What do you do with the old not used patterns?

[jclampwork88]

As winter time is upon us and we find shelter inside. I find that I will tie more flies so that I fill my boxes. This is also the time that I look at what I have fished with over the season and to try new things. I have started a box that I don’t carry but I always keep in my truck when I fish. It is full of patterns that I have tried over the years and either haven’t worked or worked for a short time and then went cold. This box consists of flies of every sort and size. Streamers and nymphs find a home next to each other not being separated like in my other boxes.
When a bad day of fishing has kicked my butt and nothing will bite. I will go to the truck and grab a quick something to eat and grab this box. Multiple times during my fishing and tying lifespan this box has saved me from being skunked. The title of this box is affectionately called “What the H*** Box”. I figure “what the h***, I might as well try these”.

What do you do?


John

[Auntie Em]

Between giving flies away, stream side, and the trees behind me, I rarely have flies left over to put in boxes! Even with tying hundreds and hundreds of flies each year, the out going is higher than the in coming. May it always be so!!

[KRD]

If I tie a bunch of patterns that did not work out well for me I usally give them to friends.

[MikeG]

I sell them on ebay or other forums. You be surprised by what some people buy.

[jclampwork88]

Originally Posted by KRD

If I tie a bunch of patterns that did not work out well for me I usally give them to friends.

I call that a buddy box. I have one of those to. The first fly I tie in a session usually goes to that box. It takes me a couple to get into the pattern again. Then the next 15 or so are good.

John

[jclampwork88]

Originally Posted by MikeG

I sell them on ebay or other forums. You be surprised by what some people buy.

So your the one that I see on there? J/K I've bought a couple sets off of E-bay but they are normally something I know will work.

John

[jclampwork88]

Originally Posted by Auntie Em

Between giving flies away, stream side, and the trees behind me, I rarely have flies left over to put in boxes! Even with tying hundreds and hundreds of flies each year, the out going is higher than the in coming. May it always be so!!

I wish that was the case for me this year. With the new baby, my fishing time has dropped off a little, but the tyign time has increased because my wife works swing shift so I have prenty of time while the baby sleeps

John

[FlyGal]

I've got a few young student anglers who always need some extra flies, so I usually tuck them into a separate plano box and let them pick from it.

It's not so much as the flies that don't work but more the flies I could not figure out how to fish.

When the kids get a hold of them they catch fish with them, more power to them!

[Whizzer]

i do about the same as you, but i try to make it a point to put one or two of those flies on my vest patch and use them when i hit the water. i have a tendency to use the same patterns over and over and i know that doesn't help my catch rate. my presentation of some patterns suffers as well. crayfish, woolies, and small streamers are some of the residents of this "off box"

steve

[Joni]

I have little hook boxes all over the place filled with BAD flies (LOL) I keep saying I will strip the hook and tie a fly that is proven, but to this date, there still all these little hook boxes filled with BAD flies.

I do know I come up with pattern that just kills the fish, then the next year I find a new pattern that does really well, but like John mentioned, I still pack these last years model incase the new don't produce.


Great topic!