If you listened really closely, last Monday morning - at precisely 07:44 - you may have heard an alarm go off ...

It was the alarm which notifies all of us 'northerners' that the 'Big Coat' protocol had been enabled.

Now, if you're from Newcastle, you can stop reading here ... we all know you lot will be fishing in a t-shirt until December, possibly January. The rest of us mere mortals who acknowledge the existence of thermodynamics - we need to talk.

TL;DR - Too Long; Didn't Read

I spent years being cold whilst fishing because I was too stubborn, too cheap, or too optimistic to invest in proper thermal gear.

Then I realised that being warm doesn't make you soft - it makes you sensible. It means you fish better, longer, and actually enjoy it.

We've never sold an item of clothing before, because we've never found one I would personally recommend above anything else, but this is different!

This jacket - especially at this price - is what I wish I'd bought five years ago. It would have saved me from dozens of sessions where I spent more time thinking about being cold than thinking about where the fish were.

£79.99 instead of £125. Free waterproof hat included. Order by midnight Sunday.

After Sunday, it goes back to the normal price and the hat offer ends.

Order Yours Today - we've got good stock across all sizes (S to XXL), but jacket offers tend to go fairly quickly - especially in the popular Medium and Large sizes.

The 'Big Coat' Protocol isn't for everyone - but, for those of us who've finally accepted that being warm is better than being cold, it's been activated.

 XStreme Thermal Jacket (+ FREE Cap & Delivery) - from Barbless Flies & Snowbee

£79.99 £125.00

Please Note: I've nothing against Newcastle and the North East - I was born there, and now back living there - I know they're hardy souls up here. So if you're reading this from Newcastle - fair play to you. You're operating on a different thermal plane to the rest of us. We salute you ... we don't understand you ... but we salute you nonetheless.

For everyone else still bound by the normal laws of physics - let's continue.

A Brief History Of My Stubbornness

For years, I subscribed to the "more thin layers" theory of staying warm. Base layer, mid-layer, another mid-layer, possibly a third one if i'm feeling fancy.

In theory, brilliant. In practice? I looked like the Michelin Man, couldn't lift my arms above shoulder height, and was still somehow cold after two hours.

The problem wasn't the theory. The problem was bulky, non-technical layers that made me feel like I was wearing someone else's wardrobe.

Then there was the car problem. You arrive at your spot, roasting from the heater, and think: "It's not THAT cold. I'll leave the jacket in the car."

Forty minutes later, you're standing in the middle of a river with the wind coming straight off the North Sea, wondering why you make such consistently terrible life choices.

My Lightbulb Moment

My breakthrough came earlier this year on a Dales river.

My mate (let's call him Trevor) - thirty-odd years of fishing under his belt - reaches into his backpack and pulls out what looks like a flat bundle of fabric. Gives it a few shakes, and it's a proper jacket. Quilted, warm-looking, the works.

"Where did THAT come from?" I asked.

"Been in my pack the whole time," he says. "Weighs nothing, packs down nice and flat, keeps me warm without cooking me under my waders."

I stood there in my three mediocre fleeces, looking like a slightly damp lagged boiler pipe, and had an epiphany.

I'd been doing it all wrong.

"I spent years being cold whilst fishing because I was too stubborn, too cheap, or too optimistic to invest in proper thermal gear."

 *Image courtesy of Snowbee, thanks guys

Remember Yesterday's Email?

In yesterday's email, I talked about that crucial middle layer - the one that needs to be warm enough to actually work, but not so bulky you're fighting with it every cast. The one that should pack down small so you can adjust throughout the day.

I talked about how that mid-layer is the key to staying comfortable under waders on rivers, or as part of your layering system on stillwaters.

Well, I wasn't being theoretical. I was describing a very specific jacket. The one Trevor was wearing - the one I now own too.

This is that jacket (expertly modelled by Simon from Snowbee):

*Image courtesy of Snowbee, thanks guys

Why It's A Proper Thermal Jacket

Here's what actually matters in a fishing thermal jacket:

• Properly Insulated (Not Just Thick) - High-quality synthetic fill that traps warm air without needing to be three inches thick. The technical term is "fill weight."
• Actually Packable - Squeezes down nice and flat (due to the 'polyball' filling), weighs barely anything (455g). If it's too bulky to bring, it's staying in the car. And if it's staying in the car, you might as well not own it.
• Works Both Ways - On a stillwater, wear it as your mid-layer under a waterproof. On a river, wear it UNDER your waders. One jacket, two completely different uses. This is what I meant last week about versatility.
• Stays Warm When Damp - Synthetic fill keeps working even when it's taken on moisture. Because you're fishing. There's water involved. It's going to get damp.

The Snowbee XStreme Thermal Jacket

This is what Trevor was wearing. It's what I mentioned (without naming) in yesterday's email when I kept going on about packable thermal layers.

And we've managed to negotiate what I can only describe as a ridiculous deal:

Normally, the Snowbee XStreme Thermal Jacket retails at £125.

For today and this weekend only - until midnight Sunday - we're selling it for only £79.99.

Plus ...

If you order by midnight Sunday, we'll also throw in a FREE Waterproof & Breathable Cap as well (we're good like that)!

That's £45 off + a FREE Waterproof & Breathable Cap - on Monday, the jacket will revert to its original price of £125.

We currently have stock of sizes:

• Small (36/38"),
• Medium (38/40"),
• Large (42/44"),
• XL (46/48"); and
• XXL (50/52")

Colour: Olive Green (because we're not heathens)

Because if you're going to sort out your core temperature, you might as well sort your head out too - remember yesterday when I said you lose a surprising amount of heat through your head? - Still true.

Here's The Technical Details

It only weighs 455 grams. Less than a pint of milk. Packs down really flat. Fits in your fishing backpack or bag.

The fill weight is 425g of synthetic polyball polyester - apparently "class leading," and all I know is it actually works. Properly warm, without the bulk.

The outer shell is water-resistant (not waterproof - there's a difference). It's got a 'Matt Ciring' finish (no, I'd never heard of it either) and DWR coating, which means light rain beads off it, and the fill inside stays dry so it keeps insulating. A wet jacket is about as useful as a chocolate teapot.

It works as an outer layer on a dry autumn day OR as that thermal mid-layer under your waders in January. This is exactly what I was describing yesterday - the layer that solves the "warm enough but not too bulky" problem.

The Bottom Line

I spent years being cold whilst fishing because I was too stubborn, too cheap, or too optimistic to invest in proper thermal gear.

Then I realised that being warm doesn't make you soft - it makes you sensible. It means you fish better, longer, and actually enjoy it.

This jacket - at this price - is what I wish I'd bought five years ago. It would have saved me from dozens of sessions where I spent more time thinking about being cold than thinking about where the fish were.

£79.99 instead of £125. Free waterproof hat included. Order by midnight Sunday.

After Sunday, it goes back to the normal price and the hat offer ends.

Order Yours Today - we've got good stock across all sizes, but jacket offers tend to go fairly quickly - especially in the popular Medium and Large sizes.

The Big Coat Protocol isn't for everyone - but, for those of us who've finally accepted that being warm is better than being cold, it's been activated.

Tight lines & keep warm.

P.S. If you're from Newcastle and you've read this entire email despite my repeated suggestions that it's not for you, I admire your commitment. The offer stands. You probably won't use it, but it'll pack down so small you won't even know you're carrying it. Consider it a backup plan for if you ever venture south of Durham.

P.P.S. They also look great when you're not on the water - Jack keeps borrowing mine: