Beginner Tyer Swap Idea ....

[Stagger_Lee]

Seems there are a decent amt of guys who are beginner tyers or maybe it's just that I noticed a few considering I just started. Axel Djs12345 pm’d me with the notion of having a beginner swap and I thought the idea was great. It would be for beginner and advance beginner tyers and a very low pressure situation.

When discussing Dave and I agreed it would a positive way to discipline ourselves to focus in on one pattern and try to get it down pat instead of bouncing around. I can not emphasize enough that this will be very low pressure meaning if u commit and after the 1st round no worries. Also it is important to remember some ties will be better than others. For example I’ve tied a lil for a month and djs over a year. His ties might be better than mine but he likes me so he won’t be po’d! :-D. Think u guys get what I’m saying. We are trying to get as many tyers involved and not be bashful and/or think they can't participate … just look at my scud that brookiechaser told me to slash and burn.

This thread is to get an idea of who would be interested in participating. We also want as many ideas as possible and we can try to decide what will work and what will not. Myself, dj and I expect RCFetter;-) but they have to write “in” in this thread.

Stagger is In

-Beginner and advance beginners welcomed
-Think we should keep it at 6 - 8 participants but open to more depending on interest
-two flies per which means a commitment to 12 - 16 ties
-Month time could work but open to suggestions
-No set “time of year patterns” considering we are all beginners
-U must do a different pattern each time we start another swap
-No pressure and if it isn’t for u, after u commit, no worries

Remember .. this thread is also for ideas and if u do not agree with one of mine and want to discuss I won't be insulted. The idea is to make this as enjoyable as we can for everyone who participates.

All ideas and commits in this thread. Any swapping vets have any ideas for us .. much appreciated but just remember we r beginners and some, like myself, are just starting out.

 

[J55tyger88]

Im in!

 

[delta_dog]

Nice guys! This is an awesome idea! I wish you guys the best of luck. To everyone thinking about joining this, it's a great opportunity to practice your skills and and get some new ideas. I'm really excited to see how this goes. I'm pretty sure Ed is gonna be just as excited as I am.

 

[Stagger_Lee]

DD wrote:

Nice guys! This is an awesome idea! I wish you guys the best of luck. To everyone thinking about joining this, it's a great opportunity to practice your skills and and get some new ideas. I'm really excited to see how this goes.

Credit to Dave but once he pm'd me I was all in. We discussed it ystrday and this evening. This could be really good for us ... fun as well. Hope it goes well and we ad on any and all new tyer's and members once we get it moving.

Stagger Lee - In

J55tyger88 - In


///FYI ... once we get commitments we'll start a new thread for our 1st swap and patterns.

 

[BrookieChaser]

I too think this is a good idea, Stagger and Djs. I don't think there is a better way for y'all to hone your skills than to tie flies. As a bonus, you'll fill your fly box(es) quicker.

 

[Rolf]

I'm in.

 

[djs12354]

I guess I'm in. :lol:

Stags - Thanks for writing up the post to get this from the idea we discussed to an actual "event"/

I've "watched" with interest the swaps that have occurred over the past year or so and have not felt anywhere near ready to participate in any of them.

As I was looking over the number of new-tier posts recently, I thought it might be interesting and a learning experience for those of us new to the tying side of our sport to have an exchange of our own.

Contacted Stagger and, as you can see, he liked the idea. So, reinforce Stag's comments, when we launch this swap these are our thoughts for the "rules"

Please, rookie tiers only. (We do enough damage to our egos on our own.)

Depending on the number of tiers, it will be one or two flies per tier.

We will not request a specific fly or genre as the better tiers do. This is intended to help us focus on our skills and discipline by having to tie more than a couple of flies at a time and to be more consistent on how we turn them out.

Welcome to suggestions on time frame for completion of ties. We're thinking 30 days.

As Andrew said, any advice from swapping vets on how to pull this off will be greatly appreciated!

PS: RCFetter, you will take part of this swap. We now know what you look like!

 

[djs12354]

Stagger_Lee wrote:



Credit to Dave but once he pm'd me I was all in.

I'll take credit for the idea, but give you props for the enthusiasm that will take this from a thought to an event!

 

[Volksnurse]

I'd be willing to sit with any one in my area who wants any help with their chosen pattern...(Andrew). If that's not cheating of course....

 

[mic]

I really like the idea,and would like get in on it.i think it will give me a lot of incentive to practice more.

 

[djs12354]

Volksnurse wrote:
I'd be willing to sit with any one in my area who wants any help with their chosen pattern...(Andrew). If that's not cheating of course....

JT

Others will have to chime in, but since the idea is to help us hone our skills, I don't view this as "Cheating".

Of course, a sixer of Sam Adams would reinforce my stated opinion.
int: int:

 

[lv2nymph]

This a great idea and certainly too long in coming. I too would like to help any tier that's close enough to statecollege for me to assist.

 

[dc410]

Awesome idea Dave and Stagger. I would encourage any new tiers to take advantage of this opportunity and join in. You guys will have a lot of fun through the course of the swap and definitely will hone your skills through repetitive tying of the same pattern. My experience with the swaps that I have participated in has been that I seem to crank it up a notch when I am tying for someone else which makes me want to get better. Good luck with it, I am looking forward to watching this all come together.

 

[Stagger_Lee]

Volksnurse wrote:

I'd be willing to sit with any one in my area who wants any help with their chosen pattern...(Andrew). If that's not cheating of course....

We need to get a time and place btwn us as discussed. I owe u an email anyhow and the spring ales are everywhere.

This is a good idea and should be encouraged. If there is a tyer close to u that is willing to be nice enough and tutor u that is encouraged .... this is the minor leagues and the goal is to get drafted by the majors :lol:

I'm actually gonna use the pattern u and martin taught me ystrday as my first when we get going as everyone says it catches fish. If help is considering "cheating" then cheating is encouraged. We want all of us to get better and get all the help offered.

 

[Stagger_Lee]

Stagger Lee - In

J55tyger88 - In

Djs - In

Rolf - In

mic - in

Question ... how do u guys distribute the ties when u swap? Figuring mail and/or meet up and fish, right?

 

[delta_dog]

All you need to do is after you have enough participants you send out a PM to each person with your name and address and a reminder about the due date. Everyone who sends you flies needs to send you their flies in a box(Altoid tin works great) or a cheap little plastic compartment box. Along with an additional self addressed postage paid envelope for you to send the swap flies back to them. It's that easy. Another tip is to put your name on your box so who ever is mailing out the flies knows who's box is who's and you get your box back. DO NOT BUY A SPECIAL FLY BOX FOR THE SWAP. You won't be happy if it gets lost in the mail. I use an Altoid tin.

 

[phiendWMD]

I would like a spot please.

 

[sipe]

Matt Sipe - IN!

 

[J55tyger88]

This should be very cool. I know when I tie for an occasion, i tend to really focus on the little things like even ribbing wraps, right amount of dubbing, tail lengths and such. I can see this swap being the same for others. Great idea, and thank you!

 

[GenCon]

This is a great idea. Tyger and Mic. you guys do me proud.

GC