Visions

Fly Patterns
1

Maybe it’s my inexperience but I don’t think so. I know at my age I am supposed to have visions instead of dreams but when it comes to fly tying I have neither. I hear all of you saying to experiment with colors and materials and whathaveyou but it just doesn’t come to me.

I think I will always be a copycater. Is there anything wrong with that. I almost think one has to have some artistic insight to be a really good fly tier. Am I wrong?

2

Hi Rookie,

Before I start having visions of improving
something, I have to thoroughly familiarize
myself with the basics and determine why
things are done a specific way or with a
certain material. Once I achieve competence
at something, I’m a lot more likely to
discover nuances that better fit me, my
style of tying, or my fishery. It’s not all
black and white, but lots of shades of grey.
I tied a lot of frogs before I found out
pigs work too.G Warm regards, Jim

3

Thanks,

I guess sometimes we need a reassurance on what we know to be common sense, (at any age). I always look foreward to the help, advise and reassurances.

4

Rookie,

Jim is exactly right. Just go with what works for you, but ALWAYS keep an open mind and a keen eye open for fly tying materials that just may perform better than anything else on the market. Don’t be afraid to experiment and keep notes on what works best for you. Most of all, take it easy and enjoy yourself.

Jim Smith

5

rookie,

My wife is an excellent fly tyer. She can look at a book, read the recipe and tie the fly, then fish it well. Until she started to grasp why certain materials (including simple things like thread color) were used in certain appications, she was in the same boat as you.

Now that she has been tying for a while (and taken a class), she is inventing flies on her own, using materials based on their performance in the water, not just good looks in the vise.

Remember JC’s signature line about How long does it take to learn fly fishing? No one knows. The same thing applies to fly tying.

Give yourself some time at the vise (say…5 to 20 years), then worry about it. For now, tie flies that catch fish and have fun. The rest will come in time.

REE

6

Rookie: Tie a lot of different patterns and styles of flies. You’ll learn something new about tying methods and materials from each one. Combine this with careful observation of the living things you wish to imitate. Substituting one material for another is just a matter of recognizing the purpose of the origional in the pattern and knowing what else you have that can be used to achieve that end. Some substitutions are made to cover a lack of he origional material; others to improve durability or better imitate some trait of the natural organism. For me at least when I try to get artistic rather than practical in tying I end up with something that gets scraped off the hook in the morning when I’m sober.

all leaders tangle; mine are just better at it than most. Jim

[This message has been edited by rainbowchaser (edited 19 March 2006).]

7

I really do appreciate the advise and confidence builders.

Ree, just not sure I have the 5-20 left.

Thanks Guys

8

A few fingers of a good,brown, adult beverage in a rocks glass will help too.