FLYMPH FORUM

Gentlemen,
Here's a dandy question for you this evening. Even though I enjoy tying and fishing wingless
wet flys (flymphs), I also enjoy tying and fishing other types of flies too such as nymphs (yes, weighted) and streamers and the occasional sorted affair with a cork popper or deer hair bug.
My most favorite patterns are flymphs without any doubt. Whilst reviewing a box of Dave Whitlock Fox Squirrel nymphs, I started culling out those patterns which, to me, just didn't make the grade as far as appearance or composition (too many deviations from the orig. receipe.) Am I too much of a perfectionist? Perhaps. I just wanted to have a box of fox sq. nymphs when I was done as close to the orig. receipe as possible. When I got done, I had only a fraction of the patterns as when I started. But, I couldn't help but think of the phrase "less is more". I now have about 1 1/2 doz. to tie to fill up the box to a reasonable level. When finished (if there is such a thing), I will have about 5-6 varieties found mostly in diff. hook shapes and of course sizes. Still way less than when I started. I use this process on other boxes in my vest but not quite to the extent that I did on this one.
Does anyone else suffer from this particular mental illnes? By the way, I did not throw or give away the "culls" just yet. They are perfectly fishable and have done good service for me in the past. Let me know your thoughts!
Dougsden

If you looked in my fly boxes, you would see that I tend to be on the other end of the spectrum. I have lots and lots of variations and only a few copies of each pattern. That is not necessarily a good thing, it is just an indication of the way I tye and fish. I like switching things up and experimenting. Then again, there are some patterns that I try to keep restocking because they work so well.

I would say I have some staple patterns that I always have in my boxes. Some just work good most of the time. If I didn't tie my own flies, I would no doubt use just a few main patterns. I would try some new ones from time to time, but why bother.

But for me, I tie quite a bit, and honestly, it gets old for me to tie 30,000 hare's soft hackles. (if I had to choose one pattern it would be that one). I have my fly boxes with my "good" flies, then I have my boxes/containers with all the rest of the crap I have tied up. I even have a grab bag full of 500+ random fly patterns for those just "in case" moments I have nothing else that works.

One thing I have noticed over the years though, is that the same pattern doesn't always work on a particular given river. I have had many flies kill one year and the next the fish won't even sniff at. So that is another reason I am always tying up new patterns, and tweaking existing ones. Fooling fish doesn't have to be so complicated, but I tend to make it so.. by choice of course.

I am a tyer whose vest is filled with the "more is more" philosophy when I go out to try and match the hatch especially in a new place. Like letumgo lots of those variations came from time on the water and fish can change preferences. If I have zeroed in on a hatch, I may fish multiple fly casts with some minor variations of the same bug and note many times the change in fishes' moods toward the fly with nothing more than a passing cloud's effect on tinsel preference in the tie.

I also try to let the fish cull my patterns rather than making the cut based on my preference. If i tie it and it isn't quite "picture perfect" it goes on the end of the row in the box as a sacrificial tie ment to push the limit of casting into harm's way in a difficult lie. I often know there has to be a fish in that brushpile across the river sweeping into the logs and I never mind putting one of those "culls" on before the other "better flies" in the box. And many time like LaFontaine said "Ugly is better".