I wanted to post this here because this pertains to both fresh and salt water.
Do you share patterns with strangers? If you are out on the water, and you are having a killer day...will you share? Not necessarily give them the fly but tell them what is working, maybe even how.

I almost always share patterns and methods of fishing that I am using and often exchange flies with fellow anglers. I have encountered a few anglers that won’t share anything, but fortunately in my experience that is the exception.

I don't have any issues at all with sharing information. But, anyone willing to follow MY advice is in for a rough day.

Sure. Even after personal threats from participants here, I do share. It's just too fun to NOT share it!

Both very funny!!! On the water absolutely you found my spot as well. With this being said I’ll talk about patterns, rigging specifics,specific areas to target ,and specific areas to avoid. anything I can think of for the current situation now that may all be different the next day but at that time should still be holding true. I will even have a fly that’s working provided it’s not my last one 🤦‍♂️ But when it comes to spots that’s a different story LMAO!!! FISHING SPOTS WERE NOT TALKI
G ABOUT FISHING SPOTS!!! oh that’s playoffs not fishing spots haha.

I'm an open book to all.
there is nothing I know or can do that someone else didn't show me how first.
I will glady share what I have been given.

Maybe, it depends. I don’t really give away flies so much as they are too time consuming for me to tie a big stockpile and I don’t have this massive surplus of the productive ones. I’d likely share the name of the pattern and show it to whoever asks.

Tips, maybe or maybe not. Depends on where I’m fishing and who is asking. I try not to gift wrap an easy to get to good structure that somehow has gotten overlooked by the hordes. What happens then if I do is that random people will then hammer the spot. Don’t believe it, but tell the wrong “friend” and he’ll be in there the next time with his friends and then their friends, suddenly it’s a zoo. I’ve lived this. People cannot resist easy fish, but sometimes the easy fish might be right under your nose and there’s a certain key to get on them. I don’t want to hand out any keys like that to just anyone and I wouldn’t expect anyone to hand them out to me when the situation is reversed.

I fish the same waters repeatedly and it has taken years in some cases to figure out how to fish it. I’m still figuring it out. I’m not sure I want to simply hand over that hard earned information to just anyone.

One time, I found someone fishing in a super good and reliable winter spot. We sort of compared notes, and danced around the issue and shared stories and both decided that we independently found the spot at about the same time. We were both sort of alarmed by the other guy being there, kind of like, oh no, now everyone will be here. But, I haven’t see anyone in there when I’ve been there since and so neither one of us must have spilled the beans.

Another time, I fished an area without any great results, but then realized that this really really good fisherman I knew fished the same exact area and killed them time and again. I basically had been paddling over good and simple to reach fish without realizing it. I fished the area I thought thoroughly, but didn’t fish it correctly. But, by the information he likely unintentionally and inadvertently shared, I then had the key to fishing it correctly. I won’t go back to the spot because it’s like I stole the key without his blessing.

I often teach both casting and fly fishing classes and have easily given away over a thousand flies to students. So, yes, I think I qualify as someone that "shares".

However, unless someone asks, I keep my mouth shut on the water. Nobody wants a fun day fishing interrupted, by someone telling them that they are doing it wrong. Ask me a question and I'll help, but otherwise, I tend to mind my own business when it comes to strangers on the water.

Wow! I just noticed that I have been a member of this board for 20 years. It doesn't seem like I have even been fly fishing for 20 years. Maybe this means that I should log off and go fishing...

Wow Rex I’m not too far behind you lot of great fishing trips and tips in here in that time.