There are many problems that can manifest with fly swaps and they have been covered in numerous threads if you look into the archives and read all the posts. However, I’m not about to re-list them here. What I want to do is specifically point out one(1) that has always popped its ugly head in every swap I’ve participated in.
That is: a fly is delivered with NO TOE TAG. C’mon guys/gals, one of the major reasons we swap is to see what others are tying, have someone’s fly, see a well tyed fly, associate that fly with a special person and build a collection from tyers world-wide. You can’t do that if you cannot identify the tyer.
So please, in every swap, everyone make sure you identify your fly with a TOE TAG. Make sure it is firmly attached to the fly and identifies a)your name, b)pattern name, and c)hook size. Your ‘swapmeister’ may request that you include the recipe, and that would be great, especially for lesser known patterns. However, please do a, b, and c above.
Good point for sure. I just want to
bring up one of my pet peeves. When hosting
a swap, often I find participants are using
one cute handle to ID themselves on chat,
another on the BB’s, and yet another on thier emails. Then the flies come in with
a real name. It can be hard to ID against
the sign up sheet or subsequent emails. It
would be great if the swapmeister knew who
you were.G And make sure you put a name
on the toe tags that will cross over to the
sign up sheet. Thanks! Warm regards, Jim
Having run a bunch of swaps on other sites, let me chime in with another, as it relates to the other two. Crush proof boxes. Lots of folks send me really great boxes that their flies fit in really well. What they don’t take into account is the size of others flies or how others will package their flies. These folks usually have tied a bunch of flies 18 or smaller, and didn’t put toes tags on them. This quite often leaves me with the only option of 1) supplying them with a box out of my own stash, or 2). Cramming in the flies, toe tags etc. I’m sure that this quite often mangles the flies that everyone worked so hard on. So when you send your flies out, make sure that there is plenty of extra room in the box you are shipping in. Altoids tins are good as are regular (inexpensive)fly boxes with no dividers. I had a guy in the last swap I was in use a travel soap container and it worked really well. These are just a few examples to get you thinking.
EDIT:Oh, just thought of another (after reading the debacle called the pike fly swap )
If you’re going to include an extra fly or 2 for the swap boss, let them know how many you want him/her to get. Also let them know (via a note) if you want one of your own back. This will prevent hard feelings from the swappers if they wanted one of their own back and didn’t get it (most folks don’t get upset as it’s fairly easy to tie one up for personal usage)
A final suggestion I had regarding a previous swap was to have everyone tie 2 or to have the swap boss (or duly designated swap member) take photos of the flies. That way we don’t go out and slay with a fly and forget what it looked like!!! I need to start doing that.
Take care and happy swapping,
L
PS most of the swaps I run are on utahonthefly or flyfishermanforum
[This message has been edited by Lonnie (edited 16 June 2005).]
postage! SASE means “self addressed stamped envelope.” Last swap some sent money which is okay I guess, but it’s easier if the postage is already on the return envelope. Just my thoughts. Also agree with the above, although I’m guilty of the toe tag thing myself on ocassion. I’ll do better in the future. Some tyers in the Tom Nixon and Rick Z swaps were very informative and creative. You learn something with every one you do. JGW
When I host a swap I may ask participants to include postage to equal the cost of actually shipping the box to me. However, that assumes the host can reuse the shipped to box. More often, I ask that participants include the minimum price of US Priority Mail which is presently $3.85. That way: 1)A strong, sturdy, new box is provided; 2)Everyone pays the correct amount of postage; 3)When package is mailed it gets to participant in 2-3 days; and 4)I don’t like the use of envelopes.
My toe tag has my name and email adress. If anyone has a question about the fly then they can email me with it.
My biggest complaint is that almost every swap I have been in or run is late. You have alot of time to tie the flies and should not wait until the last minute.
Persoanlly if I can’t get the flies tied in two t three weeks time I won’t join the swap.
I’m one of the morons who just jumped in with out understanding the process. My apologies to the swapmeisters. I like to include a card with the recipe and my E-mail with my flies. By the third swap I figured out that by attaching a piece of two sided tape with the foam insert, I could attach the fly/flies directly to the card.The local Blockbuster is discontinuing VHS. I picked up a dozen of the plastic rental containers for free. There are padded shipping envelopes for VHs tapes with enough room for postage attached return envelope.
I agree with Mikey that communication is the way to go. Having been in many of his swaps as well as others on this board. I found out that Envelopes do work fine as long as they are taped. Nobody had a set of rules laid out for newbie swappers to use so I learned from experiance.
I also hate when the fly has no tag because I catolog some or all of the flies and tie up more of the patterns I like or want to fish, there is another reason to post or put the recipie on the tag. Although that brings you back to the problem of enough room in the swap box with all those large tags on them.
I think it is the swapmiesters responsibility to tell swappers what they want and how they want it if they are new or have not swapped with them before
Most of the swaps are run very well and I have enjoyed being in all of them and more importantly learned alot along the way.
ok heres my pet peve of the swaps…
I’d like to get in on one…how all you guys know exactly what time to be here to take all the spots,I’ll prolly never know…but one of these days I’ll get lucky and catch it just right.Maybe I just don’t “LURK” enough,I do enjoy reading all the swaps and am glad the pike swap has ended on the positive note…
Happy swapping all
“I’ve often wondered why it is that so many anglers spend so much money on,and pay so much attention to.the details on the wrong end of the fly line.If they took as much care in selecting or tying their flies as they did in the selection of the reel and rod,They might be able to gain the real extra edge that makes it possible to fool a fish that has,in fact,seen it all before” A.K.Best
Jeremy is right . . I was waiting for a smallmouth swap so I decided to host it myself. The first one I ever hosted. WEnt ok, flies are going out tomorrow.
ok gentleman,
So what tips…other than whats been said above,would you aspire to me.If I did go the all out gutzy way to get started in the swaps…what mistakes have you yourselves made that you’ve learned from?..any advise that can make this easier for a dummy like myself would be greatly appreicated.
“I’ve often wondered why it is that so many anglers spend so much money on,and pay so much attention to.the details on the wrong end of the fly line.If they took as much care in selecting or tying their flies as they did in the selection of the reel and rod,They might be able to gain the real extra edge that makes it possible to fool a fish that has,in fact,seen it all before” A.K.Best
To be entirely honest, I quit hosting swaps here at FAOL because there were just too many swappers that felt the rules of the swap didn’t apply to them, or seemed to feel that they had no obligation to get the flies in on time.
This quite often leaves me with the only option of 1) supplying them with a box out of my own stash, or 2). Cramming in the flies, toe tags etc. I’m sure that this quite often mangles the flies that everyone worked so hard on. So when you send your flies out, make sure that there is plenty of extra room in the box you are shipping in. Altoids tins are good as are regular (inexpensive)fly boxes with 
