Jesse,
I believe you hit the nail on the head and understand exactly what I'm talking about.
Thanks! I think that a long-time tier/fisherman who is skilled at tying will always tie a pattern which will be more effective than the imported version of the same pattern. I think that his/her fly will be "better" because the overseas operation producing flies tied, usually, by young ladies who have never seen the insects or the water they inhabit......never read about or observed the insects in their habitat and observed/read about their behavior, etc., etc. will not be as effective as those tied by the fisherman.