To tie or not to tie...

[afishinado]

Interesting article about the benefits and pitfalls of tying your own flies >

https://thecreekcreature.com/why-new-fly-fishermen-should-tie-flies/?fbclid=IwAR3Pp2b3yGmYn3EbkFMu3BTvukmoD4-hUSQHcfLN-L8dstKhOrIuFbrqxqo

 

[melvinp]

Biggest thing about tying can be the addiction after that money doesn’t matter

 

[riverwhy]

I enjoy fly tying at times but am also frustrated by it. I have accumulated tons of materials over the years but never quite have the right thing. The barbules on the hackle are too short for good tails, the yarn for the wooly bugger is too thick or too thin. The comparadun deer hair is too hollow. The patch that is not too hollow is too brittle. The new beads I got are the right size but I can's slide them past the hook bend. I also have gotten materials from animals that were killed but I don't quite know what to do with that huge bag of feathers. How to organize it all and plan what to try and tie from it is overwhelming. I have often just thought about throwing out all my materials and starting over!
For me during the work year (I am a teacher) I just don't have much time. I also have some sleep issues so I don't want to get frustrated right before bed so I usually stick to morning or afternoon during the summers. I also stick to a few patterns I use most often and try to tie as many of the same pattern as I can so by the last few I have figured out how to adjust with the "less-than-perfect" materials and make a decent fly.

Why do I do it? I enjoy giving some to my family and friends and see them catch fish on them!

 

[JerryC]

I'm retired. I have time. There's a pandemic going on and I'm in an at risk group. I have time. Winter's coming on and I'm recovering from a knee "revision" I have time. I haven't gone anywhere in the last 8 months except food shopping and trips to the liquor store. I have money.
Other than that I enjoy tying. I have more flies than I'll ever use in what remains of my life. Right now I'm not tying. I'm revising flies, figure if they can do it to my knee, I can do it with my flies. I'll eventually get around to tying new flies, actually reviving some flies I haven't had in my box in years. I'm a better tyer these days, they caught some fish when I was a bad to mediocre tyer. Now I'm a good to better tyer, who knows what they'll catch me next year.
I've got more materials than I'll ever need, but I keep buying more. I just placed two orders on line in the last two weeks and got two more in the queue, not to mention the gift certificates I'll be getting from my sister for my birthday and Christmas at the local TCO shop. May the Sporting Gentleman rest in peace. Fly tying has helped me keep my sanity the last 8 months, and it will get me through the dark months of winter and pandemic. Keep on tying.

 

[nfrechet]

 

[melvinp]

Had to add it up but I already no(just don’t tell the wife)size 6 4x long woolly bugger better grade hook (25) chenille med,bugger marabou,bugger patch hackle,med wire,bead brass,thread 6/0 no tools no vise no tax for your first 25 woolly buggers 33.53 just off the web pricing and 25 in 1 color