Designed to Catch A Fish - Not An Angler

by Richard Fieldhouse

Morning,

There are days when knowing your Midge from your Muskin makes all the difference ... When matching the hatch perfectly is what turns tentative refusals into takes.

We believe in that - we sell flies for that & I try to fish that way too

But, there are also days when knowing every Latin name still doesn’t help!

What do you do then ... you reach for the fly fishing equivalent of Coco Chanel's "little black dress".

The "Little Black Dress Nymph" Syndrome

Definition: A piece of clothing nymph that can be worn fished in any situation and still looks like it belongs.

The fly fishing world has its own "little black dress" equivalent; these are flies which don't look out of place in any scenario.

We all love to follow the rules and "match the hatch" wherever we can.

But ...

There are also days when none of that matters. When fish are feeding mysteriously, sporadically - or even not at all!

That's when you need a backup plan that will (hopefully) outperform the main one.

When the most effective thing you can tie on … is something small(ish) - and most importantly, contains Peacock Herl.

But Why Peacock Herl?

It's Simple Really - Its Colours Are Versatile - Simple - Confident

Because it looks like food. Its shifting greens, bronzes, and purples mimic the natural translucence of countless aquatic insects. Whether you’re imitating a baetis nymph, a caddis pupa, or simply offering a general “something edible,” the fish rarely turn it down.

It creates contrast. It silhouettes cleanly. It works when everything else gets ignored.

  • Flies stand out in low light
  • Matches nothing exactly, suggests everything vaguely
  • Equally useful for both seasoned and newer anglers alike
  • Designed for efficiency — not guesswork

These are not the flies you reach for instead of 'matching the hatch'. They're the ones you reach for when you can't make any sense of it!

Get the flies that work when the rules don't ...

NEW for 2025 - Our Tungsten Peacock Herl Selection

The Barbless Tungsten Peacock Herl Selection is a selection of 4 styles of blank-saving 'black(ish)' flies - they seem to produce results when nothing else does!

These are for:

  •  Match-the-hatch anglers who’ve learned that not everything can be matched
  •  Minimalists who like one fly to do multiple jobs
  • Realists who know that conditions aren’t always textbook

This isn’t about rejecting expertise.

It’s about acknowledging the moments when expertise takes a back seat to instinct.

Please Note: I found that both the White & Silver Tungsten nymphs were especially successful when targeting Grayling last Winter.

For only £24.00, we are supplying 16 different styles of 'black(ish)' tungsten nymphs (see below for more details) - all supplied in our eco-friendly packaging.

These flies are great all year round, but work especially well for those tricky days when nothing else seems to work:

Our Barbless Tungsten Peacock Herl Selection is now available as a selection of 16 flies (2 each of 4 different patterns in sizes 14 & 16):

  • Black Tungsten Peacock Herl Nymph
  • Copper Tungsten Peacock Herl Nymph
  • Silver Tungsten Peacock Herl Nymph
  • White Tungsten Peacock Herl Nymph

Our Tungsten Peacock Herl Selection contains 16 flies in total and we are making them available to you today for only £24.00 - click any button or image in this email to see the selection of flies in more detail.

As always, we offer FREE Delivery on all orders for delivery within the UK.

*** We only have 40 of these selections available, so if you would like a set you will need to be quick! ***

Each of the Peacock Herl Tungsten Nymphs included in our NEW for 2025 selection can also be bought individually in sizes 14 & 16 for only £1.80 each, using these links:

*** Go on, you know you want to! ***

If fly tying has a “royal” material, it’s peacock herl. For centuries, tiers have reached for those dark, iridescent fibres — from the Victorian masters on the chalkstreams, to the American pioneers on big rivers, to today’s anglers searching a stillwater bank.

Even in a world full of synthetics, peacock herl remains one of the most dependable natural materials in fly tying. It’s simple, beautiful, and endlessly effective — especially when tied on slim, buggy nymph patterns for both rivers and stillwaters.

For Rivers

1. Trust the Colour - That dark, iridescent green of peacock herl has fooled trout for centuries. It’s suggestive enough to mimic almost anything — from olives to caddis — so don’t overthink the “match the hatch” game.

2. Go Natural - Fish them upstream, dead-drifted under an indicator, or Euro-style on a tight line. The herl body gives just enough shimmer to tempt fish without spooking them.

3. Weight Matters - Use a lightly weighted version in shallows and riffles; in deeper glides or stillwaters, switch to a bead-head to get the fly down quickly.

For Stillwaters

4. Mix and Match in a Team - Try a peacock-herl nymph on the dropper with buzzers or crunchers. It stands out just enough to be noticed but still looks “edible.”

5. Fish the Lift - At the end of a retrieve, gently lift the rod tip. That upwards movement often triggers a take as the fly looks like an emerging insect.

6. Work the Margins - Trout patrol the edges for nymphs drifting out of weed beds. A peacock-herl nymph figure-of-eighted along the margins can be deadly in autumn.

7. Don’t Over-Retrieve - These flies look their best when they’re drifting or moving naturally. On stillwaters, keep retrieves slow and steady — let the material do the work.

And Finally

7½. Confidence is Key - Peacock herl nymphs are classic patterns for a reason. If you fish them with faith, you’ll fish them better — and the trout will notice.

We’ve put together a hand-picked selection of nymphs tied with peacock herl bodies — slim, dark, and irresistible to trout in both rivers and stillwaters. Perfect for anglers who want a single fly type they can trust all year round.

 

Tight lines & make the most of your Autumn exploits!

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