# Do you want a Fly Tying discussion board?



## RnF (Sep 25, 2007)

I want to throw a couple questions out for discussion.

Would you like to have a discussion board dedicated for Fly Tying?
Would you also like to to see a Fly Pattern Archive (with pictures) put together here?

If there is enough support for this, these _could_ become a reality. I can't promise anything though. I personally would like to see both of these additions to these forums. What do you think?

Thanks

RnF


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## ScottyP (Sep 12, 2007)

I voted to leave things be. I don't think there are enough of us to make it happen and it would be a dead spot in the forum. The ffing board gets less traffic than most of the other categories as it is and dividing it up further would make it worse.


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## RnF (Sep 25, 2007)

ScottyP said:


> I voted to leave things be. I don't think there are enough of us to make it happen and it would be a dead spot in the forum. The ffing board gets less traffic than most of the other categories as it is and dividing it up further would make it worse.


This is a concern of what the moderators told me, and I think it is legit. How would you feel about just making a fly pattern archive? Would this be a waste of space as well?


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## Useta (Dec 27, 2007)

Hey folks! I'm new to the site, and feel like I'm not in any position to influence things either way. I'm also from out of state, and haven't got a feel for things here yet. It's been mentioned that there aren't many fly fishermen here. Is it because it's a new board, or because it's so diversified with other interests, instead of a stand alone board? As my screen name implies, I used to do a lot of things that I don't do any more, because I'm no spring chicken any more. I do enjoy fishing and fly tying very much, even though I confine myself to more readily accessible waters and milder methods than in younger days. My feeling about the obove question, is that you can't have too many resources for fly patterns and methods, but if it jeopardizes the board in any way, I would withdraw my vote to add an archive. Looking foreward to checking in regularly, to see what's up.


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## ScottyP (Sep 12, 2007)

RnF said:


> How would you feel about just making a fly pattern archive? Would this be a waste of space as well?


What do you have in mind?


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## Tony (Dec 28, 2007)

I think a fly tying discussion board would be cool. Most people arent going to give up their killer patterns, but help with the standby and traditional flies we all seem to fish would be great. My fishing has rotated 180 degrees within the last year with taking up tying. Every trip now is basically just research and development, and if there's more people out there like me, I'm sure there are some patterns that 99% of the fish we pursue have not seen. I for one like to stack the odds in my favor while fishing, and with a discussion board, it would stack the odds in everyones favor. I always enjoy picking other people's brains.


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## Rocki (Nov 10, 2007)

I think it is a great idea. I know I would contribute to it.


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## Tyson (Dec 27, 2007)

Rocki said:


> I think it is a great idea. I know I would contribute to it.


Same here. Let's do it!


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## Petersen (Sep 7, 2007)

There's a delicate balance between a too crowded, noisy party and spreading it out so thin that the action disappears. Right now, the participation level in the fly fishing forum is doing pretty well and seems to be increasing, but it's still nowhere nearly as busy as some of the other forums here.

I'm inclined to head the development of this Web site in whatever direction the interest and participation level seems to dictate. If there is lots of interest in a special fly tying forum, we can certainly create one, but I'm skeptical. I mean, we really haven't had many discussions here on it so far — at least not enough to make me think that there's an untapped pool of interest out there.

In the past week, I've had requests to create a trapping forum, an ice fishing forum, a geocaching forum, and introductions forum and, within the past hour, a boating forum. This Web site is a general interest outdoor/wildife site, and all of these subjects would be great additions here, but... 

It all comes back to that question of just how thin do we want to spread this party. I've paid a great deal of attention to other forums on the Internet that have succumbed to creating dozens of forums, only to have the discussions and the community spread too thin to hold everything together into a consistently interesting and active board. I don't want that to happen here.

If we did decide to create this special fly tying forum or archive, I'd want to start out making it just a subsection of the flyfishing forum. If the interest turned out to be there in terms of dozens of posts per day, sure, I'd be more than happy to elevate it to full forum status, but like I've already said, I'm skeptical if not downright doubtful that it would turn out that way. I've also talked this over with the forum moderators, and they share my reservations (and they're all smarter than I am).

My mind is open on this, though — we're all in favor of whatever works here. :wink: 

Petersen


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## Pez Gallo (Dec 27, 2007)

A fly tying archive would be a great addition. a set of step by step instruction on various patterns. It could be built over time to be quite impressive.


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## Jitterbug (Sep 10, 2007)

Petersen said:


> If we did decide to create this special fly tying forum or archive, I'd want to start out making it just a subsection of the flyfishing forum.


If you're going to do it I think that would be the perfect way to go about it. And I would leave it as a sub forum since fly tying really does go hand in hand with fly fishing... right?


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## RnF (Sep 25, 2007)

Jitterbug said:


> Petersen said:
> 
> 
> > If we did decide to create this special fly tying forum or archive, I'd want to start out making it just a subsection of the flyfishing forum.
> ...


I am ok with this. In fact, after reading everyones posts, I think the Fly Fishing board can be and should be the only board for discussion on all fronts of fly fishing and fly tying etc on these forums. No need to spread things thin. I agree with that. Just keep all discussion in one place. Keep it simple. I do like the flow of the forums as is, and I don't want to mess that up.

Creating a pattern archive would be a welcome addition to the forum however. This wouldn't risk spreading the forum any thinner. It will enhance the fly fishing board. The fly pattern archive should be a read only, no posts allowed area, just a list of patterns, photos, and instructions that people can browse. If a member wants to add a pattern, they must submit it to a fly pattern archive manager/moderator. Then they are ones to post the pattern/info. This will keep bogus flies from getting posted and help to keep things organized and clean.

For this to be successful, it needs to be easy for patterns to get submitted and get them posted. I have seen a lot of archives become stale because it is a pain to get a fly pattern into it.



ScottyP said:


> RnF said:
> 
> 
> > How would you feel about just making a fly pattern archive? Would this be a waste of space as well?
> ...


Basically have a sub board in the fly fishing board. Outlined like this.

*FLY FISHING*

*FLY PATTERN ARCHIVES*
-Dry Flies
-Nymphs
-Emergers
-Terrestrials
-Soft Hackle/Wetflies
-Still Water
-Streamers
-Fly Swaps (after a fly swap is completed, post pics and recipes of the flies here, nothing else)

All we would do to add a fly pattern is to create a new thread within the appropriate Sub Board, attach the photo of the fly and then type in any pertinent info such as the recipe, or tying instructions.

Don't think we need to do much more than that right now. Hope this makes sense.



Useta said:


> Hey folks! I'm new to the site, and feel like I'm not in any position to influence things either way. I'm also from out of state, and haven't got a feel for things here yet. It's been mentioned that there aren't many fly fishermen here. *Is it because it's a new board*, or because it's so diversified with other interests, instead of a stand alone board?
> 
> ...My feeling about the obove question, is that *you can't have too many resources for fly patterns and methods*, but if it jeopardizes the board in any way, I would withdraw my vote to add an archive. Looking foreward to checking in regularly, to see what's up.


Good to have you here Useta. Yes, this site is fairly new, just a few months. It was created after the DWR forums were shut down.

I agree about how you can't have too many resources for fly patterns. It is always good to see how others tie, what techniques they use etc. I am sure you could teach us all few tricks.

Thanks to all for the feed back so far, keep it coming. Also would like to welcome those who have just joined the forums. Welcome aboard.


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## Jitterbug (Sep 10, 2007)

RnF -- I think that sounds good! I gotta say though... I think you're setting yourself up to become a mod!


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## RnF (Sep 25, 2007)

Jitterbug said:


> RnF -- I think that sounds good! I gotta say though... I think you're setting yourself up to become a mod!


 _O\ lol, Don't think I would ever want to become a moderator, I would probably end up banning myself on accident.

I would however be more than happy to manage the fly pattern archives if it was to ever go live. Two entirely different things. :wink:


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## HighNDry (Dec 26, 2007)

I say leave it as is. You can discuss fly tying in the fly fishing section just fine. Flies are flies are flies, you can see pictures of them on the net all over the place. If someone has something they think is special, it will just get ripped on by someone who feel they tied the same fly back in 1906. I think if people are interested in showing their fly patterns it can be emailed to those who are interested. That way it doesn't cost the operators of the site more money for bandwidth etc.


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## Jitterbug (Sep 10, 2007)

HighNDry said:


> I say leave it as is. You can discuss fly tying in the fly fishing section just fine. Flies are flies are flies, you can see pictures of them on the net all over the place. If someone has something they think is special, it will just get ripped on by someone who feel they tied the same fly back in 1906. I think if people are interested in showing their fly patterns it can be emailed to those who are interested. That way it doesn't cost the operators of the site more money for bandwidth etc.


Honestly, I agree with you about keeping discussion about fly tying in the fly fishing forum but it really doesn't matter much to me... either way I'm going to contribute when I can. As for the pattern archive I think its a great idea (can you ever really have enough resources  )! Bandwidth does not appear to be an issue as far as I can tell. The most people on these boards at one time has only been 69 people and I doubt that even scratches the surface on the bandwidth allocation. If bandwidth is a concern we could always open a photobucket account dedicated to this site.


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## mr_sweeten (Nov 13, 2007)

I'm all for it, for my own reasons-

I just got a fly tying kit for Christmas, and I've been interested in tying for a long time.
Though I'm obviously inexperienced in the tying aspect, I have paid fairly close attention to entomology and annual hatch patterns for years- it's something I find fascinating.
This would, I believe, prove to be a very fruitful endeavor for individuals such as myself whom would like the opportunity to learn from more experienced flyfishermen. Which patterns work around here? Where? Why can't I get the hackle right on this pattern? How come my dope doesn't work? what color of bead should I use on my Hare's Ear nymph? Etc, etc.
sure, I understand that part of the fun of tying is trial and error. I enjoy sitting at my bench for hours perfecting a pattern- it keeps me out of the bars on Friday night (which my girl DEFINITELY appreciates), but it would be nice to direct those energies at patterns that will actually catch fish, rather than just look purty in my fly wallet.
Also, I'm aware that not all fly fishermen hunt- I do.
In return, I'd be more than happy to offer my own services as a resource for materials. Hair, feathers, etc.
At the moment I've got Cottontail, Elk and Squirrel hides that are languishing in a box, because I haven't had a need for them yet. Also a few Pheasant tailfeathers and such. I definitely intend to go out hunting again before I need them, so the supply is likely to be replenished sooner than later. 
An archive would be, obviously, very useful as well.
Just my thoughts on the subject.


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