I have been tying flies for 60 years, it keeps me out of mischief, I have been quite happy with the patterns from the classical tiers, they have worked for me, I have only found one variant to work for me and that is a purple Zulu, the only Flies/lures I play with are the pike lures,making all sorts of changes . I try not to buy too many different Materials( expense ye ken), Bill Davies Book" Tackle Making and fly tying" and then Eric Taverners great books, Megan Boyd started with his" Tying flies for Salmon",I have a scrap book with a collection of patterns from T&S from the 60's,and far too many other books, Courtney Williams, Moc Morgan and many more(too many says the wife)the only you tube tyer I have watched is April Vokey, but just because it's Her, one tip she has, is using nail clippers for Metallic trimming and close cutting, saves your expensive scissors, so what got you on the downward slope?
Derek Roxborough