Fishing With ...
The Adams Family (of flies)

I know that we are well into the Mayfly Season now - everything seems to be running a couple of weeks early - but, there are times (and waters) which don't see any significant Mayfly hatches at all - as my inbox proves!.

Over the last couple of weeks I've had quite a few emails from our community pointing that exact fact out to me - so if that's the case for your water, then this email is especially for you ...

PLEASE NOTE: Towards the end of this email, you will find a nice write up on how to choose the right length/make-up of your dry fly leader, along with a few tips on how to get the balance correct.

The subject of today's email is a staple dry fly - supremely successful on rivers, and now gaining much more of a reputation for success on Stillwaters - The Adams.

Originally tied, in 1922, by Leonard Halladay and named after his good friend Charles Adams. The image above is taken from a fantastic book called, Tying Catskill-Style Dry Flies by Mike Valla, where there is a whole chapter dedicated to the Adams - if you are into rolling your own flies, this book is a worthy investment - we take lots of inspiration from it.

No one is really sure which insects the Adams imitate - a good guess would be an Olive, but they really do work well, as such, the Adams is a fly which should be in all anglers fly boxes.

Generally tied in two different styles, original and parachute versions:

• Original - With a hackle running a third of the way down the hook shank (as in the book image above).
• Parachute - With the hackle tied horizontally around a sighter post

The way in which both of these variants are tied ensures the fly floats high on the surface - and stays there with only a little floatant added!

The Adams fly is one that should be in all anglers fly boxes

Our full selection of Adams-style flies consists of:

Parachute Adams - Tied in the parachute style (with the hackle wrapped horizontally), with a white sighter post and in the original colours. Our selection contains 2 each of sizes 14 and 16.

Adams Thorax - Tied in the original style (with the hackle wrapped along a quarter of the hook), with a tall sighting post and in the original colours. Our selection contains 2 each of sizes 14 and 16.

Hi-Vis Parachute Adams - Tied in the parachute style (with the hackle wrapped horizontally), with a vivid yellow sighter post and in the original Parachute Adams body colours. Our selection contains 2 each of sizes 14 and 16.

Micro Parachute Adams - Tied in the original style (with the hackle wrapped along a quarter of the hook), with a tall white sighter post and in the original body colours. These are extremely small flies! Our selection contains 2 each of sizes 18 and 20 (see the image below to get an idea for their size:

Our Adams Selection is now available as a selection of 16 flies (4 different patterns - see above, 2 each of each size). We are supplying all of these for only £22.

All are supplied in our eco-friendly packaging. Just click on any image or button in this email to view the flies in more detail.

Just a gentle reminder that all our products are shipped FREE OF CHARGE to anywhere in the UK

The Foam Adams Family ...

We've all been there - you're fishing on an evening in low light and you need something which you can see, but more importantly, will still catch!

One of the great difficulties in fishing smaller dry flies is the ability to quickly spot where your fly actually is, with our NEW Foam Post Klinkhamer Selection of flies you will have no problem seeing them (the white foam posts show up extremely well against virtually any background).

You will not miss a take with these - Our NEW Design Foam Post Klinkhamer Selection saves your eyesight even in the smaller sizes!

All of these flies have been chosen for both their blank saving and high visibility.

You will not miss a take with these - A selection of 16 flies to save your eyesight! All of these flies have been chosen for both their blank saving and high visibility in all conditions. We've all been there; you're fishing on an evening in low light and you need something which will still catch, but importantly - you need to be able to see it!

One of the great difficulties in fishing smaller flies is the ability to quickly spot where your fly actually is, with this selection you will have no problem seeing these (even though they are only small).

Our NEW Design Foam Klinkhamer Selection is now available as a selection of 16 flies (4 different patterns - see above, 2 each of size 14 & 18). We are supplying all of these for only £22.

All are supplied in our eco-friendly packaging. Just click on any image or button in this email to view the flies in more detail.

*** Just a gentle reminder that all our products are shipped FREE OF CHARGE to anywhere in the UK ***

Creating a balanced dry fly leader is both an art and a science that can significantly improve your presentation. A properly balanced leader transfers energy efficiently during casting and allows your fly to land delicately on the water's surface. The ideal dry fly leader typically follows a 60/20/20 formula: 60% of the length for the butt section (thicker diameter), 20% for the mid-section (transition), and 20% for the tippet (finest diameter). Start with a leader butt of about 0.019-0.022" diameter attached to your fly line, then step down through 3-4 progressively thinner sections. The goal is to create a gradual taper that dissipates energy smoothly rather than abruptly.

The key to perfect balance lies in selecting the right materials and proportions based on your specific fishing conditions. For most trout fishing, aim for a 9-12 foot leader with a final tippet of 4X-6X depending on fly size (see below) and fish wariness. Each section should be connected with a 3-turn water knot, keeping connections minimal and smooth.

When properly constructed, your leader should turn over completely with the fly landing first and the leader settling in loose coils. This balanced design not only improves accuracy but also reduces micro-drag, allowing for longer, more natural drifts that fool selective trout.

Top Leader Tips

If the water is small or rough, use a leader which is roughly the length of the rod. If the water is calm, extend the leader to between 11' and 15', then add 2' to 4' of tippet. Just remember:

"the calmer the water,

the spookier the fish,

the smaller the fly,

the longer and finer tippet you need.”

Tight lines.