WWKimba
Smolt
Hi, my name is Kim and I love to host fly swaps. I cut my teeth on them back when FAOL was still an active on-line magazine as well as an active forum (I have used this screen handle on all the sites I currently belong to) - I'm OLD and don't want to test my memory remembering a whole slew of names!
About me - I've been tying flies for over 50 years and hosting fly swaps for going on 12 years now. If anyone wants to vet me, besides FAOL (flyangleresonline.com - where I also contributed a couple articles under my real-world name - Kim Bowman), I am currently active on www.flytyingforum.com (FTF), www.theflyfishingforum.com (NAFFF), and www.paflyfish.com (Pennsylvania Fly Fishers). On any of these sites there is an OLD picture of me that I posted on my first swaps hosting so everyone would see who they were swapping with - posted below here as well (and how old and ugly I am!). On the FTF take a look back around Aug/Sept 2020 (AKA the year that disappeared due to COVID!) where I started a 5-part, 6-month long swap JUST for beginner tyers - going through Streamers, then nymphs, and so on until we finished with terrestrial patterns.
I'd like to offer my services as a Swapmeister here as well. Now about a fly swap. I (or any other Swapmeister AKA Swap Host) will simply post a swap title/theme on this site. Themes can be ANYTHING - flies designed by a particular tyer, patterns for a particular time of year (I like to do a Ladies Night Swap in March due to Women's History Month - it's open to men and women just the fly has to be designed by a woman). I just participated in a Sports Swap - loved the theme (actually I was jealous that I hadn't come up with it!) - design/tie a fly that uses your favorite pro or college baseball/football teams colors! Like I said themes can be anything! The host will note the date that registration is open for, the date that your flies are due in by, the number of participants (usually between 6 to 12 tyers) and any other quirks/rules for that swap. Lastly, the host will PM (personal message) you their mailing address to you. After the flies are in (every member will tie a single pattern and enough of that pattern to match the number of tyers that are participating in that swap - i.e.- if there are 10 swappers you'll tie 10 flies of the same pattern and get 10 different patterns back to try out on your chosen waters. ALL anyone needs to participate is your flies. each with a toe tag and all placed in a swap box, along with an SASE (so you get your flies back) all of this in your sending envelope. BTW - a toe tag is simply a strip of paper, card stock, or 2MM to 3MM foam with your screen handle and the name of the pattern on it and for the swap box - think of any plastic or metal box that resembles an Altoid's tin, NOTE: The only thing that I can add is about the hooks and toe tags. First, it is considered a courtesy that you tie your flies on EITHER de-barbed hooks or barbless hooks - saves on the piercings! Now this can cause the paper toe tag to slip off - here's something to try. Simply leave a blank space on either end of the tag and fold that end over with the small part on top, now simply poke the hook point through BOTH thicknesses of paper, now open the fold a bit. Now you have a hinge that catches the hook at two points and this will lock the tag in place. To separate simply pinch the tag hinge together and pull the hook out.
Well, as you can see that I DO have the gift of gab when I write! WHAT I WAS ORIGINALLY ASKING IS - Would a fly swap have any interest on this site?? My swaps are open to all level tyers and I do provide a free fly-tying gift or two to all swappers AND if you are a newer tyer you are MOST WECOME to join in - just give me a heads up so I can offer some extra support so your foray in fly swaps is a good experience. I'd like to offer the Ark Swap as my first swap theme - 2X2 patterns - you start with a hook and thread and all you need add is 2 materials or less and tie the pattern in 2 minutes or less. Oh, about the 2 minutes or less - 1) I will NOT come to your house to time you! and 2) I only use a calendar as a timing device!
Anyone interested? Just respond to this post, if there is interest, I'll formally post the swap then. I figure I've got to let the powers that be know what I'm doing as well - my size 13's have stepped on a toe or two in years past!
Kim
BTW, Here's me MANY years ago at a Cub Scout event - the kids in this picture have kids older than they were in this picture! Oh, and I was tying on a homemade clothespin tying vise!! My demo (and back-up) model is in the foreground. I'm the one in the beard. I learned that if you want to be the center of attention just tie a fly!
About me - I've been tying flies for over 50 years and hosting fly swaps for going on 12 years now. If anyone wants to vet me, besides FAOL (flyangleresonline.com - where I also contributed a couple articles under my real-world name - Kim Bowman), I am currently active on www.flytyingforum.com (FTF), www.theflyfishingforum.com (NAFFF), and www.paflyfish.com (Pennsylvania Fly Fishers). On any of these sites there is an OLD picture of me that I posted on my first swaps hosting so everyone would see who they were swapping with - posted below here as well (and how old and ugly I am!). On the FTF take a look back around Aug/Sept 2020 (AKA the year that disappeared due to COVID!) where I started a 5-part, 6-month long swap JUST for beginner tyers - going through Streamers, then nymphs, and so on until we finished with terrestrial patterns.
I'd like to offer my services as a Swapmeister here as well. Now about a fly swap. I (or any other Swapmeister AKA Swap Host) will simply post a swap title/theme on this site. Themes can be ANYTHING - flies designed by a particular tyer, patterns for a particular time of year (I like to do a Ladies Night Swap in March due to Women's History Month - it's open to men and women just the fly has to be designed by a woman). I just participated in a Sports Swap - loved the theme (actually I was jealous that I hadn't come up with it!) - design/tie a fly that uses your favorite pro or college baseball/football teams colors! Like I said themes can be anything! The host will note the date that registration is open for, the date that your flies are due in by, the number of participants (usually between 6 to 12 tyers) and any other quirks/rules for that swap. Lastly, the host will PM (personal message) you their mailing address to you. After the flies are in (every member will tie a single pattern and enough of that pattern to match the number of tyers that are participating in that swap - i.e.- if there are 10 swappers you'll tie 10 flies of the same pattern and get 10 different patterns back to try out on your chosen waters. ALL anyone needs to participate is your flies. each with a toe tag and all placed in a swap box, along with an SASE (so you get your flies back) all of this in your sending envelope. BTW - a toe tag is simply a strip of paper, card stock, or 2MM to 3MM foam with your screen handle and the name of the pattern on it and for the swap box - think of any plastic or metal box that resembles an Altoid's tin, NOTE: The only thing that I can add is about the hooks and toe tags. First, it is considered a courtesy that you tie your flies on EITHER de-barbed hooks or barbless hooks - saves on the piercings! Now this can cause the paper toe tag to slip off - here's something to try. Simply leave a blank space on either end of the tag and fold that end over with the small part on top, now simply poke the hook point through BOTH thicknesses of paper, now open the fold a bit. Now you have a hinge that catches the hook at two points and this will lock the tag in place. To separate simply pinch the tag hinge together and pull the hook out.
Well, as you can see that I DO have the gift of gab when I write! WHAT I WAS ORIGINALLY ASKING IS - Would a fly swap have any interest on this site?? My swaps are open to all level tyers and I do provide a free fly-tying gift or two to all swappers AND if you are a newer tyer you are MOST WECOME to join in - just give me a heads up so I can offer some extra support so your foray in fly swaps is a good experience. I'd like to offer the Ark Swap as my first swap theme - 2X2 patterns - you start with a hook and thread and all you need add is 2 materials or less and tie the pattern in 2 minutes or less. Oh, about the 2 minutes or less - 1) I will NOT come to your house to time you! and 2) I only use a calendar as a timing device!
Anyone interested? Just respond to this post, if there is interest, I'll formally post the swap then. I figure I've got to let the powers that be know what I'm doing as well - my size 13's have stepped on a toe or two in years past!
Kim
BTW, Here's me MANY years ago at a Cub Scout event - the kids in this picture have kids older than they were in this picture! Oh, and I was tying on a homemade clothespin tying vise!! My demo (and back-up) model is in the foreground. I'm the one in the beard. I learned that if you want to be the center of attention just tie a fly!
