Brought some new gotcha’s into the world tonight, birthed them from my vice. I continue to amaze myself with my inability to stay focused on tying the same pattern more than once. I started tying some gotcha’s with two-tone bodies… Bonefish Tan/Pearl.
Here’s the thing… I don’t know if there is some reason I shouldn’t do this or if this is a good idea. I don’t have the salt context to evaluate this little tweak. Moreover, I don’t know what situation would prompt me to use these flies as opposed, to, say, a regular tan gotcha. Some day… some day I’ll be able to call upon some on-the-flats experience, some bit of genuine lived-through memory that will inform my choices at the vice. Until then… I’ll tinker.
Some #4 two-tone gotchas
At this rate, I should have about 200 or so flies with me when I finally get back to standing calf deep on a Bahamian flat. I imagine I’ll be paralyzed by indecision. We’ll find out.
- If you liked the story above, check out these stories below
- McVay's Gotcha (1.000)
- Chernobyl Saltwater Flies (0.935)
- Eric's Gotchas (0.935)
Tags: ADD, fly tying, McVay's Gotcha
Hi again Bjorn,
Oh the agonizing decisions we have to make in life!…he he. Be sure not to sell yourself short on any particular specific pattern. I used to do what you’ve been doing. Tying just a vast array of aberational “one-of” patterns then found I’d keep going back to my “go-to” lucky flies. Problem was, once that fly was lost…I’d be lost as what to try next. Endless fly changes and re-tying of tippit materials resulted in less time fishing and subsiquently fewer hookups. Now I tie no less than 6 flies of each pattern/size.
One way to dicipline yourself to the task is to tie a number of flies simultaineously in stages. One major advantage to doing this turned out to be that my fly production went up and there was more consistency in the flies I tied.
Best regards,
Henry
That’s funny. I think I read on whatever board it is that you tie no less than 6 of any pattern. I’ve been trying to do that, setting out 6 hooks, 6 eyes, etc… but then, the bits in-between, I find myself reaching for different materials… wondering “How about calf tail here?” “This would look sweet with a little rabbit strip” or “Those silly legs aren’t going anywhere fast, I should use those.”
Really, what I need to do is cut ALL the pieces for a particular fly. That would both speed up my tying and give me some consistency. I like the look of these two-tone gotcha’s. At least now I have a few of them to throw, should I be so lucky to lose one on a fish.
B-
YOU CANNOT WIN IF YOU NO PLAY TIE IT TRY IT DIE WITHIT
OMG! I do the same thing! I get paralyzed with indecision standing there in front of a flat with a flybox full….