Rewind to 1987. The first episode of The Simpsons airs. Smallmouth bass are gaining in popularity among fly-rodders, Bob Clouser is making the most of what the Susquehanna River has to offer, and the late, great Lefty Kreh is in his prime. The iconic Clouser Minnow is born.
Could I, dare I, ask whether another pattern of a similar nature had been birthed somewhere else in the world at roughly the same time? Weโll never know.
Now, this isnโt something that keeps me up at night, but the fly-tying nerd and student of the human condition in me ponders it from time to time. More so recently. I guess itโs a journalistic thing too.
Truth is, it simply cannot be coincidental because it happens too often to ignore. Iโm talking about those moments where independent fly tiers stumble upon solving similar ideas. There must be some mechanism, something at work in our subconscious that drives us towards similar creative conclusions.
The Ties That Bind Us - A Look At Collective Consciousness
To radically paraphrase the sociology textbooks... Collective consciousness is a shared pool of thoughts and ideas across individuals, things that make a collective entity.
Mark Twain once remarked, โThereโs no such thing as a new idea.โ When it comes to fly tying, I tend to believe he was onto something.
โWe simply take old ideas,โ he said, โand give them a whirl in a mental kaleidoscope. The result? New and curious combinations. We keep turning and creating endless variations, but theyโre still the same old coloured glass pieces used throughout the ages.โ
Or are they?
โI find the concept of parallel thinking, specifically in fly tying, to be incredibly intriguing,โ explains South African fly-tying ace, Yaqoob Tarmohammed (@JoziFly on Instagram). โItโs amazing to consider that like-minded folks, located on opposite ends of the globe, could independently work out the mechanics of a similar pattern at roughly the same time, without any formal knowledge of what the other was doing.โ
UK craftsman extraordinaire Rupert Harvey (@rupertharveyflies Instagram) shares a philosophical approach: โMany of these patterns we believe to be original are, in fact, variations of something that has been around for ages. But honestly, itโs happened to me several times where I thought I had something entirely original, only to find out someone had had the exact same idea.โ
The origins of the concept of โcollective consciousnessโ can be traced to the works of early sociologists, notably รmile Durkheim (not on Instagram). He argued that collective consciousness โmerges through social interactions and cultural processes, forming a shared representation of a societyโs beliefs and moral values.โ Itโs a mouthful, no doubt, but รmile believed that collective consciousness acts as a social glue, uniting individuals and guiding their actions and social structures.
Can this be applied to the realms of fly tying? Fly tying is a curiously competitive space where intellectual property is all too often completely disregarded. Official trademarks do not exist. Think of art or music. One artist cannot sample anotherโs work without an official collaboration or royalties changing hands. I digress.
โIn todayโs world, it could simply be the influence of social media and people wanting others to believe their idea is new, even if theyโve never done it before,โ says Rupert, reflecting on the current dynamics where an idea can easily be โstolenโ and claimed through the instant publication channels of the social media age.
Yaqoob agrees. โWhile this phenomenon has no doubt existed forever, the internet and social media have made it more noticeable and easier to pick up on.โ
Way Down South
LeRoy Botha (@leroy_botha on Instagram), unofficial chief of fly-tying innovation along South Africaโs Garden Route, shares a similar viewpoint. โAs a so-called โtierโ youโd be lying if you didnโt sometimes see yourself the benefits of this,โ he admits. โSometimes it stings, but more so that industry creation culture, you see? Itโs not going to make you rich. I mean, and really, why bother? Itโs not going to make you rich, but it might make you a happier person, and very importantly, itโs not going to make you unhappy.โ
LeRoy has countless stories that illustrate this point, but one of the most poignant involves the evolution of his Spotted Grunter (a revered Southern Hemi saltwater target) flies, starting with the peculiar origin of the Gas Hed Prawn. He recounts, โOne night, while tying flies and yearning for deer hair to create turds, I had a lightbulb moment: โWhat if I cut foam into thin strips and spin it like deer hair? Pure wizardry! Utter genius! Eureka!โโ
LeRoy spent the entire night at his tying vice, crafting what would eventually become the Gas Hed Prawn, and subsequently, the Ironman โ the now-famous woven foam-headed grunter fly for the Breede and Swartkops rivers.
However, the very next day after his โinventionโ of strip foam, he stumbled upon an article in a newly released local magazine. It turned out that spun foam, also called โfettuccini foamโ, had already been born, nearly simultaneously, on the other side of the planet. LeRoy quickly shrugged it off (the spinning foam, not the disappointment) and went on to develop the Ironman. โIโm grateful for the existence of Ironman, and I owe it to this peculiar story,โ he remarks.
It's Not All Good
Returning to the textbooks then, we learn that collective consciousness plays a pivotal role in shaping, spotting, and influencing shared thought structures. Social movements and art all borrow from this repetition. This is what guides effective human behaviors, pitching force for progress, fostering a more harmonious society.
Conversely, collective consciousness can also go the other way. LeRoy explains, โThe journey of my other well-known grunter pattern, Shawn (shrimp x prawn, has followed a similar twisty road to what it is today. Without prior patterns by others, I might never have even considered developing the presentation because, you see, Shaun fishing is all about the presentation, not just the pattern.โ
LeRoyโs Shawns and Ironmans have taken on a life of their own, much like Rupert and Yaqoobโs patterns. โThese patterns are now frequently tied by others,โ LeRoy says.
โI used to be bothered by seeing others replicate my fly patterns without credit,โ Yaqoob adds. โHowever, as I matured in this craft, I now enjoy seeing the expertise and skill of other fly tiers. So, while it can sometimes be a pain, Iโve found a different perspective.โ
According to Yaqoob, with the ease of access offered by Instagram and other platforms today, we have a vast gallery of fly tying content and knowledge at our fingertips. โSocial media allows us to absorb ideas, draw inspiration, and stay motivated. For example, seeing someone implement a unique wing case on a stonefly nymph or wings on a mayfly can spark creativity and encourage us to explore innovative techniques.โ
Apart from social media, he believes the competitive fly fishing scene has also played a significant role in driving advancements and pushing the boundaries of fly tying. โItโs a constant pursuit of improvement and staying ahead, which further fuels the convergence of ideas.โ
It is all about the presentation, not just the pattern
What Is Next?
Perhaps we need to rewind far further than the โ80s to simplify this and understand it all. If you delve all the way back, artifacts unearthed at sites around the world have shown that solutions to similar problems were very possibly figured out at similar times. Flint and steel, the spear, the bow and arrow, art, clothing, and shelter. All have evolved independently through different species of humans in the past. Weโre just at the stage where in our niche itโs feather and fur, fettuccine foam and deer hair.
This article was first published in The Mission Fly Mag. Read it here.