2017 Fly Tying Resolution

'Tis the season for new years resolutions, when people seek change in the hope for the better. I have many new years resolutions, but those do not need to be stated here. However, as for fly tying, my 2017 resolution is to simply expand from the patterns I always tie, and learn new flies and tying methods. For instance, lately I have been tying some comparadun dry flies. This is a tried and true method for tying dry flies, originating much before my time. I can tell you it has been a challenge to learn how to set the deer hair just right. But this is exactly what I am looking to do this new year. Challenge myself. Push myself to try more difficult patterns, and not just rely on the basic flies I always tie. Yes they catch fish, but tying the same thing over and over can get boring. Besides, I have a copious amount of material that needs to see the light of day. It seems a lot of my tying material just sits there and doesn't get a date with the hook. I hope to change that this upcoming year. I know that by challenging myself my tying will improve. Stay tuned for more patterns.

2017 Goals:

- Get better with deer hair (tie some deer hair bass bugs and streamers).
- Change up the standard material for a particular fly with a different material.
- Learn how to tie a wally wing
- Tie a dragonfly
- Develop/create my own flies.
- Tie older classic fly patterns.
- Develop a fly that will entice wipers
- Work on dry flies! Mainly parachute posts and wrapping hackle.
- When tying streamers,working on not putting loads of material on a hook.
- Finally, a few basics: Less thread wraps and crowding the eye. Fly proportions.

Here's to 2017, the year my fly tying will reach a new level.