Ima, <Thank you for offering help. Also what is a swap flies?>
'Swap-flies' are nothing more than regular flies, tied for a 'Swap', which can be announced by anyone, who then will be the 'Meister Of The Swap'. He can post and say, for example: Is there any interest for a Dry Fly Swap (most swaps have some sort of "theme")? I want 15 (or whatever he decides) participants and the due date will be the 1st of November (or whatever he decides). So, 15 guys (any guys) participate and if you want to be one of them, you will: 1:...post and say you want in. 2:...wait for the Meister to say GO. Then you will: 1:...tie 15 (amount=number of participants) dry flies of the same pattern (of your own choice). 2:...put them in a crush-proof box, put the box into a self addressed and port paid envelope, put that envelope in another envelope... and send this to the Swap Meister, before the due date. 3:...(optional, but a nice gesture) include a few other flies or some other little gift to the Meister... for his efforts. He will then, when he has got all the flies have arrived, distribute these. You'll get back 15 different flies, one from each participant... and each participant will get one of yours. Is there a better way to share flies and new ideas? Note that these flies will come in the same box that you sent them in, so there's no reason to take chances and send them in a "semi-sturdy" paper toothpick box. (VFB members: Fill me in if I forgot something.) So, you see... Swap-flies aren't different from any other flies. A swap doesn't even have to be about flies. You might have seen that there's a Material Swap coming up. There have also been Hook Swaps and Mess Swaps. In the Mess Swap, each participant take a picture of his tying bench and send it to the Meister. He puts them all together into a *.pdf file and then you will see that there's no need to tidy up your own bench. Even the pro's benches can look like "after the war". It's probably a prestige thing. ;o) /Nick
