg H]

Our club and the tying meeting history is linked here [url=http://www.winterhatches.org/flytying.htm:e409b]http://www.winterhatches.org/flytying.htm[/url:e409b]

We meet once a month in the winter. The material and pattern list is handed out a week or two in advance. Formerly the club bought the materials for the night, as lead by a member or guest tier. This proved expensive. Subsequently we have changed to BYOM. Folks can buy new stuff if they want, but usually bring what they have and there is a lot of trading (I've got the dubbing, do you have the hackle?). There is a co-ordinator for the season so that we have a good mix of patterns and styles.