I'm going to keep this email pretty short ...

Which fly do you use when it's warm, there's nothing rising, the water is low and there is not much flow?

In my experience, it's a simple answer: Use a Sawyer's Killer Bug

These are firm favourites amongst those 'keen' souls who pound the riverbanks in the warmer weather - looking for their fishing fix. They are tied to imitate a shrimp/scud.

Even the guru that is Tom Rosenbauer notes the effectiveness of a shrimp/scud pattern:

 

"Crustaceans are easy to capture and high in protein and fat. Wherever they are found in great numbers, you will find lots of corpulent trout.”
Tom Rosenbauer (midcurrent.com)

Variations of the Killer Bug are used prolifically by competition fly anglers (when they want to catch every fish in the water!). These patterns work exceptionally well throughout the season when used as a single nymph fished in the Euro Nymph style - just make sure you have the right type of water in front of you, ideally a section of water that has a deeper section just in front of you with a little faster water.

Please Note: Check out the very end of this email for more details on how to get the most from fishing this style of nymph in the summer season on both Rivers and Stillwaters.

Guess what's just come back in stock again - as luck would have it, it's our Sawyer(ish) Killer Bug Selection.

I've called them Sawyer(ish) because the dressing we've used is not a direct replacement for the original Chadwick's 477, however once I saw it I couldn't not use it - it just looks so fishy when it's wet (I'm not sure the fly fishing historians would be impressed) but they work - in fact, they worked really well when I took them for a swim on our local beck (especially in the smaller sizes):

The Sawyer's Killer Bug is a deadly bug created and developed by Frank Sawyer specifically to catch grayling (as a means to control their numbers on the River Avon in Wiltshire) - they work even better on trout!

The fly was originally named by his friend, Lee Wulff, after him. It’s a general impressionistic dressing that could be taken to imitate a shrimp, larva, pupa or hatching sedge. Our selection contains three each of sizes 12, 14, 16 & 18.

Sawyer(ish) Killer Bug

The genius of the Killer Bug lies in its sparseness. The wool, once wet, takes on a translucent, pinkish hue that perfectly mimics freshwater shrimp, cress bugs, and other tiny invertebrates trout and grayling feed on year-round. With no hackle, tail, or wing to clutter the design, the fly sinks quickly and drifts naturally - exactly what picky fish want to see in clear water.

In summer, when rivers run low and clear, trout and grayling feed heavily on small invertebrates in the weed beds and margins. The Sawyer(ish) Killer Bug, with its subtle colour and slim profile, slips through the current without spooking fish. Fished upstream on fine tippet, it sinks fast, rides close to the weed where the naturals live, and tempts even the wariest of summer fish.

It’s proof that sometimes the simplest patterns are the best - and that Frank Sawyer knew a thing or two about outsmarting fussy trout.

 

Our Sawyer(ish)Killer Bug Selection is a deadly collection of bugs, all inspired by Frank Sawyer's creations. These nymphs are great all-year-round flies and work especially well for those tricky summer fish.

Our Sawyer(ish) Killer Bug Selection contains 12 Killer Bugs in total (3 each of sizes 12, 14, 16 & 18). We now have these back in stock and are offering this selection for only £18 - provided in our eco-friendly packaging and delivered FREE to anywhere in the UK.

*** We only have very limited numbers of these - 48 to be exact - so you will need to be quick if you would like a set! ***

 

Go on, you know you want to!

 

 Summer Stillwater Al(lure)ing Patterns?

Sometimes, big flashy lures are just too much for wary summer trout. That’s where our new range of Stillwater Micro-Lures comes in - they all measure around 3cm long.

Tied slim, sparse-ish, and subtle, these patterns keep the attraction factor of a lure but in a size that doesn’t spook fish in clear, pressured water. And starting at only £1.65, they’re a cost-effective way to add versatility to your late-summer fly box.

In warmer weather, stillwater trout often switch off from chasing large patterns in open water and instead feed lazily around weed beds, margins, and cooler pockets. Micro-lures shine here: they can be fished slowly with a figure-of-eight retrieve, twitched enticingly through weed channels, or suspended just above the drop-off.

Their smaller profile suggests fry, corixa, or even nymphs, matching the food trout are actually eating in the height of summer.

In other words, micro-lures offer the perfect blend of subtlety and movement when full-sized lures are ignored.

Top Tips When Fishing Micro Lures

When fishing larger flies it's all about control and your connection with the fly. A shorter leader helps you keep better control of the streamer and how it fishes. Start with a level piece of mono 3 to 4 feet long. When in doubt, go shorter.

There are 2 main types of retrieve employed when micro-lure fishing: the stripped retrieve and the swing (down and across on rivers). Just remember to keep in touch with the lure and try to impart some action into it as the fly moves in the water.

On Stillwaters - Fish these lures as you would any other streamer style pattern on your favourite stillwater, short leaders with short jerky movements.

Rivers - High Water - When the rivers are running higher than normal or coloured, try running a micro-lure through the back eddies. Keep out of the main flow, and think like a minnow! Also, try dead drifting the lure downstream, then retrieve it back (across the flow) with the odd twitch.

Rivers - Low Light Conditions - With trout feeding more confidently in low light conditions, try a lure just after the evening rise has finished. You will be surprised at what you can catch (even in just a few inches of water). Concentrate on fishing the tails of pools and shallower riffles. It's also worthwhile pulling a lure through any flat water just as nightfall starts; again, trout feed more confidently after dusk.

*** Fill Your Summer Stillwater Fly Box Today ***

Here are a few tips to help you when fishing for summer trout with smaller/lighter nymphs (like the Sawyer's Killer Bug), which we hope you find useful:

For Rivers:

1. Small nymphs work best in slower water - expending energy for such a small nymph in faster water is not worth the fish's effort.
2. In lower flows and slow water, where possible, fish from the bank and keep low down; it's important not to disturb the water at all. Even really slow wading can send ripples upstream and spook fish.
3. Try tying the nymph on with a loop knot to give it more movement - try using the Non-Slip Loop Knot.
4. Keeping in contact with small nymphs can be a problem; most anglers use some sort of indicator. The best I have found is the 'putty' style indicator, but keep the putty used as small as possible (about the size of a pea in the shape of a rugby ball) - just enough to suspend your nymph. If your river allows it, try using a dry fly as an indicator, aka The Duo.

If you are still not sure about fishing smaller nymphs on their own, try starting with a simple 2-nymph rig, with a size 18 Killer Bug on the point and a larger nymph on a dropper above it. Having the heavier nymph on the dropper allows you to fish both nymphs at a similar depth (the heavier nymph will take the smaller nymph deep - and keep it there).

Just make sure to keep in contact with your flies at all times by leading them through the water - and lifting the rig at the slightest hint of a fish!

For Stillwaters:

1. Fish it Slowly - Stillwater trout have time to inspect their food. Let the Killer Bug sink and retrieve it with a very slow, steady figure-of-eight. Think “creep” rather than “dash.”
2. Use a Long Leader - A 15–18ft leader (tapered to 5X or 6X) helps the fly behave naturally, especially in calm conditions. The longer leader keeps your fly line further from the fish.
3. Target the Margins - Just like rivers, shrimps and corixa are abundant in the weed beds and along the edges. A Killer Bug twitched along the margins is often deadly in summer heat.
4. Fish it Under an Indicator - On flat-calm days, try suspending the fly a couple of feet under a small indicator or buoyant dry fly. It keeps the Bug in the feeding zone and highlights those gentle takes.
5. Add Movement with the Rod Tip - Instead of stripping line, gently lift and lower the rod tip. This makes the nymph rise in the water column, imitating an emerging insect.
6. Change Depth Frequently - In stillwaters, feeding depth can vary wildly. Fish the Killer Bug on a slow intermediate line to search deeper water, or on a floating line with a long leader for the shallows.
7. Fish in a Team - Try the Killer Bug on the point with a buzzer or small nymph above. The natural, suggestive profile often draws fish to the whole rig.

Tight lines.

P.S. Remember to look out for our 2nd (and last) Framed Hatch Chart giveaway this Bank Holiday Weekend.