Skinny Water = Skinny Flies - Summer Searching Tactics
Morning,
"When the river runs thin and the stones show their backs, the fish turn cautious."
When the water is 'skinny', every shadow, every ripple, every overdressed fly becomes a potential warning sign.
This is the time for restraint ...
For flies tied so sparsely tied they seem little more than a whisper in the current.
For centuries, fly anglers here in Yorkshire have been well-known for fishing this style of fly, we call Spiders - just a turn or two of silk, a soft hackle, and the merest suggestion of life.
TL;DR - Too Long; Didn't Read
I know that some of you are pressed for time and save our emails to read later in the day, by this time our selections are sometimes sold out (I get lots of emails from customers pointing this out to me).
I've put this section at the beginning, so you can grab your flies & Jeff's boxes now - and save reading my musings for later, safe in the knowledge that you have already secured your boxed Artisan Spiders.
This email is all about fishing skinny flies (Spiders) in skinny water. In this email, we are launching some stunning spider patterns supplied in one of Jeff Jones's hand-made wooden fly boxes. Jeff's wooden boxes are available in various different sizes (and wood finishes).
We're also giving you the chance to pickup one of Jeff's wooden fly boxes on their own - the last one's that will ever be made - see below for more details!
Plus - at the very end of the email are some tips and tricks on how to use spiders when fishing low, summer water.
Spiders - or Soft Hackle flies, as our friends across the pond refer to them - are my new 'go-to' patterns when fishing 'skinny' water in warmer weather. For me, they have been some of the most productive flies I've fished with over the past few weeks.
It all started from a conversation with one of the 'old boys' who regularly pops his head into Barbless Flies HQ. He mentioned that when the water levels drop, he always turns to spider patterns, unweighted and very sparsely dressed - but with one key difference to the usual setup - he uses just a single fly.
Why Do Sparse Flies Shine in Low Water?
When trout have time to study their food, overdressed patterns can scream fake.
A spider's sparse dressing does the opposite - it suggests rather than shouts, allowing the fish to fill in the blanks and (hopefully) commit to the take. The soft hackle of the fly breathes and moves in the current, even when dead-drifted, creating the illusion of life, without the bulk.
This is why I'm concentrating on Spider patterns & some Artisan wood wizardy from Jeff Jones in this week's missive.
In fact, I've combined the two together:
I asked our Artisan tyers - at very short notice - if they could produce us a set of really 'skinny' Spider patterns. Unfortunately, they could not find the time to tie them in the quantity we originally requested, however, they did manage to send us 16 stunning patterns - but we only received a few dozen of each!
We did not want to put so few on the website - as they would sell out within seconds, so ...
I spoke with 'our man in Wales' and asked if he had any of his stunning wooden fly boxes, which would suit them.
He did ...
So, we’ve gathered the finest Artisan Spider patterns on earth, and placed them in something worthy of their history: a choice of hand-made wooden fly boxes (see below), crafted in Wales by Jeff - whose hands know both patience and precision.
Skinny water demands skinny flies. And in this special boxed selection, you’ll find the confidence to meet the low summer river on its own terms.
- Hare's Lug & Plover
- Woodcock & Hare's Lug
- Dark Watchet
- Stu's Black Spider
- Partridge & Yellow
- Partridge & Orange
- Mirage Spider
- Red-Spot Spider
- Snipe & Purple
- Gold & Black
- Black Spider
- Hare's & Partridge
- Waterhen Bloa
- Parson's Fancy
- Iron Blue Spider
- Partridge & Copper
To view any of the above patterns in more detail, just click on any image or button in this email.
To view any of the above patterns in more detail, just click on any image or button in this email.
As we only have very few of these Spider patterns, we're only making them available in a boxed selection - imaginatively called Jeff's Artisan Spider Selection". As you can probably guess, this is not at the cheaper end of the scale as far as our usual product offerings go, the prices vary on the size of the box you require.
Each boxed selection contains 32 barbless spider patterns, which would usually retail at £1.95 each, making a total of £62.50, but for this special selection, we are pricing them at £1.50 per fly, making a total of £48.
Then you add on the box, where the price is dependent on the size:
- 5" x 3.5" - Available in: Oak Cluster - £40
- 6" x 4" - Available in: American Black Walnut Cluster or Pommele Sapele - £50
- 8" x 5" - Available in: Black Walnut, Teak or Oak Cluster - £60
- £88 for the 5" x 3.5" in Oak Cluster
- £98 for the 6" x 4" box in any wood finish; and
- £108 for the 8" x 5" box in any wood finish
These make an ideal present to yourself, for being so good this year!
We have a friend called Jeff ... who used to make fly boxes, in Wales
After returning from my recent jaunt to deepest darkest Wales (which is stunning, by the way), I received a phone call from Jeff Jones (who makes the stunning wooden fly boxes) to tell me that he was retiring from his garden workshop and was stopping making his wonderful boxes altogether - after a catch-up, he asked if we would like to buy all of his remaining stock - "do ducks fart underwater" - yes, of course we would!
We received the first small batch last week - which contained various sizes (5" x 3", 6" x 4" and 8" x 5" boxes) each one made from a different wood (Oak, Teak, Walnut etc).
All of Jeff's fly boxes are hand-made (in his garden workshop) from solid wood - it's a true labour of love and they are stunning creations - the detail on them is outstanding!
I've now listed them all on our website - you can find them here - we're making them available from only £40!
These Luxury Oiled Wooden Fly Boxes are made in Wales, in a shed, by a guy called Jeff.
They measure either 5" x 3.5", 6" x 4" or 8" x 5" and have solid wood sides and a thick veneer top and bottom, each box has a distinctive and unique pattern and is made from varying wood:
- Oak Cluster
- American Black Walnut Cluster
- Americal Black Walnet (Straight Grain)
- Pommele Sapele
- Teak
The quality of workmanship is outstanding and the boxes are finished with several coats of specialist Gunstock Oil giving a fantastic feel and appearance and long-lasting protection against the elements.
The boxes are fitted with strong neodymium permanent magnets used as the box closures, which gives a smooth snag-free surface and beautifully sculpted finger holds that enable a simple opening and closing of the boxes. A unique feature on these fly boxes is the chamfered profile of the interior edges, which not only looks great, but makes it easier to insert and remove flies which are near the edges of the box.
We have managed to snag Jeff's remaining stock of these boxes (due to his retirement), which are available now either empty or as a part of Jeff's Artisan Spider Selection:
Jeff's fly boxes normally retail at £45+ for even the smallest ones, but we have teamed up with Jeff to showcase his craftsmanship and now have the final fly boxes available:
- £40 - for the 5" x 3.5" - Oak Cluster
- £50 - for the 6" x 4" - American Black Walnut & Pommele Sapele
- £60 - for the 8" x 5" - American Black Walnut, Teak or Oak Cluster
*** We've only a couple of each of the boxes available, from Jeff's final stock - so grab yours now, as you won't get a chance again! ***
These make great gifts, so why not make someone’s day and present them with a Jeff's Artisan Spider Selection?
*** Go on, treat yourself - or a friend this Summer ***
When the river drops to summer lows, every cast matters. The fish are spooky, the lies are smaller, and even the shadow of your line can send a trout bolting for cover. That’s when spider patterns (or soft hackles, for those over the pond) come into their own.
In these conditions, there’s often no need for a team of three flies. In fact, a single, perfectly presented spider can outfish everything else, if you fish it right.
Here are 7 (and a half) tips & tricks for getting the most out of a lone spider in skinny water:
1. Go Long on the Leader
A 12–15ft leader with 6X or 7X tippet gives you a delicate presentation and keeps the fly well away from your fly line splashdown.
2. Fish Upstream or Up-and-Across
While spiders are often fished across-and-down, in low water an upstream presentation gives you more control, less drag, and a stealthier approach.
3. Keep it in the Film
A sparse spider fished just under the surface mimics emergers perfectly. Grease the leader up to 6 inches from the fly to keep it riding high without dragging.
4. Use a Reach Cast for Stealth
Throwing a little reach upstream on delivery keeps your tippet from laying over the fish’s feeding lane—vital in clear, shallow water.
5. Lift to Tempt
Near the end of your drift, gently lift the rod tip to make the spider “swim” upwards. This imitates an insect rising to hatch and often triggers a take.
6. Target Broken Water
In low, clear flows, riffles and pocket water offer cover for both you and the fish. They’re also where spiders come alive in the current.
7. Keep False Casting to a Minimum
More false casts = more chance of spooking fish. Aim for one smooth cast, one perfect drift.
7½. Always Believe in the Fly
The half-tip is more of a mindset: if you think the spider will work, you’ll fish it with patience, focus, and better presentation. Doubt leads to sloppy drifts - faith catches fish (but that's a whole email by itself)!
Our Jeff's Artisan Spider Selection - presented in a hand-made wooden box by Jeff in Wales - is built for exactly these conditions. A handful (16 actually) of the right patterns, tied sparse and suggestive, is all you need to unlock even the wariest trout this Summer.
Tight lines, and remember to time your trips to the water!
