I used to tie loads over the close season. This past winter I did not, mainly for eyesight reasons (that?s why I am not in the current swap). I am now just getting back into it and I believe I have discovered the error of my ways.
Looking at my voluminous fly boxes, I realised that of the HUNDREDS of patterns I have tied, I have not used a fraction of them.
Winter fly tying is, for me, too disconnected from my fishing.
By the time the season comes a long, I have forgotten about most of the ?ideas? I have had and flies I have tied as a result of them. Over the past week or so, I have been tying up a few flies as a result of recent fishing experiences. I won?t forget about these as I?ll try them out next time I am out.
So in summary, I would say that for me winter fly tying can be a bit of a waste of time and materials, but a few hours during the week, during the season, when I have some spark of an idea, helps me connect my flytying more closely to my fishing and hopefully will result in a more intelligent and successful approach.
I did tie a fair amount over winter, but actually seem to have spent more time (and money) getting a rnage of materials that I remembered not having last season. So now I've got a decent selection of dubbing, threads....
Tying in the winter, like Fred, was about ideas and things I thought ought to work. So far, none of them have! But the season is still young. At the moment, I find I am tying for specific locations and known types.
I'm not sure how much the innovative approach works for me. I tied some novel flies last season and they worked, but that could have been because anything would have. The patterns I copy from books or bought flies have so far been far more successful. I suppose that's only logical - these have a proven track record. But is nice to catch a fish on something that has been built from out of your own head.
I find I only tie flies as I need them now. If at the start of the season I am running low on any pattern I will sit at my tying bench one night and tie some up. Occasionally I will tie a fly to cover a situation where none of my usual flies work, but that isn't often :)