On Mon, 18 Oct 2004 18:04:28 +0100, "riverman"
wrote...:

How much of your tying time do you spend inventing flies, modifying flies
you invented vs. trying to make nice replicas of known patterns?

Too much... but I have a lot of superfluous materials I'm trying to
justify. :-)

I like tying the standards, mostly because I feel like it removes one
variable from the game (like; will this actually catch fish?), but on the
other hand, its much more fun to just try things on my own. For example, the
other day I was making some Baetis Nymphs, and didn't have the right stuff
for the backs, so I used some brown chenille and trimmed it down with my
scissors. Eventually, I was doing all sorts of creative things, and SWMBO
looked over my shoulder and commented that they didn't look at all like the
pictures in the book...

I have no idea who SWMBO is. However, they don't think or eat like a
fish, so...

You do your thing... I bet it works better than sticking the book on a
hook and dunking it! Anyway... how many books can come up with a
definitive pattern? What? did I hear those 3 little words? BWO?


John
"When the only tool you own is a hammer, every problem begins to resemble a nail."
-- Abraham Maslow