Weekly tying contest

[Mr.Smith]

OK guys & gals we are going to try something new. On Wednesday evening at 7:00 pm I will start a thread and announce this weeks pattern. The rules are as follows:

Rules.
1. Wednesday nights at 7:00 pm
2. 2 hours to tie and post pictures (9:00 pm)
3. No sign up, just check to see what the pattern is and post before 9:00 pm. Anybody who wishes may participate.
4. 2 pictures must be taken of the fly. The first picture is just a quick picture during the tying process. Second picture is the finished product
5. You can tie as many flies as you like in the 2 hour time limit, but only post 1 finished fly to be voted on.
6. Voting is done for a 24 hour period and can be done by anyone. That means at 9:00pm on Thursday night we crown a winner.

(Adapted from; http://www.southeastflyfishingforum.com/forum/online-contest-part-1-rules-t22190.html )

The weekly winner gains nothing more than the respect of his/her peers and is in the running for the monthly prize. The last Thursday of the month I will start a voting thread for all of the weekly winners. The winner of that vote will recieve a prize, possibly an AZFAT pin or hat or something of that nature. Voting is open to all members. Remember you are being judged not only for your fly but how well you photograph it. A great tie won't look great without good photography.

My hope for this is that we all are able to become better fly tiers through friendly competition.

[shlitzhead]

that sounds borderline nuts.
I may have to try it.
fly photography is incredibly maddening for me.

[Tying2Fly]

This will be interesting to say the least. To keep someone from jumping the starting gun would you say the photo of the flys need time stamped?

[Dana Parmelee]

To keep someone from jumping the starting gun would you say the photo of the flys need time stamped?

I don't think that will be an issue
Mr Smith has some tricks up his sleeve

[Mr.Smith]

To prevent cheating the only person who will know the pattern in advance will be me. The contest requires two photos. An in progress pic and the completed fly pic. You'll just have to trust that I won't cheat! ;)

[Josho]

I would like to see the pattern picked by a neutral party. Someone who is NOT competing.

Is this our interpretation of the posted pattern or best match ?

What about available materials ? It would suck if someone could not compete because they do not have the required hooks, materials or a sub... Patterns will have to be picked accordingly.

I love the idea; just the timeline seems a little strict and/or restrictive.

Josh

[Mr.Smith]

If you check out the link in the OP you will see how it has worked there. The selected pattern will be fairly general in that we will not all be tying the exact same fly. Since there is no prize for the weekly winner I have no issue with competing, esp. since the voting is open. I will not be eligible for the monthly prize.

As for your concerns with available materials, participants are free to substitute materials. This is not a strict contest. If you don't have duck flank use soft hackle. Or whatever. However I suspect that won't be much of a problem as most of us have way more materials than we care to admit. The bigger problem may be finding the supplies we already have.

[DesertGhost]

sounds like fun...... hope I can keep up with you all.

DG

[zachaz]

great idea now I just need to remember to check in wednesday nights.
Zach

[Bighand]

At least you won't hear me when my thread breaks!!!!

[Dank]

I assume you aren't picking the pattern the night of the contest. You could put up a list of suggested materials on Tuesday.

[Mr.Smith]

The pattern is announced at 7:30 pm on Wednesday. That is the whole idea, that you do not have time to prepare. Do the best that you can with what you have and the rest is up to the voters.

[Tying2Fly]

Yeah and if we can go with the hook size's I have then not an issue, as I don't have that many hook sizes. I got 18, 16, 12, 10, 6, 4, and 2 but limited type. Oh hech, another excuse to buy more stuff.

[Mr.Smith]

An example would be;

Tonights pattern is; damselflies.
No tomorrows pattern will not be damsels

The rest is up to you. I'm not going to specify size, material or anything of that nature. On occasion I may specify materials that may not be used ie. foam for a terrestrial pattern. That is simply to challenge the participants with using a more difficult technique such as spinning deer hair or making bullet heads.

[tightlines57]

Josh, thanks for putting this together. This is a really great idea. An excellent way to get people involved.

I don't tie, yet, but it will be fun to watch and vote. :beer:

[Tying2Fly]

I dont tie either. You can look in my fly boxes and see 100 examples of my ill-tied flies, :rolleyes: but like you said this will be fun.

[Tying2Fly]

Ok tried tying a few more Gurglers for a pratice and checking out my photography ability.

I tied My Gurgler's 3 and 4. First image is actually taken by my scanner with both 3 and 4 together. Then with my 5.0Mp Vivitar $60 digital camera I took a picture of each wile on the vice. If I remember to put the camera on closeups it seams to do ok if I get the lighting right.

http://www.azflyandtie.com/photopost/data/500/gurgler3n4.jpg


Gurgler3

http://www.azflyandtie.com/photopost/data/500/medium/Gurgler3.JPG

Gurgler4

http://www.azflyandtie.com/photopost/data/500/medium/Gurgler4.JPG

[Driwash]

Just a suggestion...put a piece of paper behind your fly ..should make it show up better..llcoolj

[Mr.Smith]

I will try to come up with some tips for photographing flies and make a post early in the day tomorrow.

[Bighand]

It is 7:44 and nothing is posted yet about what fly pattern. Oh you mean 7:30 in the evening. Now that is going to be a problem, sipping beer and watching the Diamondbacks on TV. Choices that one has to make. Just wondering Josh you made yours for tonights fly. Guess I will have to check in at the right time.

[Mr.Smith]

I havent decided on a pattern yet. May just open the book and point. This is going to be fun.

[Tying2Fly]

Well, Got moved into new apartment for when I am working in Albuquerque (no more company paid temporary housing with all the ammenities) but problem is I have yet to get any internet services or cable-tv or anything. So may not be able to participate in the weekly fly-tying contests on Wed's for awhile. Will see what I come up with in the future for getting such services to my apartment.