You show me yours, and I'll show you mine?

[Shawn Seeger]

Since most every fly-fishers I encounter says "Oh I am not competitive." And yet if you ask "Hey what are you using?" It's like your asking someone to selling you national secrets.

So, are you willing to show another guy what the inside of your fly box looks like? Are you willing to show them the actual fly in your line?

Just wondering? My brain squirrels while at the tying bench.

 

[RCF]

I show my flies to others, especially to younger people who are not doing well. Then I give them a couple hoping it will improve their luck.

 

[Divad]

The usuals at Munn Lake are like this to the point I find it comical. It’s unfortunate because it sort of drives the stereotype further, all these encounters are with older gents.

Watched a couple young kayak dudes get shut down by the regulars when asking. I paddled my ars over to the guys and shared with them all the tactics for the lake this time of yr.

I prefer to share the success, and if that means giving some flies and lending a strategy or two I’m all for it.

 

[Zak]

Since most every fly-fishers I encounter says "Oh I am not competitive." And yet if you ask "Hey what are you using?" It's like your asking someone to selling you national secrets.

So, are you willing to show another guy what the inside of your fly box looks like? Are you willing to show them the actual fly in your line?

Just wondering? My brain squirrels while at the tying bench.

View attachment 49973

Yes.

 

[mcswny]

Since most every fly-fishers I encounter says "Oh I am not competitive." And yet if you ask "Hey what are you using?" It's like your asking someone to selling you national secrets.

So, are you willing to show another guy what the inside of your fly box looks like? Are you willing to show them the actual fly in your line?

Just wondering? My brain squirrels while at the tying bench.

View attachment 49973

Always

 

[Buzzy]

I’m a bit secretive about specific lakes or other fishing spots but absolutely not with my flies or techniques (if I figure it out).
A pair that worked well on a small Basin lake - the one on the right has been a consistent producer (until last year) on my favorite lake in BC. I call it the —— Olive. Size 13 & 15.

 

[Paul_]

Yes.
From my experience the fly doesn’t matter.
Case in point- My buddy was kicking my … and hammering fish. I was not. He took pity on me and gave me the same fly he was using. That only made matters worse for me. He kept hammering fish and I kept not catching a dang thing!

 

[Irafly]

I’ll practically climb in your boat and demand that you take flies from me so you can catch fish if I think it will help you. I have people tie up to my boat all the time so I can help them out. As such, I may or may not have been accused of Hubris!

On the flip side, I have no pride when it comes to begging for information from others. I don’t have much need to “figure it out for myself”.

 

[troutpocket]

I’ve got no issue sharing my flies. Although I’ve had a guy ask then refused the pattern when he saw it . This was many years ago at Lenice. One of those days when the lake starts burping up clumps of goop from the bottom and blood worms are everywhere. I was fishing @Irafly’s skinny pattern and the guy decided to stick with his San Juan worm even though it wasn’t getting any love.

 

[RCF]

I’ll practically climb in your boat and demand that you take flies from me so you can catch fish if I think it will help you. I have people tie up to my boat all the time so I can help them out. As such, I may or may not have been accused of Hubris!

On the flip side, I have no pride when it comes to begging for information from others. I don’t have much need to “figure it out for myself”.

I luv your style. This young whipper snapper of 71 still has a lot to learn...

 

[Bruce Baker]

Yes, I have no problem showing another person what the inside of my fly box looks like or showing another person the actual fly on the end of my line.

 

[O' Clarkii Stomias]

I've got no problem showing someone what I'm using at the time, but you have to be inside the inner circle of friends for me to crack open one of my fly boxes.

 

[_WW_]

Everything I do is classified and top secret. All I can say is...well...I can't even say that.

 

[Peyton00]

The usuals at Munn Lake are like this to the point I find it comical. It’s unfortunate because it sort of drives the stereotype further, all these encounters are with older gents.

Watched a couple young kayak dudes get shut down by the regulars when asking. I paddled my ars over to the guys and shared with them all the tactics for the lake this time of yr.

I prefer to share the success, and if that means giving some flies and lending a strategy or two I’m all for it.

The local jon boat crew members are not nice guys on that lake.

 

[chief]

When I was younger, I was not very forthcoming with information to strangers on the water. I guess I was protective of the spots I liked to fish, and my thinking was if they don't have success they won't come back. I had an attitude of scarcity, which I think a lot of the tight-lipped old timers still have.

As I have aged my attitude has shifted to an attitude of plenty. I have realized that there are plenty of fish to go around and plenty of time to fish for them. I have fished enough that most days I am one of the guys who has figured it out. Most, not all. I still get my ass kicked on occasion, but I usually do pretty well.

If someone else seems to be struggling, or is obviously new to the sport, I will do what I can to help them if they are receptive, which not everyone is. I will offer up what flies I am using, depth, retrieve, line type, etc. If they don't have the right fly, I will row over and give them a couple and show them my box with other likely patterns they should try. I have found it is much more pleasant, and less stressful, to fish around new friends than surly competitors. And I hope that people will do the same for me when I am the one who is struggling.

 

[krusty]

I will give away flies that seem to be working well (if I have plenty of spares) and certainly show them the currently productive fly if I'm running short so they can try something similar. More often than not other flyfishers (seldom see very many on the lakes I fish) are more interested where I'm seeing the fish holding if they see I have a fish finder, they don't, and I'm catching fish. It's not hot-spotting if they've already found the place and see others catching fish.

If we've flyfished for a long time it's likely we've all experienced being given a fly by a buddy that's doing great...but it doesn't work for us...just illustrates the impact of subtle but important differences in presentation. I'm pretty sure Ive of Ione and Scott emit some sort of fish attracting pheromone that I lack.

I once had an old fart paddle over to me and ask what I was using on a very productive day; I told him a Renegade and offered to give him a few...to which he declined and said "those don't work anymore". Perhaps he thought I bullshitting him, or maybe he was just an idiot.

 

[Long_Rod_Silvers]

I like to share. Unless you're that guy that cut in line at the ramp at Umtanum or the guy that low holed me up by Thorp. Then.....when you ask what's working (and they both did) I may tell you something smart assed like "poppers"....

 

[Old406Kid]

I’m a bit secretive about specific lakes or other fishing spots but absolutely not with my flies or techniques (if I figure it out).

I'm much the same...I seldom give up locations of less pressured spots but if somebody happens to be at one of those lakes I figure that they most likely took some initiative to find it and respect that.
For me, the results of 'lake camaraderie' have been a number of new and lasting friendships.

 

[Irafly]

I like to share. Unless you're that guy that cut in line at the ramp at Umtanum or the guy that low holed me up by Thorp. Then.....when you ask what's working (and they both did) I may tell you something smart assed like "poppers"....

Thanks for that tip, poppers ended up working great that day

 

[Brian in OR.]

Was on a lake in Idaho and doing pretty well, there was a gentleman in another boat nearby not doing any good, He eventually got close enough that we started talking and i motioned him over and looked at his set up and flies, Made a few changes and gave him a couple of patterns that were working for me. He was very thankful. Ran into him the next day and said he was finally catching some fish.... Was on a river chasing browns and had a good morning. There was a group of anglers nearby camping that had a tough morning. We got to talking and i was telling him what flies i was using so i gave him my fly box so he could take it to the others to compare my flies with theres. Ive been on the other end of the stick lots of times and wished someone would have giving me some help. In lots of ways its more satisfying watching someone else that you helped, be successful than you catching another fish.