Morning,
I have a confession to make.
I've spent the last four months staring at a strike indicator.
Not by choice, you understand. The Grayling demanded it. And Grayling, as anyone who's fished for them through a Yorkshire Winter will tell you, are not a fish that reward stubbornness. You put the dry fly away, you go deep, you watch a small piece of fluorescent orange/pink/yellow mono like your life depends on it, and you try to look like you're enjoying yourself.
But there's a moment - usually somewhere towards the end of March - when something shifts.
- The days get fractionally longer.
- The water temperature starts to creep up.
- You spot the first Large Dark Olive of the year drifting downstream and a fish rises to take it off the surface.
And just like that, the indicator feels like a foreign object and all you can think about are dry flies.
If you know, you know ...
The river season proper is almost upon us (1st of April for my local waters), and after months of nymphing, I'm ready to do something that feels almost recklessly optimistic: tie on a dry fly and wait for an unsuspecting trout to make a poor decision.
The subject of today's email is the dry fly I will be tying on - supremely successful on rivers, and now gaining much more of a reputation for success on Stillwaters - The Parachute Adams.
Fishing With ...
The Adams Family (of flies)
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.
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.
The way in which they 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 18 flies:
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 3 each of sizes 14, 16 & 18.
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 3 each of sizes 14, 16 & 18.
Our Adams Selectionis now available as a selection of 18 flies (2 different patterns - see above, 3 each of each size). We are supplying all of these for only £28 - which includes FREE delivery to anywhere within the UK.
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.
Please Note: Each of the flies contained within our Adams Selection are also available to buy individually for only £1.65 each:
Go on - Fill your boots (and your early season fly boxes)!
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.
