Like most tiers I've met, I have a lot of stuff ( materials) that seldom if
ever gets used. Space available for extras in my 'tying room' ( travel
trailer ) will be limited next season as my wife retires, travels with me
part of the time and we find out if she likes the life or not before
investing in a bigger rig more suitable for two and 'full time' living.

So I've been starting by tying up medium sized quanities of patterns I use,
but not often. That way the materials used ONLY for them can get left at
home. Heah, it's a start G

But the real challenge is to decide which of the seldom/ never used but cool
looking materials to leave behind ( or simply ashcan/ give away ). For
instance, I have 4 or 5 different furs died to nearly identical colors ...
and in several colors, of course

Can anyone tell me why I might want to use Angora Goat, or Australian
Opposum, instead of rabbit or hares ear in exactly the same color? The
texture differences are there but, to be honest, I don't know what value
they might have. I don't fish nymphs much and certainly don't need to
stock many 'wet fly' materials, but which ones ???? G


I have set the goal of reducing my 'traveling materials" down to 1/3 the
volume of years past. That shouldn't be difficult, since what I actually
use, over and over all summer is a very small number of materials. But
then why am I so relcutant to take out stuff I've never used since the week
I bought it, maybe 15 years ago ?