Why the First?

[tie2fish]

Although it would seem logical to expect that the more flies one tied of a given pattern, the better the subsequent dressings would be, right? Well, for reasons that escape me, more often than not the very first fly that I tie of a pattern is the best out of the next half dozen or so. Eventually they improve, looking more like the first one, but this seems weird to me. Does anyone else have this happen? More to the point, does anyone have an explanation for why it happens?

[michaelgmcgraw]

The first couple flies are tyed when I'm mentally fresh. In my case I start racing thru them til I hit a snag, look at the last few flies say oops! then pay closer attention to my work & tighten things up a bit.

[letumgo]

That's funny, it's takes me a few flies to get them dialed in to make me happy. This is especially true when I am "doodling at the vice". I sometimes sit and play with different ideas to see what looks interesting, or if one technique gives better results. I also find it takes a few attempts to learn how to work with a new material. Each material behaves differently and requires some experimentation to develop an understanding of how to work with it. Natural materials (feathers and fur dubbings) have a wide range of textures. Synthetic materials can be course and slippery. For me, that is all part of the fun. I have a large collection of the rejects stuck in a piece of foam over my desk. They are an odd collection.

[tie2fish]

I have a large collection of the rejects stuck in a piece of foam over my desk. They are an odd collection.Ray (letumgo)----<°))))))><
http://www.flytyingforum.com/index.php? ... er=letumgo

One of these days I'll take a picture of my "reject" collection and post it. It covers the top of a bookcase that is within tossing range of my vise ...

[William Anderson]

This is funny that you brought this up. I just sent a PM to Hank saying that during a swap I call the first 5-6 burners...meaning they build up to the fly that get's all the turns correct, the set, the proportions, etc. Number 7 might be my best and then all the remaining never quite catch up to that one. The first 5-6 go in the fly box, and then i'm all good to send off the rest.

The next thing he posted was the he had to reevaluate the first several and is very happy with the way the remainder are going. Great for you, Hank. That's just part of the process....except for Bill. He just shxts golden eggs on his first attempt. What can you say, the man is gifted. (no sarcasm in the least. He's very talented.)

Bill mentioned he has a huge collection of "reject" flies. For me, I have boxes of flies that I tied during the first 4-5 years...that aren't up to snuff. I just keep them around...some are in my boxes, because they work just fine, others are just around to remind me how far I've come.

w

[Old Hat]

You guys can sit and tie a half dozen of the same pattern? I can rarely get out three of the same pattern. I always have the desire to tweak the pattern just a bit.

Honestly though, I'm usually happy with the pattern by the 3rd or 4th fly.

tie2fish - I know what you mean about the reject box. I have more fishable flies lying around that have never made it into a box than I can count. I finally bought a plastic plano box with compartments. I have a fly fishing 4-H club that I lead and designated that as the 4-H fly box. I take it on our outings and let the kids have at it. During fly tying meetings, they can swap flies that they tie with ones in the box if they want. It has seemed to organize the extras a bit but definitely hasn't lessened the amount. I'm beginning to think I'm a reject factory.

It's funny though, when I first started tying flies when I was in college, those years and bad decision making skills well behind me, the best fishing flies were the ugliest and usually were tied around the 4th beer, give or take a couple, or several.

Carl

[willowhead]

i've had that exact same thing happen to me countless times Bill.....and it usually happened when i was just tying somethin' (a "pattern"), i had never tyed before, just to see how it would come out.....and the first one would come out great and then downhill from there.....(because i had "done it").....and i know why. i was excited and "happy" to be learning.....thrilled with the "idea" of a new "pattern." But, as soon as i had pleased myself.....i lost my appetite for it. It was like an instant, "been there, done that" type a deal. Nothin' left to prove........
Now on the other hand, when i knew i "had" to get a dozen or two finished to fill an order, or for a swap, or whatever.....then like most of us, it often takes 2/3/4 before i hit my stride and they start "clickin'." i usually just give "warm-up" flies away. And if it's for a swap........they always get thrown in with the extras for the swapmeister.

[redietz]

For me, the first one of a given pattern never comes out right. This is especially true of a pattern I've never tied before, but even it's something that I've tied in hundreds before, but not recently, the first one or two give me fits. It may be that I forget the proportions, or the materials are just a bit different than I've been working with recently and I forget the "tricks" for using that material, or whatever.

The "different materials" problem bothers me especially with dubbing, and hackles. If I've been tying with muskrat dubbing (for example), the first fly or two if I switch to a synthetic, the first fly or two will come out with a lumpy body. When I've been winding partridge hackle, if I switch to starling, I will break the first couple that I try to wrap.

I'm sure, though, that if I ever got one right on the first fly, they would all be downhill from there.