Why Are My Flies Always so Rubbish?!

[marmalade]

At least they catch fish I suppose.. I shall keep at it.

This was a successful variant on the Wiltshire CDC Loop Emerger. I've used a stripped hackle for the body (and forgotten to varnish it). This one is on a 14, but a 12 worked well too..

[AndrewMWalker]

What exactly do you think is wrong with the fly?

Looks OK to me. The head is perhaps a little big, although difficult to say from the angle. I'd always recommend you us the finest thread you can get away with, I tend to use UTC 70 denier for almost everything. It's pretty fine and strong and does not build up too much bulk.

The body looks fine to me. I like the colour change in the hackle stem.

keep at it!

Andy

[ruby pennel595664]

Practice makes perfect as they say but the fly in your photo looks ok to me, much better than my first efforts .

Just because a fly does not look perfect to you does not mean it wont catch fish scruffy flies will often outfish pristine creations, if it looks edible to the fish it will take it.

[Darren Lewis]

Say's who? You? Your opinion doesn't count a jot, it's the fish that decide, and they're taking them, so they're good flies. Everything else like neat heads is vanity and just showing off...welcome to the club!

[marmalade]

I think part of the wiggle is that we have some very good tyers on the forum, so one's own creations have to sit side-by-side with theirs, and the comparison isn't always flattering!

I would heartily disagree that the main point of fly-tying is to catch fish: it's only one of the reasons why we do it.

Tying is an art-form - maybe not the most high-brow - and one of the many artful disciplines that goes into catching a fish.

There are many other reasons to tie flies: it focuses the mind on the science of entymology and helps one learn from observations made on the bankside: it is a creative process that uses ones hands to sculpt objects from the minds eye. For many that is reward enough.

It is also a craft in itself, with techniques that have to be learned, materials that have to be understood and tools that have to be mastered.

Notwithstanding all of that, you don't have to be a master to enjoy it (thankfully) and a hastily tied piece of fluff (of which I have quite a few) that catches fish should not in any way be sneered at.

[Mrtrout]

marmalade, that's a great fly. Beleive me you have no worries, you should see mine.
I know what you mean, I look in other folks boxes and I am ashamed of my efforts, but they catch fish, and we can only get better, Can't we. ?
S.

[marmalade]

Posting this has focused my mind: the reason I have a big problem with the fly is that my only reference is the Dave Wiltshire tying, which was immaculate.

What I haven't seen is the natural: that's what's bugging me - I don't know whether I've tied an effective imitation. I'm off to google images!

[fredaevans]

Originally Posted by Darren Lewis

Say's who? You? Your opinion doesn't count a jot, it's the fish that decide, and they're taking them, so they're good flies. Everything else like neat heads is vanity and just showing off...welcome to the club!

The only 'judge' that counts lives in water.

Fred

[marmalade]

Fred - I disagree! See my second post!

Jeez marmalade have you seen any of mine?.

Maybe you should start a cr@p fly tyer thread to build your confidence up.(or the other thing to do is get Buzz,Scratch, Johnny, Collyer et all put them all together in a room and KILL them. You will be one the best here if we kill enough of them).