Knock ... Knock ... Who's There? - A Bloke With a Box Full Of Stunning Flies
As you know, we pride ourselves on the quality of both our flies and the service we provide and we're always on the lookout for new and interesting patterns - we're really interested to learn about their history and chat with the people that tie them.
Last month I got talking to a guy who thinks along the exact same lines as us, and who also wanted to tie some flies for us as samples. We agreed and then thought nothing of it, until ...
A package arrived and it was full of the best quality flies I've seen in a very very long time - and believe me, we have over half a million flies pass through our doors every year - we can spot quality when we see it ...
I was like a kid in a sweet shop all over again. These flies had been tied with the best quality hooks (Ahrex) and materials (Semperfli etc).
We asked if they could tie us a set of dry flies, specifically for use in the warmer months, and they arrived with us last week - they are stunning, I was lost for words!
I thought, what better way for you to judge the quality of these flies than let you (our loyal customers) see for yourself?
So, today, we have a special offer for you - but we'd also like you to do something for us in return ...
As you will no doubt be aware quality does not come cheap, these flies cost us quite a bit more than we usually buy flies in at - but we just couldn't resist. As the quality is so high - we've called them 'Artisan':
"The highest quality flies, tied with the best materials money can buy."
So what's the deal?
- We'd like you to buy our Artisan Summer Dry Fly Selection at a temporarily reduced 'email community' price (see below for details and images etc). They have been curated especially for fishing UK Rivers and Stillwaters in the summer months.
- You will then receive an email in 7 to 9 days inviting you to leave a review (you should have received the flies well before the email arrives). Please leave us an honest review of the quality of the flies.
Assuming that the overall 'group review' is positive, we will commission more to be tied throughout the year. That's quite an investment from us, but we believe it's worth it - we just hope you do too?
The Artisan Summer Dry Fly Selection
Our Artisan Summer Dry Fly Selection consists of 16 flies, 2 each of 8 separate patterns:
- Black Gnat Parachute - Ahrex FW503 size 18
- Crazy Palmer - Ahrex FW503 size 20
- Five Shades of Grey - Ahrex FW503 size 18
- Griffith's Bling Gnat - Ahrex FW503 size 20
- La Grange - Ahrex FW503 size 16
- Little Scambus - Ahrex FW503 size 18
- Mr Banker - Ahrex FW503 size 18
- Olive Midge Klinkhamer - Ahrex FW503 size 16
These flies are all tied on one of the best lightweight hook ranges in the business, Ahrex.
Please Note: We only have a limited amount - 40 selections - they take ages to tie to this quality. They will sell pretty quickly, so if you would like a selection you will need to be quick!
We are supplying 2 of each of the above patterns, that's 16 flies in total for an 'email community' special price of £24 (this special offer price is only available for the next 24 hours) - the regular price for a set of 16 will be just over £30. I know these are some of the more expensive flies we sell, but the quality is quite outstanding.
Please Note: On the product page, you also have the option to include one of our slimline silicone fly boxes, bringing the total for flies and a silicone box to only £30.
Our Artisan Summer Dry Fly Selection is very limited - we only have 40 available.
Just click on any image or button in this email to view details and buy your selection.
If you would like one, you will need to be quick off the mark!
Here are a few more detailed images to really tempt you:
Detailed images (and specifications) of each fly contained within this specially curated selection can be found on our website, here.
Go on, you know you want to!
It is important to care for all dry flies in the correct way, otherwise, the fly will sink after the first fish is caught. Here are a few tips on how to get the best out of any dry fly:
- Only apply gel floatant to a fly when it is fresh out of the box, i.e. when it is bone dry.
- Once the fly is wet, dry it with a towel or piece of kitchen roll / elastic band (see below), and apply a powdered floatant to it, brushing it as deep into the feathers as you can. This will keep the fly floating, once it starts to sink again, then rinse and repeat this step.
How do you dry a fly with an elastic band I hear you ask?
It's a trick the competition guys use to quickly dry their flies.
- Loop an elastic band onto your vest/pack.
- Hook your fly into it and stretch it holding onto the tippet.
- Twang the elastic band a few times (channelling your best Jimi Hendrix).
This quickly removes any water from the fly, ready for powder floatant to be re-applied. Neat eh!
Tight lines & have fun.
