Besides that, each of us have different motivations for tying flies. For me it is primarily to catch fish, and I look out for swaps that are likely to harvest another fisherman's "goto fly". A simple tie with excellent fish catching ability is my perfect fly, and the one I am excited to get, not the one that takes an hour to tie!
But I think those who enjoy that kind of effort are perfectly justified in pursuing it. Who knows, I might some day. But until then I won't join swaps where those kinds of flies are likely to be expected.
In my first mega-caddis swap I tied a simple caddis larvae fly that has caught a lot of fish for me. But in the second swap Byard "outlawed" such flies so I tied a more complicated parachute caddis pattern that I found "Trout Flies of the West", of book of favorite guide and fly shop patterns. It was pretty and had a good pedigree, but I have never caught a fish with it. So which was the more valuable fly?
I am sure Don had no intention of offending beginners. He has probably spent more time answering beginners questions than anyone on this list. This is no small task, I have been on this list for many years and know how often the same topics appear as a new fly fisherman, eager to learn about the sport comes aboard and asks questions that have been asked many times before. Don is usually one of the first to reply.
So to all beginners out there, we are on your side! We were all beginners once and asked the same questions and made the same mistakes.
Besides that, I am sure Byard LOVES beginners, because they are the ones that will have the most shopping to do as they acquire skills and materials
Tom Davenport.
On Nov 20, 2004, at 6:30 PM, Joyce's crafts and flies wrote:
I, for one, think that any fly tied by anyone, even beginners, is worthy of my time in a swap and I am happy to get it. Each of us, at one time in our lives, was a beginner..and our flies turned out, sometimes, not to the best of standards nor, for that matter, to our liking. SO as for me..I welcome all beginners in all swaps and have found that many times, even the "simple" patters have great application for real life fishing. Count me as one who wants and welcomes all people in all swaps. BTW..I hope not to ever enter a swap where I have to take 2 hours to tie a fly..I'm not a salmon fly tier for this very reason...too time consuming. Joyce
Tom Davenport
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