There was a degree the place I tied flies religiously. 4 or 5 nights every week, week after week, 12 months after 12 months, I spun out sufficient flies to virtually make the entire thing cost-effective. The issue was that after I crammed my bins with the go-to patterns, I’d browse YouTube and Instagram for brand spanking new concepts. At one level, I believe I had a dozen various kinds of mayfly emergers in my field, in all probability as many variations on the caddis, and loads of odd experiments that hardly ever made it onto my chief.
It’s not a nasty factor to have loads of flies. I’d fairly have greater than I want than not sufficient. Prior to now few years, although, my tying has slowed down considerably. I taught highschool English from 2022-2024, and that’s when my tying time nearly vanished. I’d come dwelling from work too drained to do something aside from eat, play with the canine, and speak to my spouse.
I’ve tied in matches and begins since then, often solely earlier than huge journeys, or once I’m fully out of the naked necessities. I’ve purchased extra flies up to now two years than I ever have (I grew up in a household of fly tiers, so I hardly ever purchased any when studying to fish), and it’s felt—nicely, odd, to make use of so many flies I didn’t tie. Virtually like I swiped another person’s pockets.
The upside is that I’ve significantly pared down my fly choice. (Fly store flies ain’t low cost.) The place I beforehand used a dozen emerger patterns, I now have three. A number of the flashy caddisflies are tempting, however I persist with two elk-hair varieties, and catch sufficient fish to remain completely happy.
The issue is, as soon as issues thaw out round right here (it was -18F final week, and it received’t get above single digits till Thursday), I do know I don’t have sufficient flies to make the most of the spring season that’s quick approaching.
My bins are a tragic sight proper now, particularly with the primary blue-wing hatches proper across the nook. I’m out of emergers, dimension 16 Adamses, and right down to my final half-dozen Zebra Midges. I believe I’ve one Elk-Hair Caddis, just a few Frenchies, however I don’t have any Pat’s Rubberlegs. I do know I’ve two scuds, as a result of I purchased some the final time I went fishing.
It’s virtually like I’ve burned out on tying flies. It’s not that I dislike it, nevertheless it’s turn out to be extra of a chore than a inventive outlet. I used to get pleasure from stacking elk hair, spinning dubbing, and wrapping hackle. Even with a brand new tying bench, chair, and gentle, I’m having a tough time discovering the motivation to tie.
Have you ever ever felt like this? What did you do to interrupt out of the funk? I’d love to listen to some dialogue, and hopefully some concepts to inspire me earlier than spring fishing is absolutely upon us.
