box filling exercise; it is an enjoyable hobby in itself that just happens to make you a better fisherman whilst ensuring that when you do eventually meet the Swedish un- der twenty-one ladies fly fishing team, you'll have at least have something to im- press them with.
You may not agree with me now, but you will fall for the salesman's puppy dog eye routine as he hands you that box of dubbing with the familiar "that's the good stuff that is" as he precedes - unopposed - to fill your basket and empty your wallet. You may not even need the encouragement; do you know how many £1, £2 and £3 items you can find in the average fly tying section, how many feathers on a dry fly cape? Need I say more? The pure fact that you could fill a wardrobe to within burst- ing point with items costing no more than £3 gives you artistic licence to buy as much as possible. So what if this in for a penny out with a wheelbarrow philosophy forces you to re-think you credit situation? Tipping a big brown paper bag full of end- less possibilities out onto your desk is great fun and should be sought after at all costs. I know I'm probably going to start contradicting myself but a little while ago I spoke of taking fly tying in whatever direction you please upon finding your feet and I still maintain that position. So what if your marriage falls apart or your girlfriend runs off with a casting instructor; lap dancers aren't that expensive.
Why put this in now? I had planned to get started this week but felt I had to reiterate on the why and the wherefore a little more. Why? Well I'm in a rather odd mood as of late, curious discomfort I think they call it, when your behaviour begins to contra- dict your mind. I've tied as few flies as I can ever remember; I even had a couple of commercial patterns in box (shock horror) and despite trying I just couldn't get into it. I've had batches to do for people on several occasions and it took a surprisingly long time to dawn on me that I've been inadvertently treating it like a job, the com- plete opposite of my primary reason for doing it in the first place.
I hate tying in batches, I know most recommend it but I just lose the will to live after tying two dozen of the same thing for people who lose them in trees anyway. I'd rather have ten new ideas than twenty of the same thing, don't get me wrong it has been one of my main ambitions in life to fill one of those quadruple tier, six foot high fly boxes with every size and colour of every fly I'd ever need but I never seem to get past anymore that about six before I have a new idea. Ok I know, it does have its disadvantages such as running out or when you do finally make that killer fly, but that's living on the edge for you. The formula will be set in your mind and eventually, by working in this contemplative manner, you'll start to realise that genuine satisfac- tion comes through cocking up everything else before hand.
So I'm going to leave it at that – it's not textbook stuff so if I fail to return next Thurs- day I'll probably be bound and gagged, locked in the basement of the fly dressers guild main headquarters.
Ben Spinks studies fishery science, "I have to complete 3 environmental survey reports, 2 netting operations, 4 exams and a seminar on lake restoration. This is insane, I only went to uni for sex, drugs, rock and roll and sex" and is our flytying moderator on the bulletin board. He also ties a mean fly... so what are you waiting for, ladies?
http://www.sexyloops.com I Shoot and Fish E-Zine March 2012 71
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78