I’m laughing here, because like Ron Elk Eagle, it seems that all my better flies are given away, or sent out in swaps. It’s an ego thing, so consequently, I wind up fishing the worst of the worst. I’ve got flies in some of my older boxes that are just embarassing. I keep thinking about redoing all of my boxes, starting over completely, but other things invariably pop up and I never get it done. In a couple of years I probably wouldn’t be able to look at those flies either. So, I just hold my nose and go fishing.
Eric
Hi,
I’ve tied flies that I think are close to “the best I can do”, but realise that with more practice “I will do better”. A few times over the years I will look at some flies I’ve just tied and realised “I’ve improved.” It’s a sort of sudden realisation that the flies are tidier, neater, and now seem easier to tie. Then, as I continue to tie more, I’ll realise where the imperfections are, that some bits are trickier to get “just right” than previously thought, that some proportions are not quite right, the wings do not sit perfectly, and so on. And, the learning continues.
As we practice, our skills improve. As our skills improve, we become able to spot more subtle problems. As we spot more problems, we continue to practice.
- Jeff
satisfied? - yes, but only barely. They catch fish, and people i give them to seem to like them, but every fly i have ever tied, i know i could improve in some way.
There was this perfect Green Weenie once in October, 2004.
I’m a true rookie to this game and have spent most of my free time recently at the bench. I think I have a little talent but flies that require a big pretty hackle kick my butt. I can’t for the life of me tie a decent bugger. The best one I tied is still hideous but it caught the first fish of my own tying ever yesterday. (It was a nasty peach bugger with a grizzly hackle that looked like someone ran it over in the driveway as mentioned above.) I have however been very satisfied with some of them including some dries that I thought would be difficult and some teeny midges that I fortunately have the eyes for. :roll: I will continue to strive for the perfect ones though, especially since I plan on giving some away as gifts this season.
Diane, That was funny! I’m wiping pork and beans off my screen … they just kinda’ sprayed out of my mouth when I read about the perfect greenie weenie back in '04. Rich!!!
I have tied many flies that i am satisfied with.
I have never tied a fly that was perfect.
If I wanted perfect looking flies I would just buy them, sure would save some money and time. But, I think that most of the flies in stores are tied to the tastes of the consumer. But tying flies allows you to modify (I like moving the weight around on clousers for different types of actions instead of the standard). Plus, I only need three more years before I can think like a fish.
I usually tie a dozen of a particular fly in a particular size. If it’s a new fly or something that I haven’t tied in a while, the first couple may be less than satisfactory but by flies three or four, they’re turning out pretty darn good. Maybe, I’m too easily satisfied but I’m happy with most of my flies. 8T :lol:
I have thought about this for a couple of days. I don’t try to tie perfect flies. I am not doing this for artistic reasons. I don’t enter fly tying contests either.
I try to tie functional flies that will catch fish, because that is what I am interested in doing. My flies are not exact replicas of each other. I find that different flies work better on different days.
I think of snowflakes, where no two are alike, but they are all beautiful.
Ramblings of a person whose spends most of his time chasing warmwater fishes.
Rick
I guess maybe I should clarify what I mean by dissatisfied with a fly. When I sit down to tie an Adams I have in mind a picture of an ideal Adams; wings that exactly match and are exactly the same height, tail fibers that are all level and exactly the same length, body that is perfectly smooth and tapers exactly so much etc. I’m always aware of the ways that my fly differs from that ideal. That doesn’t mean I don’t think that they are good flies or more than adequate to fish. Recurrent problems are something I have to work on. Others may have to be accepted but I do try to aware of them and work to eliminate them.
What do you all use as the “Reference Sample” to judge your fly tying against???
AK Best wrote an article awhile back on the 4000+ ways/variations to tie an Adams!
Which ones correct?
just wondering!
I have tied many perfect flies. They are the ones that have caught fish!
Marty
While in the military we had a saying: "Thats close enough for government work:. I quess that pretty well sums up my fly tying ability :lol:
Tim Anderson
I have tied many, many flies that I was satisfied with. If they catch fish, I am satisfied, be they large, ugly, mishappen or just plain wrong!
May your loops be tight and your backcasts free.
This one is perfect; caught 54 trout before retiring to the archive for reference…
http://www.danica.com/flytier/rchristie … s_mask.htm
Roy
I’m satisfied with just about every fly I tie, then I get up, go do something, and when I come back to my bench I see all sorts of things I can do better on the next one :lol:
Probably not but I always hope that the fish are less critical than I :lol: .
Hendrickson
Even when I think I have tied a “perfect” fly, all I need to do is take a closer look or take a macro photo to find all the flaws in it, be it proportions, some materials out of place, etc, etc.
In my opinion, one can tie a good fly, but the only perfect flies are the ones the fish decide to bite.
Alberto