Tiers block

Setting at the bench and boom........mind blank

Well when that happens try to do something different, looks at fly patterns and just take on one of them to convert to a jig. Or mess with taking scraps and see what you can make with them for a jig. Just gets you started on something and then once you start maybe the block will leave?

Experiment!

Skip

This happens to me too, also I just need to be in the mood to tie. The artistic part won't kick in, I am going to try what Skip said and Lord only knows I have tied stuff that only a mother could say good job son. Keep at it and it will come.

Look at some plastic that has been successful for you prior to you "seeing the light" of hand tying your own. Try to duplicate that coloration, or action with feathers, tinsel, chenille, or what have you. Years ago I remember a trout fly tier who used two of his own nose hairs for the rear whatever they're called on the body of mayflies. Just be creative and have fun.

Thinker

I take pictures of jigs styles I like and save them to a thumb drive. When I need an idea, I just browse through the thumb drive to get new ideas.

My iPad has more photos of jigs or lures then anything else.....lol. I enjoy seeing and being inspired by them. Look back on this forum, there are threads with jig photos that many many good ideas have come from and are inspiring.

We also use to do the “challenge” here where we would pick a bait or something and then try duplicating it or representing it best we could by tying a jig. That might help as suggested above, pick bait you know does well and try representing it with a hand tie.

I actually have the opposite problem of to much I want to try or do and not enough time to do it.

Weeks go by and I don’t sit down to tie. Sometimes I tie from the junk on the bench, and some have done better than the planned ties. I pour heads, paint and tie so there’s always something to do. Locating supplies sometimes takes time too. Don’t stress about it, just enjoy when it comes.

Okay I have a suggestion for you guys when things get hard to get started. I have preached this site for as long as I have been a member of it. I still use it all the time for things. It has great lessons of tying flies so look at these and see what ones you like and maybe want to tie. Just click on Fly Tying and then Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced lessons and look through them for ideas and how to! Before Videos were all on YouTube this was how I learned to tie, using their ways on a jig. I looked at how they tied in materials and used that in my tying. Anyway great place for ideas!
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Skip

I know that to be a true statement Skip. You’ve spoken well of FAOL as long as I’ve been here and I’ve taken a few trips through what they offer. So many videos with so many ideas, I don’t have enough time to fish what I make. I have stuff now that is good to have in there but don’t use it often. I like planning a trip and tying for the new area, even better when they work when you get there.