2wheels1rod

The 'little devils' of the Stillwater Scene

Diawl Bachs & Crunchers July is not usually one of the prime months for fishing stillwaters, due to the lower oxygen levels within the water - however, with the recent (and forecast) weather it is looking like it's going to be the perfect month for fishing! Usually at this time of year the best tactic to use is the imitative approach - that's why both Diawl Bachs and Crunchers are some of the most popular flies to try in July and we've finally got two of our most popular Stillwater selections back in stock again. Both our Diawl Bach & Cruncher Selections are tied on size 12 and 16 barbless hooks with slender bodies. These are favourites on the stillwaters, fished as part of a team of flies drawn slowly on a floating line with a long leader. A very effective method to fish these is to let the wind push the fly line around and look for a twitch in the line as an indication that a fish has taken the fly. They can also be very effective during a midge (chironomid) hatch, and the holo versions are worth using to imitate pin fry. We've also included a really nice piece on how to effectively fish Diawl Bachs and Crunchers towards the end of this email - and we've added a Stillwater Hatch Card for July - aren't we good to you! Now to the offer: Buy 2 of either the Diawl Bach or Cruncher Selections (1 of each or 2 of either), and these will automatically be given a 15% discount in your cart (no discount codes required), this offer is only open until midnight on Sunday (7th July) - that brings the price for each of these down to only £15.30 for 16 flies. Diawl Bachs - Here we have a selection of 16 diawl bach's four different patterns in two different sizes (12 & 16). These are a favourite on the stillwaters, fished as one of a team of three flies drawn slowly on a floating line with a long leader. Crunchers - A generic all-around pattern for use with Stillwater trout. This fly can represent Olive nymphs or Corixa and can be used at any position on your leader (both as a dropper or the point fly). They can also be deadly fished under/behind a blob or booby pattern. Use the holographic versions for rainbows, the darker colours have also proved good brown trout catchers. Remember, all you have to do is buy 2 of either the Diawl Bach Selection or Cruncher Selection (1 of each or 2 of either), and these will automatically be given a 15% discount in your cart (no discount codes are required), this offer is open until midnight on Sunday (7th July). Go on, you know you want to! Love Fishing Stillwaters? You're Going To Need One Of These ... WOW, thank you so much to all of you who grabbed one our our 'fresh off the press' Stillwater Anglers Almanacs - we've just had to re-order them! We've only 45 left of the first editions - with more due with us early next week. Grab yours now from only £5.99 for the digital edition and £12.99 for the paperback. Please Note: Leather editions will be with us again in around 4 weeks, they all sold within minutes! If you would like to reserve one, just reply to this email and I will set one aside for you and be in contact when they arrive with us. Even though we only published them last week, they're already getting some great reviews ... How To Fish Diawl Bachs & Crunchers Diawl Bachs (welsh for 'little devil') and Crunchers are very similar styles of fly patterns and are fished in exactly the same way. They imitate a host of underwater nymphs/pupa but are most commonly used as buzzer imitations. Where To Fish Them? This style of slim, imitative fly is most successful in the late Spring when fished in the top third of the water column (usually only a couple of feet below the surface). These flies can be fished on a variety of methods: Part of a team of nymphs - straight line nymphing is a great technique to use on stillwaters The Washing Line technique - close to the surface Behind a lure on a deep sinking line - the fish are attracted by the lure on the top dropper but offering them a more natural imitation close by usually takes the fish. How To Fish Them? Just like you would a buzzer: When it's Still - Use a floating line, long leader and a team of three. Cast out, and before the flies start to sink, pull the line to straighten out the leader. Then pause (keeping in touch with the flies) and wait for the flies to drop, takes usually come with the flies on the drop. You should spot a take before you feel it, keep an eye on the fly line and leader for any abnormal movement. If the flies hit the bottom, just a few pulls on the fly line should bring them back to the surface, and you can start again by letting them sink. When it's Windy - Still use a floating line, but this time use a shorted leader. Check the direction of the wind and cast out across the wind (i.e. the wind is side-on to you) - always make sure the wind is to your left shoulder if you are right-handed (and the right shoulder if you are left-handed). Again, using a team of three, cast out and allow the flies to drift with the wind. You should not need to retrieve your line, just keep in touch with it, as the wind will make sure your leader straightens up. Again, you will usually see the take before you feel it - just remember to strike in the opposite direction to the direction your flies are moving. Once the flies have drifted as far as you think possible, lift the flies slowly from the water, it's surprising how many fish take your nymphs as you're about to re-cast!. Here's a quick reminder of what you should expect to find hatching this month on your Stillwater: Tight lines & have fun

Fly fishing is food for your soul - feed it with glass

I don't know about you, but my time on the water is precious - what with running Barbless Flies and family commitments I find it all too difficult to get any 'me time' on the water, especially at this time of year when we are at our busiest. This is why I want to have the best experience when I do find the time to get out. During the recent D-Day commemorations, I saw the following quote, which struck a chord with me on a recent trip to the water: Our local rivers are starting to get very overgrown at the minute - it must be all this recent wet weather - but it is creating perfect hiding places for our local wild trout population! My rod of choice at this time of year (and all through the summer) is something Glass, a good friend describes them as being: "Made from rolled soul" If I want to have a couple of hours on the water I want to use something which gives me joy just to cast it - Glass rods really are the essence and soul of fly fishing for me. If you have been a member of our email community for any length of time, you will be well aware of the high regard in which I hold Glass rods - especially when fishing in the summer, with its associated low water levels, flows and ultra-cautious fish. Whilst at the British Fly Fair earlier this year, I struck up a conversation with one of the guys on the Orvis stand (James), which eventually saw me being the owner of one of their new Helios rods, the discussion eventually led to the subject of Glass rods - specifically their Superfine Glass range which they had on display. After a quick look and waggle (as you do), in the hand it felt just like a regular carbon rod but had the action and associated presentation delicacy of Glass - something which I've not found in any other Glass rods which I own - something very difficult to achieve. On further discussion with James, it transpires that it is one of the only rods still made in their rod shop in Vermont, USA. I was intrigued by this rod, as it seemed to occupy that sweet spot of a rod which is easy to cast for anyone who is used to swinging some carbon, but has the feel and presentation of a high-end Glass rod! It was a comment which James made towards the end of our discussion which really stuck in my mind: "Orvis don't make Glass rods because they have to, they make them because they should!" For me, that is the attitude and outlook I love to hear and one which we try to adhere to here at Barbless Flies - we do things because we should do them. I do realise that as far as fly fishing goes, I am in a very privileged position - being a (very minor) part of the industry - I know that large manufacturers have rods available for demonstration purposes, so I chanced my arm and called James last month to see if there was any chance I could get hold of a Superfine Glass to have a play with on my local river Derwent this summer. A couple of weeks later a rod-shaped parcel arrived which had Orvis emblazoned on the side - it was like Christmas morning all over again. The rod hardly had a chance to touch the ground before it was in the back of the truck and all strung up - with my usual Cortland Sylk Double Taper fly line - on the banks of the Derwent. Safe to say, it was as good as I was hoping it would be - I just love the way it casts, you can feel the rod loading, even on very short casts, making the timing easy and a delight to fish with. It was at this moment when the quote above came to mind - it was the day I realised why I go fishing, I'd just fed my soul! Please Note: I didn't catch anything, the river was too high and coloured, so I cannot attest to its fish-playing feel. I did catch a few overhanging branches though which put up a bit of a struggle! Don't tell Orvis, but I'm not sending this back to them until the summer is over! To be 100% honest, there is one thing which I didn't like about the rod - it doesn't have a hook keeper ring, what is it with rod manufacturers not using them anymore? I already knew that fibreglass was the perfect material to build fly rods from - especially if you are looking for one which gives you immense pleasure just when casting it. This Superfine Glass is perfectly suited for long lazy casting strokes, presenting dry flies like thistledown for any unsuspecting fish to intercept on a summer's evening rise. Don't just take my word for it though, the guys over at Trident Fly Fishing in the USA have recorded a video review of the Superfine Glass, you can take a look here: I spoke with James again last week in the hope of putting something together to show off the best of both Orvis and ourselves - to my delight, both he and the powers that be at Orvis agreed. So, we have a really special deal available for you today (and until midnight tomorrow - 28th June). SPECIAL OFFER - ENDS AT MIDNIGHT TOMORROW Use any of the buttons or links below to buy a Superfine Glass rod through Orvis's website, enter the code BARBLESSFLIES at the checkout, and you will also receive a special "Delicate Presentation Pack" which we have specifically selected to compliment your new rod. Our Delicate Presentation Pack includes: A Luke Bannister Ultralight Silk Furled Leader - worth £9.00 A spool of Orvis Superstrong Plus 6X tippet - ideal for those smaller flies and delicate presentations - worth £6.25 A tin of our Rubber Duck floatant gel - worth £5.99 24 of our Artisan Olive Imitations, specifically selected for matching the full hatch lifecycle in the summer months (sizes 14 to 18) - worth £46.80 - see below; and A pin-on fly patch to handily store all your flies - worth £8.99 A total value of £77.03 Remember, these rods are perfectly set up for fishing with light tippets and small flies. The design of the rods taper protects really delicate tippets, it's easy to land bigger fish on incredibly light tippet! I believe these Superfine Glass rods are the very best you can buy on the market today, as such, they are not at the cheaper end of the scale! They cost £579 and are available in the perfect weights for our rivers here in the UK, 2wt to 4wt and above. *** These rods are in high demand, so you may need to be quick as I do know they are in short supply within the UK *** Please Note: If you have any difficulty when ordering your Glass rod, please contact Orvis directly (Email: customerservice@orvis.co.uk or Tel: 0333 400 4188) and they will be able to help you out - they're good like that! The full Orvis Superfine Glass range of fly rods can be found by clicking the button below: Whether you’re fishing small streams for wild browns, throwing big dries for stocked rainbows, or chasing stillwater monsters at your local - the Orvis Superfine Glass will feed your soul. Tight lines, and remember to feed your soul every so often this summer!

Summer Fly Fishing Fun - How To Tackle It

Small Fly Strategies (and a box designed to hold them) Now that the summer seems to be finally arriving, I wanted to try and get us ready for the more challenging part of the season. This part of the season usually sees the fish quite languid. In this missive, I'm going to give you what is, hopefully, a good grounding on how to approach these conditions, and that is by using - smaller flies. Also, we have a superb selection and fly box, ideal for smaller flies. P.S. This email is going to be quite long, so you might want to grab a brew before you start reading! I've no doubt that we've all seen swarms of midges above the surface of the water - especially when there are sunlit pools. Low water levels and spooky fish means utilising the smaller flies in our boxes. Some rivers are not as full of nutrients as others, it’s these rivers which tend to fish better using smaller flies, due in part to the fact the river cannot sustain the production of the larger species. In these rivers trout can still flourish, they just alter the way they feed. Instead of selectively taking insects as and when they please (as insects are in abundance on the more nutrient-rich rivers), the trout in less rich rivers are opportunistic feeders. This is where the small, imitative fly is king. In essence: small flies = light tippet = longer leaders = softer rods The remainder of this email will take the above and hopefully shed a little light on each. Small Flies When you encounter low water it's time to turn to the smaller flies in your box - when I say small, I am referring to flies which are size 18 and smaller. It is the one piece of tackle that the fish sees and makes their decision on to eat or not. The most important part of a fly is without doubt the hook, even more so when we are using very small hooks. It is important when choosing small flies to look at the gape of the hook (i.e., the distance between the hook point and the body of the hook), make sure that the tied fly still has plenty of room between the body and the hook point, if there is hardly any room between the body of the fly and the point it will make it very difficult to hook a fish. Generally, the hooks which are sized at 18 and smaller all are ‘wide gape’. Often, the reason small flies are dismissed by anglers is that they have trouble seeing them, there are a few remedies for this: Pre-Tie Your Flies: Tie up some short leader lengths at home with the small flies already attached. This way it's easy to attach them when on the water, rather than fiddling around trying to tie them on in dwindling light. Make An Educated Guess: For most dry fly angling it is not a necessity to actually see the fly, generally you will have a rough idea of where the fly is, if you see a rise, just lift into it – 9 times out of 10 it will be to your fly! Use An Indicator: If you do want to know where your fly is, either use a small fly with a hi-vis sighter post, or use the ‘Double Dry’ technique, where you use a visible dry fly and then tie a smaller dry fly from the eye of the hook on a long dropper – just like the klink n dink method, but using 2 dry flies. Having a selection of small flies (both nymphs and dries) is essential when fishing through August and into early September. It just so happens that we have you covered with something new to us - a fly box which is ideal for storing small flies and a selection of small (but perfectly formed) flies for you to fill it with: Our Pescador Small Fly Selection includes the stunning Tacky Pescador MagPad fly box - ideally suited for fishing small & micro flies as it contains a separate magnetic pad to store all those micro flies where they are easy to access. As well as the Pescador Magpad box, we've also plundered our smallest flies and put them together in a set, specifically designed for fishing on those more challenging summer days. Our Selection includes the Tacky Pescador Magnetic fly box and 20 small flies, perfect for summer fishing: The "No See Um": Sizes 18 and 24 - 4 of each Agapetus: Sizes 20 and 24 - 2 of each Driffield Dun: Size 18 - 2 of each CdC March Brown: Size 18 - 3 of each March Brown Dry: Size 18 - 3 of each In total we're supplying 20 small and micro flies with the Tacky Pescador Magpad (small) fly box for only £48.99 which includes FREE delivery - that's roughly a 25% discount on buying them all individually. Alternatively, if you would just like just the set of flies on their own - we've got you covered, as we are making these available to you for only £24.00 for the selection of 20 small and micro patterns: Or, if you just like the look of the box, we have them in stock, they are available for £29.99 - click here to view the Tacky Pescador Magpad (small) fly box. The King of Small Flies The "No See Um" This pattern comes to you directly from the USA (originally devised by Phil Bair), where they are the 'go-to' fly when you need something 'small and black'. These stunning Micro Dry Flies are exquisite and so nicely tied they are amazing. Try drifting one under a swarm of midges! To give you an idea of their size, here are five of the size 24's - on a 5p piece for reference: We've included the "No See Um" patterns in the above Pescador Small Fly Selection, if you like the look of them you can also buy them individually (in either size 18 or 24) for only £1.75 each, as a pack of 6 for £8.75 or as a pack of 12 for only £15.00. Ok, so you've got the flies and the box, but what next ... Longer Leaders If you have already downloaded our copy of the Small Fly Manifesto, then you will have seen the leader recipes for various long & light setups to tie yourself. Here's the best one for fishing really small flies: To the 6X at the end of the above, just add in a few feet of the 7X or 8X tippet and you're good to go. However you decide to create your leader, the one thing above anything else which will increase your catch rate is the length! When fishing small flies, on low rivers you need to make your leader as long as you can possibly get away with. This is what has given rise to the new style Front-Heavy Tapered leaders in the longer lengths – 11ft to 16ft. It is not uncommon for hardly any fly line to be outside of the rod tip and just the leader is cast. TOP TIP: When trying to thread your tippet to a small fly, try cutting the tippet at a 45-degree angle, it makes it much easier to get the tippet through the eye of the hook. Softer Actioned Rods When fishing with light tippet, you need a rod which has a much softer action than your regular carbon rod, this is how you can land much bigger fish on really light tippet. You need to ensure that your whole system - fly, tippet, line & rod - work in harmony. Just try landing a small fish on a fast-actioned carbon rod with a thin tippet (anything smaller than 7X) and you will appreciate the finesse of a softer actioned rod. You need a rod which will cushion every movement of the fish and protect your light tippet. This is where glass rods come into their own, especially on the small to medium-sized rivers where you are not casting to the horizon. Get out there and have some fun with small flies.

Launching Today - NEW for ALL Stillwater Fly Anglers in the UK

If you're into fishing Stillwaters - you're going to love this! Building on our previous Stillwater Almanac we are proud to release our new & updated version. We've taken on board feedback from previous issues of our Almamancs - the main negative being that the book was too big to carry around with you. One other issue we found was that we were essentially writing a variation on the same theme each year - as weather conditions and insect hatches don't alter much from year to year. So, for this year we have made two very important changes: We've made it physically smaller - it is A6 (4.1" x 5.8") rather than A5. We've kept the font sizes the same and doubled the number of pages! It now fits nicely in your pocket or glovebox. We've made the Diary/Catch Return portion a separate book in itself (which is supplied FREE with The Stillwater Almanac). This means that next year, you only need to replace the Diary/Catch Return (at £2.99) to keep a record of your adventures. Doing all of the above has allowed us to cut our production costs, meaning we can pass these savings on to you. This year we've also added a Leather Edition to keep both your Almanac and Diary/Catch Return nice and tidy - and best of all it's only £18.99 (that's £1 cheaper than the paperback edition from last year)! The leather covers have a soft feel and are very hard-wearing. When you buy either of the physical versions of our Stillwater Almanac (Leather for only £18.99 or Paperback for only £12.99) you also receive the Diary/Catch Return Book free of charge. And, we are bringing this to you, our loyal community, first. This is a journal to accompany you throughout your fly fishing year. Something you can annotate and make notes in, allowing you to refer back to in years to come - helping you ‘crack the code’ on those difficult days. We’ve called it an Almanac as it takes its inspiration from a few different sources, think of it as a cross-over between: Old Moore’s Almanac - An annual publication that prophecies what will happen throughout the year - only this one is fly fishing related. The Fly Fishers Entomology - A seminal publication from 1836 by Alfred Ronalds, the first to detail fly life from the angler's point of view. A Moleskine Diary - As used by Van Gogh, Picasso & Ernest Hemingway Our Stillwater Almanac follows the stillwater fly anglers year - starting in March and ending in February - detailing the hatches and flies to use for each month. Here's an excerpt from July: I'm a firm believer that each stillwater has its own nuances as far as fishing (and the fish contained within it) are concerned and that the most successful anglers on any given water are the ones with the most experience of it. Generally in life, there are no shortcuts, but there are ways to help your experience along a little quicker - and owning The Stillwater Fly Anglers Almanac is one of them! We are today launching The Stillwater Fly Anglers Almanac. It's 140 pages long and we have three different editions for you to choose from: Leather Edition - only £18.99 Paperback Edition - only £12.99; and Digital Edition - only £5.99 You can see more sample pages by clicking on any image or button contained in this email. Not convinced yet? Here's what some of our customers said about our previous edition (and this one is even better) ... Tight lines, happy reading & have fun.

Back In Stock - You've Been Waiting For These 🎣

We've finally got these back in stock - after a few months of waiting! There was a shortage of materials, so when I got a call to say our guys had sourced them I was keen to get these flies back in again, they are our best selling lines, so for all of you who have been waiting, here they are: Our Barbless Dry Fly Selection is a selection of 4 styles of dry flies, which are selected for their fish-catching ability all season long - in any UK river or Stillwater. Indicator Caddis - A very versatile pattern, great fished as a single dry fly on a dead drift or as the dry in a duo/New Zealand set up, which has exceptional buoyancy and will suspend even the heaviest of nymphs. Selection contains two each of sizes 14, 16 and 18. Elk Hair Caddis - A sedge (or caddis) imitation. I have found this pattern to bring up even the most timid of fish when dead drifted through a pool. This selection contains two of each sizes 16 and18. Kite's Imperial - First devised in 1962 by the late Oliver Kite to imitate the Large Dark Olives which were hatching on the River Teifi. He used this pattern all season long whenever any olives were hatching, it didn't matter if they were large, small, light, dark, Pale Wateries or Iron Blues. Rather than changing the pattern, Oliver only changed the size of the fly. Selection contains two each of sizes 14 & 16. CDC Olive Emerger - An excellent emerger pattern, with a CDC wing. This pattern is ideal to imitate the change from nymph to dun. Selection contains two each of sizes 16 & 18. Our Dry Fly Selection contains 4 different styles of 'dry flies. In total there are 18 flies supplied in our eco-friendly packaging. These flies are great all-year-round flies, and work especially well for those picky summer trout and for taking grayling in September/October. We are supplying all of these for only £20. All are supplied in our eco-friendly packaging and delivered to you free of charge anywhere within the UK. Just click on any image or button button above to view the flies in more detail. Go on, what are you waiting for, they're perfect for summer! You've Seen The Dries - How About Some Nymphs? Generally, when targeting trout in the early summer, keep in mind the following: The faster and deeper the river, the heavier the nymph - especially after a summer downpour! Target the area behind any type of structure in the water (think boulders, bridge supports & weed beds) Where allowed, it’s usually better to fish a team of flies if there's nothing rising, remember to place the heaviest fly on the point. I've put the first point above in bold, as it's the most important part. So, which nymph patterns should be your first choice? The most successful Tungsten Nymphs ever! We've just received a delivery of our most popular (and successful) tungsten nymphs in all sizes - ideal for any conditions you will face this summer. The selections below all contain patterns from our most popular tungsten nymph selection, in sizes ranging from 10 (Jumbo) to 18 (Micro) - click on any image or button below to see the full details of each selection: Micro Tungsten Nymph Selection £16.00 Tungsten Nymph Selection £30.00 Jumbo Tungsten Nymph Selection £20.00 hese are the first nymphs I reach for when fish are not rising. Each of the above Tungsten Nymph Selections contains the following patterns in various sizes: Red-Neck Pheasant Tail Nymph Copper Pheasant Tail Mary Olive Quill Nymph Orange-Head Pheasant Tail Mary Hare's Ear Nymph The various configurations of selections are: Micro Tungsten Nymph Selection - contains 15 nymphs - 3 of each pattern in size 18 for only £16. Tungsten Nymph Selection - contains 30 nymphs - 3 of each size 14, 16 & 18, for each of the five patterns below for only £30. Jumbo Tungsten Nymph Selection - contains 20 nymphs - 2 of each size 10 & 12, for each of the five patterns above for only £20. *** Stock up on these while you can, they always sell out fast! *** Tight lines & have fun this weekend.

The 'Hot-Head' Midge Pattern Causing A Storm On Both Rivers & Stillwaters

As the main Mayfly season is now drawing to a close, attention turns to the flies to use when the weather gets a little warmer - we can all dream! Fishing for trout can be very tricky in the summer months, you will often visit the water and find that it looks devoid of any signs of life - this is when, if you are to have any sport at all, you will need to dig out those long forgotten nymphs. And, don't even think of searching on Google for "summer nymph river", because the image below, and some which are much worse, will appear: So, as Google is not going to help us out - as far as summer nymphing for trout is concerned - I thought that maybe I should write a few words on the type of nymphs and techniques which will work well - based on feedback/reviews from the thousands of nymphs our customers fished with last summer. Let's concentrate on the two main water types, Rivers & Stillwaters: When using nymphs on rivers, most anglers tend to choose the heavily beaded ones - favouring bouncing a nymph across the riverbed - I believe you need to do the opposite, i.e. use a very light nymph and fish mid-way in the water column. During the summer months with low water levels and even lower flows, it is wise to head for the unweighted nymphs. These will sink much slower and can be manipulated whilst falling through the water. This is especially successful if you can keep as much line as possible off the water, including yourself (if at all possible, don't wade), it is essential if you are fishing very flat-calm runs. It is also worth mentioning that where possible, I always use fluorocarbon when fishing any fly under the water surface - this is especially important when fishing in slower runs and very clear water - the fish usually have lots of time to inspect any offering you will swing past them! Use a long-light rod (I prefer a 10' 2wt), cast the nymph upstream and follow the nymph back with your rod tip, try manipulating the nymph by raising and lowering your rod, in an attempt to imitate the nymph ascending through the water column. Let the nymph swing past you and lower your rod until the line tightens and the nymph is directly downstream of you - this will often induce a take as the nymph will naturally rise up the water column. A good technique to use on any stillwater (large or small) in the Summer months is teaming up a nymph with another style of fly - a deadly technique used in the USA during colder weather in both Stillwaters and Rivers ... It seems that the trick to the technique is to use a heavier nymph or lure as an attractor, but then trail a smaller, lighter and more imitative nymph behind it - the theory being that the fish initially shows interest in the 'attractor' nymph/lure but ends up taking the smaller more imitative nymph: For this method to work, the trailing nymph needs to have the following properties: Fairly imitative Lightweight Have a uniform weight distribution - so they don't sink head-first; and Incorporate some form of trigger point By now you are probably one step ahead of me, and have guessed what's coming! We put our thinking caps on and had a genius fly tyer (thanks Niklas you're a star) design some nymphs which exactly fit the bill - they're called Mercury 'Hot Head' Midges (they are perfect for both Rivers and Stillwaters at this time of year) and we're making them available to you today. Here's an example of just one of the colour variations included in our selection: These Mercury 'Hot Head' Midges we originally devised by Pat Dorsey, a fly fishing guide, writer and co-owner of The Blue Quill Angler in Colorado, USA. We've taken his original design and added a vivid red 'hot head' under the small glass bead. As you will see from the nymphs above, these are stunning creations. Being a part of our Artisan range of flies. all of these Mercury 'Hot Head' Midges are tied on strong Ahrex FW451 barbless hooks in sizes 14 and 16, topped off with a vivid red hot-head under a 2.4mm glass 'seed' bead. Our Mercury 'Hot-Head' Midge Selection includes 4 different colour variations (Black, Pink, White & Purple), we are supplying 2 of each nymph in sizes 14 and 16 (16 nymphs in total), shipped free of charge to anywhere in the UK, all for only £24, these nymphs usually sell for £1.75 each, giving you a 15% discount when buying the full selection. We know these are not cheap flies, but you will be astounded at the quality - we can guarantee you will be climbing those trees to retrieve them! To view or buy our Mercury 'Hot Head' Midge Selection, click on any image or button in this email. *** We've stocked up on these for the Summer - as we know they will be popular *** Something A Little Different Today ... As we are on the subject of nymphing, why not learn tips from one of the masters in the art - Domenick Swentosky. Domenick is based in the USA and runs a fantastic blog called TroutBitten - A life on the water: Domenick has written a whole series of articles and produced podcasts on 'Critical Nymphing Concepts' - in fact there are literally hundreds of pages available on his blog. you can find them all here: If you really want to get the low-down on nymphing it's worth searching the available articles, he covers lots of diverse fly fishing related subjects - I'm sure you will find something of interest. Please Note: We have no affiliation with Dominic or the Troutbitten blog, we just think he's one of the good guys and boy can he fish! Tight lines & have a great day. P.S. The size 14 Mercury 'Hot Head' Midge in White bears more than a passing resemblance to a maggot!

Don't Be A Tosser - Use A Line Saver

I have a confession to make - I'm a bit of a hoarder! I like collecting things, especially fishing books - but outside of fishing, my other passion is collecting ideas - I know it's a bit geeky. I'm always on the lookout for ideas which either make me think or make me smile, like this one: I have a special bit of software I use to store all these ideas so I can recall them easily whenever the need arises (I have hundreds of them, gathered together over the last 30 years). Back in May 2023 - that need arose ... and the above image was recalled from the system! It was an image & strapline which has been used by various Local Authorities since 2018, in conjunction with the Keep Britain Tidy campaign. So, what happened back in May last year to prompt me to search for "Don't Be A Tosser"? I received a phone call from a guy called Nicholas Fitton (a well-respected angling writer), he had an idea for a fishing-related product which would also help to keep Britain tidy and wondered if I would be interested in developing it further with him. Too right I would ... So, after quite a few discussions/brain-storming sessions, we had some prototypes made ... field-tested them on the rivers of Yorkshire and Devon ... refined the design quite a few times, and we just had the finished product delivered to us last Friday - I must say a very big "Thank You" to Litchfield Leather for getting these made to such a high standard and delivered to us so quickly. It's been over a year in the making, we're launching it today, it's only £9.99 and it's called a Line Saver: So, Don't Be A Tosser, Use A ... Essentially, the Line Saver is a small, thoughtfully-designed leather wallet to hold all of your waste fishing line securely - ready to recycle when you are away from the water. The Line Saver is very easy to use - click on the image below to watch a 'how to' video - just give the Line Saver a squeeze, stuff your line in it (the material inside the wallet holds your line securely) and keep it in your pocket/pack/vest. And, best of all it is only £9.99: "Fishing line can take up to 600 years to degrade" Canal & Rivers Trust Recycling your fishing line benefits rivers and lakes by preventing pollution and safeguarding aquatic life. Discarded lines can entangle fish, birds, and other wildlife, leading to injury or death. These lines also degrade water quality, harming ecosystems and reducing biodiversity. Recycling keeps fishing line out of waterways, minimising environmental damage and preserving natural habitats. Additionally, recycling reduces the demand for new plastic production, conserves resources and lowers greenhouse gas emissions. By participating in fishing line recycling programs, anglers contribute to cleaner, healthier rivers and lakes, promoting sustainable recreational fishing and protecting local ecosystems for future generations. It really is easy to use: Squeeze - In one hand, Squeeze your Line Save together to open up the central compartment. Stuff - Stuff your line into the Line Saver, the material inside will keep the line in place. Snip - When you are ready to remove the line, open up the Line Saver and either run a pair of scissors down the gap in the material to Snip your line into manageable pieces or just pull all the line from the wallet in one piece. Recycle - Recycle your waste line by following the instructions on the included card or visit a local tackle shop with an ANLRS Recycling Bin. To make the process of recycling your waste fishing line as easy as possible, we've joined forces with the Anglers National Line Recycling Service. Collect all of your waste fishing line together, then either deposit it in your local ANLRS Recycling Bin (click here to view bin locations) or securely package it (in the addressed envelope we supply with every Line Saver) and at the end of the season post your waste line to: ANLRS, PO Box 96, Petworth GU28 8BU Please Note: We've kept the price of the Line Saver as low as we possibly can, both Nicholas and I wanted to make the product as easy to access, use and keep as possible - there are other competing products which do a similar job, but ours is longer-lasting and half the price of the others - and we think it's much better! The Line Saver is launching today and is now available to order through Barbless Flies, for only £9.99 which includes FREE delivery to anywhere in the UK. For All Trade Enquiries: The Line Saver also has its own website (www.line-saver.com), we are looking to get these out to as wide an audience as possible - if you are reading this and would like to stock them either online or in a physical shop, please get in touch, we can offer these at very competitive prices as we would love to get all anglers using one! You can find out much more here - www.line-saver.com As anglers, we all need to do our bit to 'leave no trace' - using a Line Saver makes it very easy to store your waste tippet and leaders, ready for recycling when away from the water. I hope you will help to keep your local environment free of fishing line. Tight lines.

Happy Twanging ...

Happy Twanging ... I wanted to take a minute today to talk about fly care when fishing, more specifically how to care for your dry flies and present them correctly. The relevance of the above image will become clear at the very end of this email! All of the flies I've been emailing about for the last month or so have all been dry flies - getting you ready for the dry fly season to start in earnest - so, I thought it was about time to give you a few tips on how to keep them floating. This email is not at all prescriptive, it's more of a 'this is what works for me' - why not give the tips a try and let me know if works for you? But first, I want to cover the basics - why we need flies to float in the first place. When 'dry fly' fishing the premise is that we are trying to imitate an insect that the fish would expect to see on the surface of the water. These insects appear on the water surface during one of four stages: When first emerging from their shucks When sat on the surface waiting for their wings to dry When returning to the water to lay their eggs; and When they have died and are floating away on the surface Each of the above stages can be replicated by the use of potions and powders to allow the fly to sit correctly in the water - for example, an emerging fly needs to sit in the water, rather than on it. When fishing with dry flies, there are three inexpensive items you use to take care of them and keep them floating: Something to dry them with A liquid/gel floatant; and A powder-based floatant I'm going to take each one in turn and explain how, and more importantly, why you use them. We will start with: Something To Dry Them With OK, I know, a piece of paper towel or Amadou does just as good a job as virtually anything else, but there is one specific type of paper towel which does the best job ever! It's made from Bamboo (see above), it is so absorbent, doesn't disintegrate and can be machine washed. The only problem is has very recently been difficult to find! I've been using the one pictured above for the last three or four years and there's nothing which comes close to it - so we bought all the stock we could and have made our own small (roughly 4" x 3") towels with a handy carabiner clip, making them ideal for attaching to your pack/vest. We don't sell them individually as they are very 'Heath Robinson' (whoever he was), but we do include them in our Dry Fly Care Kit - which is what this email is all about! View Our Dry Fly Care Kit - only £17.50 Next, we will move on to: Liquid/Gel Floatants A liquid/gel floatant should the the first thing you reach for when the fly comes straight out of your fly box. Liquid/gel floatants are great at covering the fly quickly - just rub a small amount in your fingers and then apply to the fly on the areas which you want to float (usually only the hackle). Only ever apply a gel/paste/liquid floatant to a fly that is 100% dry - i.e. it's straight out of your fly box and not seen the water that day. Applying this type of floatant to a damp fly will lock in the moisture and not allow it to float. As you've probably already gathered we are including one of our Rubber Duck Gel floatants in our Dry Fly Care Kit. View Our Dry Fly Care Kit - only £17.50 Next, we will move on to: Powdered Floatants Once you've had a fish, or your fly starts to sink, give it a squeeze between your drying towel or a piece of kitchen roll. Once you've removed the water and the fly is dry you can then freshen up the fly using one of the powder-style floatants. Just brush the powder deep into the feathers and give it a blow to remove any excess. As you've probably already gathered we are including one of our Weatherby's Powdered floatants in our Dry Fly Care Kit. View Our Dry Fly Care Kit - only £17.50 *** Keep reading to the end of this email for the best 'Fly Drying' tip I have ever been told - you will be glad you did! *** View Our Dry Fly Care Kit - only £17.50 As we are about to get into the 'dry fly' season, we thought we would put together a 'Dry Fly Care Kit' that includes all you need to keep your dry flies floating. Our kit contains: Handmade Drying Towel - made by us from the most absorbent material available (bamboo), these are fantastic at absorbing moisture. Rubber Duck Gel Floatant - Only apply this to your fly when it's straight out of the box and 100% dry - otherwise it will lock moisture in (not keep it out)! Weatherby's Dry Fly Powder - Use this to refresh your fly once it's been dried with your towel. Brush the powder into the feathers to keep your fly afloat. How to Use Your Kit: Take your fly from your box. Apply a little of the Rubber Duck floatant to the fly - you only need a very small amount. Rub the floatant between your fingers and then into the feathers of the fly. Catch a fish (or if your fly starts to get waterlogged) Use the Drying Towel to squeeze any water and moisture out of the fly Brush the Dry Fly Powder into all the feathers of the fly and give it a blow to remove any excess powder Catch another fish and repeat from step 4. View Our Dry Fly Care Kit - only £17.50 We've stocked up on all these, so have plenty to go around, our Dry Fly Care Kits are available now for only £17.50 - including FREE delivery. Grab one while you can. *** Just a gentle reminder that all our products are now shipped FREE OF CHARGE to anywhere *** Dry Fly Boxes If you're looking for somewhere to store your nice new dry flies, then look no further, as we have just received some stunning boxes from those fly box masters at Tacky Fly Fishing: View the Tacky River Mag Fly Box While we’d all love to have a full complement of flies at our disposal at all times, carrying every pattern in the arsenal doesn’t always make sense. For those quick trips to the river after work or just a prospecting mission at your local pond, the Tacky River Mag offers plenty of storage. The workhorse of the Tacky line, the Original River Mag Fly Box features automatic storage when time is of the essence. Ten compartments provide specialized organization for each type, size, or colour of fly, while silicone walls prevent mixing between distinct patterns. A strong, magnetic base and clear lid mean you'll spend less time fumbling with your fly box and more time on the water. 100% recycled plastic box 10 magnetic storage compartments Original patented silicone anchoring technology Withstands an extreme temperature range Latchless waterproof closure Durable and tested for long-lasting strength Dimensions: 7" x 3.75" x 0.75" 100% Recycled Plastic Box Patented design Go on, what are you waiting for, buy one and fill it up with our flies! View the Tacky River Mag Fly Box We've only a few of these (as they are pretty hard to come by) available now for only £34.99 - including FREE delivery. Grab one while you can. When fishing with dry flies there is one key aspect that the fly angler needs to concentrate on - keeping them afloat! Keeping your dry flies floating on the water - not in it - is one of the main skills for effective dry fly fishing. Why not give this Top Tip a go and use the 'Elastic Band' method to remove water from your fly: Attach an elastic band to your vest/pack. Hook your fly around the elastic band. Holding the tippet, pull the fly to stretch the elastic band. Channel your best Eric Clapton/Jimi Hendrix/[insert favourite guitarist here] and twang the elastic band a few times with your free hand. This will shed all of the excess water from your fly! As a special treat, this weekend only, for each Dry Fly Care Kit ordered we will include a Special 'Fly Fishing' Elastic Band for FREE - they're not really that special they only cost us £1 for 50 and you can use them for purposes other than fly fishing! Tight lines & happy twanging.

It's Dynamite Harry - A NEW Feathersmith Kit Launch

We have a NEW fly for you today - it's Swedish, and you make it yourself - there's an obvious parallel with a very well-known furniture company that has a blue and yellow logo - however, we've resisted the urge to call it the 'IKEA fly'. Today we are launching a NEW Feathersmith Kit ... and this is a special one, with a Nordic twist ... it's one of your 'Summer season essentials' and it's really easy to tie! But first ... I would just like to say a big THANK YOU to all of you who have taken the time to leave us a review of our fly-tying kits, we especially liked this one from Kevin: Following along the line of "flies which are successful and work almost everywhere", this month we're releasing one which is gaining notoriety on both Rivers and Stillwaters - especially in the summer as the weather gets warmer. You may never have heard about it - most anglers who use it want to keep it a secret! This is a simple but deadly pattern - I believe this pattern is so successful because of the way it's tied - very sparse. This pattern has its origins in Sweden and was a staple in my own fly box last summer - someone has the test the flies out! It's available in 'kit form' and comes from Sweden and we're still resisting the urge to make a joke about IKEA. "What's the fly called?" - It's a Dynamite Harry: If you keep on reading you can find out much more about the new Dynamite Harry Feathersmith kit, but first ... Just as a quick reminder, here's what's included when you purchase one of our Feathersmith pattern-specific kits: A kit full of world-class materials (Semperfli, Ahrex, etc.) - more than enough to tie all 30 flies in the kit A 'here's one I made earlier' sample pre-tied fly - for this kit you get one of each variant sample tied flies A tutorial detailing the history of the fly you are tying A video tutorial of how to tie each variant of the fly - presented by a professional fly tyer A video tutorial of how to get the best when fishing your finished fly Contained inside each kit is a leaflet which will direct you to a secret page on our website where all the videos (and more information on the pattern) can be accessed. One quote you will hear time and again when fly tying is: "It's more expensive to tie your own flies than it is to buy them." Not anymore it isn't, our Feathersmith kits allow you to tie a stunning pattern with the very best materials available - all for less than £1 per fly - now that is great value. Introducing ... The Dynamite Harry This eigth in our series of kits focuses on the Dynamite Harry - a very versatile pattern you should have in your fly box because it's one pattern that can be fished all Summer long and is a great 'general impression' of a whole host of up-winged insects found on the water in June, July & August. This little gem of a fly has its origins in the dark forests of Dalarna in Sweden. The fly is kind of an all-round fly, depending on size, volume and colour it can mimic most winged critters from small midges to mayflies, emergers and duns. The key to this pattern is to get a very light fly with a delicate footprint. The fly has gone from being a secret in the originator, Jörgen Danielsson´s flybox to a fly which adorns many fly anglers boxes in Sweden and beyond. This version of the Barbless Dynamite Harry has been tied with instructions from Mr Danielsson himself - and he has even given the finished fly his seal of approval. As well as being a great fly to use throughout the summer months, It also has the added bonus of being pretty easy to tie. * No, the Cottarelli vice and tools are not included in the kit! Our Dynamite Harry kit includes: AHREX FW525 hooks (10 each of sizes 14, 16 & 18) Semperfli White Nano Silk Superfine Olive Dubbing Z-Lon Grey Post Material Coachman Brown Hackle Pre-Tied Sample Dynamite Harry All of the above high-quality materials combined make a quality fly which is straightforward to tie. Contained inside each kit is also a leaflet which will direct you to a secret page on our website where all the videos (including Kenan's Beginners Fly tying series) can be accessed. Our Feathersmith Dynamite Harry kit is now available for only £30. At less than £1/fly, that's great value for money. *** Go on, you know you want to. Our Feathersmith kits are perfect to while away the hours when the rivers are unfishable and at less than £1/fly they offer great value *** Try Our Other Feathersmith Kits - Perfect Summer Ties! We've now built up quite a range of Feathersmith kits. We have you covered for the most successful flies no matter what month you are fishing. Take a look at these two kits below. The Griffith's Gnat is perfect for those post-mayfly sessions, whilst The Jingler is perfect for warm afternoons on the water, picking off hatching Olives. Click either of the images below to view the kits in more detail: *** Go on, you know you want to. Our Feathersmith kits are perfect to while away the hours when the rivers are unfishable and at less than £1/fly they offer great value *** More Nice Words About Our Kits! But, I've Never Tied A Fly Before! Don't worry, we've got you covered ... We know that our Feathersmith kits appeal to both the beginner and more experienced fly tyers, and since launching our first kits we've had quite a few enquiries asking if we could provide a 'basic set of skills' course to help those of you just starting out on this fantastic hobby. Kenan Haseta is a professional fly tyer and keen fly angler, he's a regular visitor to the Ribnik to test out his creations, he's also 'our man in Bosnia' and has been tying stunning 'one-off' creations for us for the last few years, his tying skills are second to none. We've asked Kenan a few times if he would share his experience and skills in video format - he's pretty shy and always wanted to be behind, rather than in front, of the camera. So we twisted his arm a little and he's agreed: Kenan has created a set of 'basic skills' videos for us, with detailed explanations of all the tools, vices, hooks, materials and how to dress a hook. Kenan's 'Fly Tying for Beginners' video series is available for FREE to everyone. Just Getting Started, Or Fancy A New Vice? If you are looking to get started on your fly-tying odyssey, or just want to upgrade to something really nice, we have a few different options for you. We know nobody actually needs a new vice, but they are things of beauty. We only offer vices, tools and materials which we use ourselves, know and trust - that's why we contacted two of the most respected brands in the vice world - Renzetti & Stonfo. The majority of you will have come across Stonfo before - they are an Italian brand and are very well known for producing high-quality, well-engineered products at very reasonable prices. For example, we have one of their pedestal vices available (below) for only £119.99, which includes a free toolkit - everything you need to get you started on your fly-tying odyssey: Please Note: Due to dealership restrictions, we can only deliver our vices to UK addresses. If you would like to see all of the vices we have available, please click on the button below - there are some stunning vices! In the meantime, tight threads and have fun at the vice.

A Barbless Bonus + A Mayfly Restock

The fish up here in North Yorkshire are now starting to take the hatching (and spent) Mayflies - I watched a few small fish confidently taking Mayflies on Tuesday teatime. It was a pretty busy day for us (thank you), trying to get all of the Mayflies and other orders out to everyone in time for the weekend - we are now down to our last few Bosnian Mayflies, if you'd like some click here. As it had been a hectic day, I took a little time out on the way home from the office, and sat beside my favourite pool on the Derwent, just to decompress and have a little 'time to myself' - it made my day to sit for 15 minutes, listening to the running river and watching numerous fish taking returning Mayflies. I did have my rod in the back of the truck, but thought I would leave them to enjoy the banquet on offer and see if they are still holding station at the weekend! The fish up here in North Yorkshire are now starting to take the hatching (and spent) Mayflies - I watched a few small fish confidently taking Mayflies on Tuesday teatime. It was a pretty busy day for us (thank you), trying to get all of the Mayflies and other orders out to everyone in time for the weekend - we are now down to our last few Bosnian Mayflies, if you'd like some click here. As it had been a hectic day, I took a little time out on the way home from the office, and sat beside my favourite pool on the Derwent, just to decompress and have a little 'time to myself' - it made my day to sit for 15 minutes, listening to the running river and watching numerous fish taking returning Mayflies. I did have my rod in the back of the truck, but thought I would leave them to enjoy the banquet on offer and see if they are still holding station at the weekend! Do You Fancy A Barbless Bonus? Then read the very end of this email! Just a quick heads-up, that we will be including one of our very own "Trout Bumper Stickers" in every order we receive today (they are not available to buy separately) - see later in this email for more details. Also, as I write this we have just taken our 59,930th order, it looks like we will hit our 60,000th order on the day you receive this email - if you place your order today, and it's order number BF#60000 - you get it for FREE - see below for details. On my local, once the fish start confidently taking Mayflies, I've found it best to fish from around 7pm well into the dusk - so only a few hours - but recently the sport has been good, and can only get better now the weather looks to be a little more stable. This is the time of day when "spent" mayfly patterns are usually king. As a quick reminder - the majority of Mayflies only live for one day. During this time they: Hatch Mature into an adult Mate; and then Die It's the ones that have had their fun and gone to the river in the sky that we are trying to imitate on an evening. When a mayfly expires they float on the water with their wings outstretched, as below: Earlier this week (Tuesday) we received a restock of all our Mayfly patterns. We don't usually re-order Mayflies part way through the season, but with the info that our Mayfly Tracker was showing it looks like the Mayfly season will be longer than usual - so we thought we had better stock up again. You can find all of our Mayfly Individuals & Selections by clicking either of the buttons below: As we now have full stock of everything, we are focussing this week's email on a few patterns which you may find useful in the coming weeks. I've picked out the ones below as the current favourites - so far as repeat sales go (each of the patterns below can also be bought in packs of 5 at a reduced price): Spent Mayfly If you see spinners dancing above you, pay very close attention to the water for softly rising fish, and look for dying Mayflies caught in small pockets of dead water behind rocks or debris. If you find any, pick them up so you can get a good idea of their size and colour and then select an appropriately sized pattern. Mayfly Loop-Wing Emerger If you arrive at the water a little earlier, then you're going to need a good emerger imitation, there is no better than this one - it presents really well on the water, with a smaller (size 14) hook. Mayfly Loop-Wing Emerger Some Mayflies die as soon as they hatch, these are an easy target for trout, sometimes they actively target these in preference to the hatching flies. In which case the above Crippled version is the go-to fly. A classic mayfly imitation, super buoyant and tied to exacting standards. This pattern imitates those mayflies which die hatching or after mating. One of the most effective Mayfly imitations when spinners are on the water. Get them while you can, as we did run out last year! All of our individual Mayfly patterns are available now (from stock) from only £1.50 each - which includes Free Delivery to anywhere within the UK - in our Eco-Friendly packaging. Go on, you know you want to! Fancy A Barbless Bonus ... Then Read on McDuff: We've had some more of these stunning car bumper stickers made, from weatherproof vinyl - would you like one? Well, these are not for sale - but, we will give you one for free, just place an order with us today and we'll pop in one of our car bumper stickers for FREE - until stocks last (we have a couple of hundred of them, so we should have enough for today)! * I know, the truck needs a good wash! And, as an added bonus... It's Nearly Our 60,000th Order ... As mentioned above, as I write this we have just taken our 59,930th order, so it looks like we will hit our 60,000th order today. We love to celebrate success, so, if you place your order and it's order number BF#60000 - you will get it for FREE - essentially, as soon as I see order number 60,000 appear I will automatically refund it and put it on a Guaranteed Special Delivery to you - for delivery the very next day - we can't say fairer than that! Have fun out there!

Bosnian Mayflies - Direct from our man on the ground!

On my local small stream (The Yorkshire Derwent), it's been strange fishing of late, especially with the recent wetter weather and variable water levels we are seeing here in North Yorkshire. I've seen Mayfly hatching (and doing their evening dance), but not seen a fish take one just yet - it can only be a matter of time! I received these Mayfly patterns from 'our man in Bosnia' last Friday and took them out for a spin over the weekend, and even though I didn't see a fish take a real Mayfly, they took one of Kenan's imitations - the Upside Down one to be exact - those really do defy gravity in the way they present on the water: I know that lots of you who read our emails just love to 'roll your own' flies, so I've included full step-by-step tying videos for each of the patterns contained in this selection - see the very end of this email for details. Reducing Leader Twist When fishing with flies which have large wings - like Mayflies, this will induce twist in your leader (there's nothing you can really do to stop it). The majority of Mayfly patterns (especially the spent ones) have wings which act just like helicopter rotor blades and spin when you cast them. The best way to combat this is to: Shorten the overall length of your tapered leader to around 6ft and step up your tippet diameter - use 3X or 4X. Once the fish really switch on to the Mayfly they become indifferent to your tippet, so step it up where you can. At the beginning of this year we asked 'our man in Bosnia' what he would use when the Mayfly season came around, the first time we saw them was last Friday - and here they are, these stunning Bosnian Mayflies. Have a read through the descriptions below for the info on each of the patterns. These flies have been specifically tied for fishing in variable water levels and are ideal for both rivers and stillwaters: Our Bosnian Mayfly Selection consists of 8 mayflies, 2 each of 4 separate Mayfly patterns: Bosnian Detached Body Mayfly - tied on a curved Ahrex FW541 - Size 10 Bosnian Cream Biot Mayfly - tied on a traditional TMC 100BL - Size 10 Bosnian Upside Down Mayfly - tied on a curved Ahrex FW541 - Size 10 Bosnian White Biot Mayfly - tied on a traditional TMC 100BL - Size 10 We are supplying 2 of each of the above patterns, that's 8 flies in total for £24.00 - I know at £3 each these are some of the more expensive flies we sell, but the quality is truly outstanding. Please Note: This premium Bosnian Mayfly Selection is very limited (we only have 40 available - I'm keeping some for myself!) and once they are gone, we will not have any more until next year. Just click on any image or button in this email to view details and buy your selection. If you would like a set, you will need to be quick off the mark! Here are a few more images (and full descriptions of each pattern) to really tempt you: Detached Body Mayfly A classic mayfly imitation, super buoyant and tied to exacting standards. A classic detached-body Mayfly imitation. These flies are ultra-realistic when tied on a size 10 curved Ahrex FW541 barbless hook. They really are too nice to cast. One of the most effective Mayfly imitations when spinners are on the water. Target slow, deep and silty water; this is where the female will lay her eggs. Top Tip: If you see spinners dancing above you, pay very close attention to the water for softly rising fish, and look for dead spinners caught in small pockets of dead water behind rocks or debris. If you find any, pick them up so you can get a good idea of their size and colour and then select an appropriate pattern. Cream Biot Mayfly On this fly Kenan has mixed traditional and modern tying materials. This Mayfly combines the traditional TMC 100BL size 10 hook, Veevus GSP thread (30D) in white, with Coq de Leon tails and Wapsi turkey biot in white (coloured with a cream marker). This gives a perfect segmentation on the body. All topped off with CdC wings (using the best quality CdC from David Jedlicka) and Pro-Grade grizzly rooster hackle for the legs. Upside Down Mayfly This fly is a little left-field! The initial intent was to completely remove the hook from under the water. Tied on an upside-down Ahrex FW541 curved hook in a size 10, with Coq de Leon tails using cream Veevus thread and Antron yarn as a ribbing. Why curved hook you ask? - If it is tied on a straight hook the tails will be in the same plane as the body (i.e. the complete body would be on the surface and it would look unnatural), so when this fly is on the surface the only thing fish will see is the silhouette of a Mayfly, a small portion of the legs and wings. The wings are tied from David Jedlicka naturally selected CdC and measures 2.5cm in length. The legs are Pro Grade Metz Rooster feathers. White Biot Mayfly On this fly Kenan has mixed traditional and modern tying materials. This Mayfly combines the traditional TMC 100BL size 10 hook, Veevus GSP thread (30D) in white, with Coq de Leon tails and Wapsi turkey biot in white. This gives a perfect segmentation on the body, especially when secured with Zap-a-gap glue, rather than the traditional method of wire. All of this is topped off with CdC wings (using the best quality CdC from David Jedlicka) and Pro-Grade grizzly rooster hackle for the legs. Go on, you know you want to! If you like the look of the above Mayfly patterns and would rather 'tie than buy' then you're in luck, we've made all of the tying videos available to you - for FREE (just click on any image below to view the video - you will need to re-enter your email address to gain access): All of the above step-by-step tying videos are available on our Feathersmith Step-By-Step Fly Tying page. Tight lines & have fun.

A 21st Century Rod & A 17th Century Line - The Perfect Match?

A New Toy ... 10 years ago yesterday I started Barbless Flies - as a hobby - I never even considered I could turn it into a career, after all, I was busy running my IT Consultancy business at the time. It soon became very clear that I had tapped into a niche which was not adequately served as the majority of rivers were in the process of transitioning over to barbless flies, and they were difficult to find, unless you tied them yourself. Barbless Flies was only initially started to give me a little money to pay my club/syndicate fees and indulge my inner 'tackle tart' - just in case I needed that new piece of tackle, I'm sure you know the feeling! A couple of months ago, when all of the glossy new catalogues dropped onto the doormat, I saw this advert ... Now, I've never really owned a proper Orvis rod - I've had a few of the ones which have been made outside of the USA but never one of the 'all-singing-all-dancing' ones - time to try one out I thought, so I spent the Barbless Flies rod budget for the year, and here it is my new Helios F 7'6" 3wt: I'm sure that you have all read about these and how they perform with all the different space-age fly lines, but as far as I can tell, nobody has tried one yet with a line originally designed in the 17th Century - a silk line! I loaded up my go-to Summer reel (a Hardy Ultraclick 2/3/4) with one of Ian Moxon's finest DT3 silk lines: I'm not going to give you a full review of the rod here - it's all been said before by anglers much better qualified than I - all I will say is that it is the best rod I've ever owned for fishing our small streams here in the North York Moors. It will put a fly exactly where I want it to, virtually every time, my casting is awful but it makes me look (and feel) like a casting god - and so it should for the price - in truth I'd pay double if I could afford to! I think that what helps to make this rod shine on my local rivers and streams is the line used on it. If I were to select just one item of equipment that I think has rekindled my passion for fishing our local rivers and small streams, it’s the use of a silk line - I’ve found nothing better for presenting small flies on long light leaders, it really does put the ‘art’ back into casting. I started on my own silk route a couple of years ago and it has completely changed the way I feel about fly fishing. Don't get me wrong, I still love plumbing the depths with nymphs for Grayling, but when it comes to small streams and even smaller flies I instinctively reach for my silk line - the presentation is so much better, and it just makes me feel much happier! They are also very simple to care for (see below). Don't think that to get the best out of a silk line you need a cane rod - try one on a medium action carbon rod - or better still a glass rod - there really is nothing better. I'm sure that at some point in your fly fishing odyssey you have contemplated using a silk line, if so: Read on McDuff ... What better way to get the most from your dry fly fishing than with a silk line, especially when said line is made right here in the UK, Sheffield to be precise, by a guy called Ian. These silk lines have been designed and made with a 'fine tip' which effectively means they have a very thin 'built-in' furled leader, so you just attach a level piece of tippet to the end. Ok, so why should I use a silk line then? We're glad you asked: They have no memory - completely limp There's no stretch - improved hookups They are denser than plastic fly lines and therefore much thinner, and thinner lines mean much less wind resistance They float better than plastic fly lines - they float on the water surface, not in it making roll casts and mending line much easier You get 3 lines in one; When fully greased it's a floating Line, grease everything except the tip and you have a midge-tip line, don't grease it and you have an intermediate/sinking line They can last a lifetime - so long as they are cared for and stored correctly a silk line can last a lifetime - and indeed will get better with age We've just received a parcel here @ Barbless Flies HQ - direct from Ian in Sheffield and it's full of silk fly lines - we've now got these stunning full-length silk lines in the most popular weights (DT4, DT4/5, DT5 and DT6/7) and colours. Sometimes Ian adds a couple of extra lines into each delivery. I normally spirit these away for myself, but this one has to be shared ... He's made a very special 25yd Double Taper line, one end of the Double Tapered line is a 3-weight, whilst the other end is a 5-weight - clever eh? Two silk lines in one: I've listed this on our website and you can find it by clicking here. It's not cheap, at £119.99, but it is clever (and we believe it is a one of a kind). Each of our Silk lines are sent in a handy box (to keep them in when not on the reel), a pot of floatant grease, a microfibre cloth (to clean/help dry them) and line care instructions. These lines are made in the UK (in Sheffield, Yorkshire to be precise), by Ian Moxon and are great value for money, these fully finished lines are now available for immediate delivery, from only £79.99 - which for a silk line is outstanding value. *** We've only 2 or 3 of each weight/colour combination of line - and no more stock arriving until late July, so if you would like one, you will need to be quick *** Please Note: We do realise that silk lines may be very new to some of you, and you will have some questions. Please either reply to this email, or give me a call on 0330 66 00 587 and I will answer them as best I can. A Message from Iam Moxon (the maker) about traditionally made Silk Fly Lines: “My new silk fly lines are usually a bit stiff and a bit rough to start with (and that is normal for a properly made silk fly line). The line will become softer and more supple over the course of the first half dozen fishing trips and nothing should be done to try and accelerate that process. Before each fishing trip apply a thin layer of line grease. After your fishing trip pull the line off your reel in loose coils into a cardboard box to dry (or put onto a line dryer if you have one). Never grease a wet silk fly line as that will trap the moisture inside and prompt rot. Occasionally a silk line will become sticky/tacky for no apparent reason (usually due to old line grease/residue) and if that happens wipe the line down with white spirit." "All my line are made from unbleached raw natural reeled silk (reeled silk is the best grade of silk followed by spun silk and then bourette). The raw silk goes through the following processes - skein washing (to remove the serracin, also known as degumming), dying if applicable, bobbin winding (various deniers), braiding (tapers are constructed by braiding), loose ends trimmed and burnt, vacuum impregnation with traditional varnish (essentially linseed oil and natural resins - various coats), polishing, leader loops added, weighed and measured and finally coiled up." "Because my lines are constructed in the old tradition way, there my be some very small lumps / bumps and small cosmetic marks. However, each line has been inspected inch by inch (by me) and no lines go out which won't cast well and catch fish. As with any maker's traditional silk fly lines, they always become softer and smoother over the course of the first half-dozen fishing trips and nothing should be done to try and accelerate that break-in process. All those lines have very fine tapered tips and my own micro braided leader loops attached." "With care your silk fly line should last your whole lifetime." Ian Moxon; 2024 They're Flying Out Of The Door ... We've just had to reprint our 2024 River Fly Anglers Almanac, so if you've thought about buying one over the last few days and saw they were out of stock - they're not now. We've just received more and they are looking for new owners, they're really easy to look after, just turn a page every now and then and they're happy: Our 2024 River Almanac is the ideal distraction to while away your 'non-fishing' time. *** Go on, you know you want to *** P.S. Don't forget to check out our Live Mayfly Hatch Tracker - we've updated it with all of the sightings reported to us - click the image below to view the latest info:

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