Organzing Patterns

[John Dunn]

How do you fellas organize your patterns,. with the hundreds of patterns I have and as I tend to get older. I think it"S time to get patterns organized into some kind of order,for future tying sessions. So far I am able to remember the major components but things like thread types and ribbing and small subtle things about the fly have been misplaced some where in my memory. I was wondering if or how you fellas plan on keeping every thing straight. Do you fellas keep your patterns on computer or on hand written hard book form?

Best
John

[Roy]

size, colour
wet or dry

[Old Hat]

I just keep a simple old paper journal. When I have a consistent proven pattern it gets entered with a little diagram and recipe. For all my creations I just keep a photo database on my computer.

[willowhead]

i just kinna dropped the word, mentality and whole concept of "patterns".....say....10 years ago. When i go fishin'.....my day is already a complete success.....so whatever fish i catch or don't catch, is a six in one, half dozen in the other type a deal....."Catchin'" become less and less and less havin' anything to do with it..........it's always fun of course.....but important.....i think not. When i get to a river.....i "try" not to sweat the small stuff.....and my fly boxes (14 in my vest, and many more in the truck), reflect that.......they're a mess.......exactly how i like them.....
John, downstairs in the fly shop.....(before you go in the tyin' room), we have three fly bins.....they're pretty much the same way.....you find something you like and wanna buy it.....you gotta show it to me, and i'll tell you how much. LOTS of the flies in those bins are just a buck. But there is no labeling as to what's what or anything bout size or whatever.........just LOTS of flies. They are organized in terms of wet and dries, streamers, Steehead, etc., etc.....but that's bout it. See somethin' you want.....just break out the dead presidents. i don't take credit cards.

[DOUGSDEN]

John,
I like this question because it forces me to look over the miriad of boxes I tend to stuff into my thread strained vest every season. I have four wet fly boxes of diff. shapes and sizes. One dedicated to flymphs only...all sizes and colors. One for soft-hackles only. 1 round tin of nothing but tan colored flymphs (my pets and my "go to" pattern that I favor alot) and one that has all the rest of the winged and wingless jewels that encompass both old standard patterns and some of the weird ones that I have created over the years.....the slop-over box as it were. The rest are a genial mix of nymphs, streamers, terrestrials, poppers, hoppers, belly floppers and only two types of drys. The famous and fun to tie Adams and Mr. Al Troths elk hair caddis. What a dandy pattern esp. when the caddis are flitting about here and there!
John, I don't think I have begun to answer your question. Here goes....alot of little boxes distributed over some pretty large real estate on my chest and belly. Is there room for more?
Maybe, but the seams on my vest are starting to complain!
Dougsden .....with a round belly which doesn't help matters at all!

[hankaye]

John Dunn, Howdy;

Fine question, as a raw beginner to this style of fishing I think I'll follow this thread closely to get some ideas of a good way to deal with that.
As it is I have a card with 32 flys that I received with a rod I boughr from Cabela's. I had to keep them on there and did the annotating of what is what so I'll know what it is I'm tying on.

Edit;
My last sentence makes it sound like I've been just tieing on any old thing to see what happens. Guess what... I was!
If I were spin fishin' I'd know what I wanted to use. In the relm of the fly I haven't the remotest clue as to what what is nor do I have any clue as to what to do with whatever "IT" is. Haven't got close to baby-steps yet still crawlin' along on dirty knees 'n hands.
As Dean Martin used ta say when he'd close his show..."Keep those cards an letters commin'..."

[kanutripr]

OK, this is how I do it. First I tie a bunch of flies, then I go fishing, then I sort the flies that caught fish from the flies that didn't catch fish. Then I put the ones that didn't catch fish in my husband's fly box and put the others back in mine. I also give him the ones that are too ugly for me to admit I tied them, he never remembers where he got them from so I just tell him they were from Canadian Tire.

Oh. You guys aren't going to tell him I said this are you?


Vicki

[willowhead]

NOT if you pay me not to.

Listen baby....."Only the birds sing (or in this case, not sing) for free."

[John Dunn]

Hi All
I guess I'm most like DOUGSDEN, I just learned to change photos to 24 bit, so I can post them to Microsoft program, so I will be able to post hook type and materials. To let you in on reason for post, I could not find the right hook for a certain pattern.

Regards
John