This board use to have multiple swaps going on at the same time and all were full. I am a little surprised in the lack of participation. However, I’ve been busy and MIA for the last few years and will probably be hit or miss in the future as my life, becomes more complicated as my kids are growing and take more of my time.
Is this happening more and more with other people? Have more people just decided not to participate? What’s your take? REE you’ve been here the whole time, what’s happened?
once summer is over more swaps will arise trust me.
cholcomb,
Although my profile shows a member date of 03-26-2011, I’ve actually been a member since about 2000. I’m guessing that over the course of those years I’ve been in and/or hosted a total of about 3 dozen Swaps from this site and maybe a few dozen at other sites. So I think I have a decent understanding about Swaps. I’m guessing that the lack of response to Swaps right now can be attributted to any combination of several things: 1)time spent fishing not tying; 2)family time with kids home or travel; 3)tight money; 4)general lack of interest; 5)general situations of life that crop up; 6)lack of interest in specific swap ‘themes’; 7)other.
The one you are hosting may just be: Wrong timing (in several aspects), wrong theme at the moment, lack of attention span by the audience, people busy with other things right now. Regardless, things should pick up once we get into Fall. Then it’ll peter out till the New Year and pick up again until about July/August when it’ll slow down once again. Sorta like a natural ebb and flow. So don’t be discouraged. Maybe come the winter you’ll be saying that you don’t have enough time for all the Swaps going on!
Allan
Put me down in category 4. I was in a few swaps back in the day, then quickly realized that I was trading flies I could use for flies I never would, and spending time and money I didn’t really have on them. I hosted one, and ended up hosting another due to an injury to the host, and the nightmares of people falling out without notice and failing to meet the deadlines made me swear never to do it again. I suspect a lot of people burned out on these, although probably not as fast as I did.
There are openings in the Swap of the Month.
Other than that I am not in many swaps now as Other things are taking time.
May try my 4 swap madness again late this fall.
Rick
I was a regular participant in swaps until my daughter arrived in January. Summer is bad, as I spend my free time fishing, not tying. This winter, I’ll probably join in a swap, provided there is one that gets me flies for mountain streams. I have countless frogs, novelty flies, and bass streamers that I rarely get a chance to use here in Wyoming.
Hiya cholcomb ! Swaps are a kinda special animal… they go hot & heavy at times, then they cool off some. Last fall I was wonderin the same thing, and I hosted a swap… to only six tyers, as there were no more interested. Then, I joined a couple, then a couple more, and next thing, I’m in more than I can keep trackof. Like was mentioned before, they will come back, wait summer out, and you’ll see ‘em…
…Meanwhile, Happy tyin’ …ModocDan
Casey,
Summer/fall is fishing time. Starting in mid to late October the swaps will get going again in full force. Most folks tie for the next season during the cold winter months so they are already primed to tie and join swaps.
REE
I can only speak for myself. I’ve basically retired from fly swaps for a number of reasons. I’ll enter maybe one a year.
I too was surprised at the lack of interest in your stimi swap, especially since you guys can really tie well.
I also got a bit put off by the same batch of guys filling every swap and diluting the talent pool so to speak; I’d rather get flies from a variety of people rather than the same guys each time.
all that said, I don’t spend much time around here anymore and I may be mistaken.
Hey Guys,
I can empathize with the comments like those of ‘Rick Z’, ‘DG’, ‘Mr Blur’ and ‘branhap’ who said, “I have countless frogs, novelty flies, and bass streamers that I rarely get a chance to use”. One reason I got turned off of swaps was that some participants felt they had to be unique so they tyed a fly that was their own creation. I got so many of those type of flies and they have never seen the light of day much less any water. Of course there are new patterns that are fantastic. However, there are reasons why some flies are ‘timeless’ and used by a majority of fly fishers. Now I mean within catagories like: a)dries, wets, nymphs, streamers for trout; warmwater bugs; saltwater; etc. Unique and creative flies have their place - preferably on a website FOTW or similar, in someones display case or maybe even in the originators flybox. I just don’t think they belong in swaps unless the theme is tye your own ‘Original Fly Pattern’. That’s just my humble opinion.
Anyway, I hope you guys reconsider your self imposed refrain from swaps. I’ve seen most of your work and swapped with many of you. (Check my username from years ago. Maybe you have some of my flies?) You’re too good to sit on the sideline, so-to-speak. Well, when the cooler weather hits and you dust off your tying benches and get back into the mood I hope you all get involved in a swap or two.
Just my thoughts.
Allan (tyeflies)
There is also the possibility that most are hanging on to their fly tying hackle, instead of using it for swaps, for their own personal use flies since the beauty shops and those who are trying to “get rich quick” by buying up all the hackle thay can to sell for “big bucks” to the beauty salons. It is a crying shame how many vendors’ Web sites state: “Sold out at this time until new inventory is received”. I understand that the beauty shops are now trying to purchase our “flash-a-bou” and tinsel to put in the hair with the hackle. Fortunately, from what I have been told, our flash and tinsel will not withstand the 400 degree + heat that the salons need to use curling irons on it. Pray this fad dies soon…
I was into it pretty heavy for quite a while. I got out of it for a couple of reasons. First, drop outs and late tyers were getting to be a chronic problem. So I tightened up the rules on deadlines and was declared a nazi. Gotta love bulletin boards sometimes! 
Secondly, I have more flies that I’ll ever fish with. I’ve given away at least half and still have thousands. Here’s some of my storage flies. It is about half of what I have in reserve. It is a gallon ziplock filled to bulging. Friends and new fly fishermen usually leave well stocked.
