Imagine it’s not the end of December, but it’s the day of the Spring Equinox. (This year, 21 March.) The snow (or rain)from Winter is gone, the birds are making nests from your leftovers from your tying bench that you donated to them, early flowers are blooming, the sky is warm, but overcast. A perfect day to hit the stream, river or lake. You have your favorite rod, heading out for a little bit of Spring fishing. What two flies are you going to put in your fly box? Just two of your favorites for March fishing…
This is open to 12 swappers. The 2 fly patterns can be anything that you use on or around Spring Equinox. The usual swap items apply: Self addressed stamped envelope with a sturdy container; flies with toe tags, etc. You’ll be getting 24 flies back (2 patterns, 12 each), so maybe one of your medium or large containers will work. This way, you’ll have a full variety of flies to play with until Summer Solstice when the heat returns…
The deadline to be in is around the first week of March. My goal is to have them on your doorstep on or before 21 March so we can all deal with Spring Fever.
1–DianeID: Brown soft hackle nymph & Blue Wing Olive tied
2–Alra195: poxy back brown drake nymph & Bead Head Hendrickson Nymph received
3–Hoboflyfisher: Crappie Minnow & Mini White Bluegill Streamer received
4–Wet fly guy: Wild turkey wet fly & glass bead Pheasant tail soft hackle received
5–Salmon Chaser: Mickey Finn variation & Black bead head “micro-leetch” received
6–Bassman: Lady Bug & Lady’s Fish Finder received
7–MarkKillam: Simple emerger pattern & larva lace nymph received
8–Bob Brower: Early stone & Soft hacklereceived
9–Midge Man: Chernobyl Ant & Copper John
10–DaveM: Little black caddis & a wigglerreceived
11–Robert Taipala: Stimulator & a gurglepop received
12–kgilroy: RS2 & emerger or cripplereceived
D.ID I’ll play this one with you. I’ll more than likely tie a Crappie Minnow if this is OK with you.
It’s always a pleasure getting in on one of the swaps your involved in, because you tie such nice flies. Thanks.
Hobo
Diane I would like to get in with my Lady Bug and Ladys Fish Finder. As I undertand it we do need to tie up at least 12 of each of 2 patterns. Thanks John
Yes, John, you’re right. A dozen each of two favorite patterns for Spring. I edited the original post to make it a bit more clear. Sorry for being a bit vague the first time around.
I left room for the other patterns, and if the rest do not want to tie 2 dozen flies, just let me know and I’ll remove you. It’s all right with me. Sometimes you just don’t feel like making a lot of flies.
It occurred to me that most of what we spend on swaps is probably postage or maybe specialty materials. A swap with a return of 24 instead of 12 just gives us a chance to have some variation, and I don’t thing 12 more hooks is going to raise postage. If it does, it would probably be 39 or maybe 63 cents.
Taken care of Hobo. Thanks for staying in the swap. I’m looking forward to seeing your Bluegill streamer. We fished for them this summer although they all went back in the pond to get bigger. :lol:
I would like in on this…one fly I will be tying is a concoction I came up based on other flies and works for midges and bwo…whether it be emergers or a spinner fall for bwo. I call it a simple emerger pattern…LOL. The second is a Griffith’s gnat.
Count me in as well with a Chernobyl Ant and a copper john. The thought of those spring mornings on the river should be more than ample motivation to get out in the garage to tie up some flies.
Thanks, everyone. I believe I got everything posted correctly. Please let me know if there are errors or any updates.
Midge Man–if you’re still motivated after being in the garage, you’re welcome to come to mine and help me clean up the post Christmas decorations. It’s a good thing I don’t tie my flies out in mine. I’d end up with glitter and bows instead of chenille and marabou.
I have to be careful while out in the garage or my flies end up full of grass clippings and cat hair. I have been exciled to the garage with the birth of our second baby in June… for some reason my wife doesn’t think it is a good idea to have fish hooks in the house any more…hahahaha.
I would like to do this one. Probably a little black caddis, and some type of streamer… (Or possibly a Spring’s Wiggler instead of the caddis) I still have to look through my materials, so I might find something that inspires me to tie something else…
(Up here, Spring means only a month and a half before trout season starts. We do fish some year around rivers, and there is a lot of ice fishing, and steelhead and salmon action.)
My flies are in the mail. I do not include one to be sent back to me. I do include extras for the great Swapmeister. Thanks again for letting me join in on this one. It was fun tying these up. John
