2wheels1rod

To Mr & Mrs Grayling - Let's hook up soon?

"To Mr & Mrs Grayling,Hope to hook up with you soon.FromBarbless Flies" I always eagerly look forwards to the start of the Grayling season and, just like the salmon season is welcomed in with a dram of Whiskey, I always like to welcome in the Grayling season with an offering to the fish - in this case, a nice card to Mr & Mrs Grayling - I know it's sad but it's not let me down yet! The Ultimate Winter Grayling Selection As the trout season now starts to close around the country, we all look forward to targeting 'the Lady of the Stream' - the Grayling. To get you started this year we have curated a unique selection of 27 Winter Grayling Nymphs (and a few Grayling specific dry flies) from our friends across Europe - we asked them if they could choose only 1 nymph for Grayling, what would it be, we then collated them all together in this Ultimate Selection I hope you will agree that these are very special flies, these are all new patterns this year. These nymphs are specifically chosen to give you the widest possible choice, no matter which river conditions you face (big and heavy for the fast flows, small and light(ish) for the low flows) - there's even a Grayling dry fly pattern included for those sparodic session off the top. These flies will work in any conditions and any style of fishing. We are supplying either 2 or 3 of each of all the flies shown below, including 6 of our most productive Grayling perdigon flies: The Pink Perdigon Jig (3 each of size 14); and The Pink Perdigon (3 each of size 18) That's 27 of the most successful grayling flies from across Europe. We are offering this selection today for only £39.99 (if bought individually this selection would be £53.49, so you're making a 25% saving), but wait, there's more ... With each order, we are including one of our NEW Slimline Silicone Nymph Boxes for FREE - to keep your new nymphs nice and safe. And ... there's even more - as we've only a few of these selections (20 to be exact) we are also going to include a special FREE GIFT with each set bought today - a set of 2 bi-colour indicators - ideal for detecting takes when nymphing!! *** We only have very limited numbers of these - 20 to be exact - so you will need to be quick! *** We think you will agree that this is fantastic value for money (these flies normally retail for around £1.75 each). Just click on any button or image in this email to view the flies in more detail. That's 27 of the most successful grayling flies in total. We are offering this selection today for only £39.99 (that's a 25% saving on this selection alone), but wait, there's more - with each order we will include one of our NEW Slimline Silicone Nymph boxes for FREE - to keep your new nymphs nice and safe. And ... there's even more - for today only we are also including a special FREE GIFT - a set of 2 bi-colour indicators - ideal for detecting takes when nymphing! *** We only have very limited numbers of these - 20 to be exact - so you will need to be quick! *** Go on, you know you want to! Please Note: Feedback from our previous selections has been great, the main request we get is to give you the ability to top up your boxes, so each of the flies contained within this Ultimate Winter Grayling Selection can be bought individually, just use the search box at the top of our website, type in the pattern name to find them. Dry Fly for Grayling Anyone? Try The Rock Chick (Rockerka) The Rock Chick, or Rockerka - Looks strange, but catches fish - in fact, catches loads of fish. Use plenty of floatant powder on these to really make the fly bushy. We have been requested to have these flies available, so here they are - and as a bonus, they are included in the Ultimate Winter Grayling Selection. A great fly to use as a searching pattern also works really well when there are any sort of Sedge on the water. Try this fly in rougher water, the body is tied long so the fly sits high on the water and can easily be seen (by both fish and humans!). It’s important to note that when nymphing, you have to be quite methodical and logical when fishing the river. I’ve always found the best way to do it is to imagine the river is split up into a number of lanes (just like a motorway): Always fish the lane closest to you first from the bank before wading into the river (you’ll be amazed at how many fish you catch that you would have just waded through!). Once you have fished that lane, step into the river and fish the next lane out. Then repeat (assuming it’s safe to wade into the middle of the river). Once you have fished the width of the river as best you can, carefully wade back to your starting point and take a step up stream and repeat the whole process again. It’s always better to cast into each lane quite a few times and let the nymph(s) do their work, generally though if there’s a fish around it will take the nymph within the first couple of drifts. Tight lines & have fun. P.S. To get you started on this new Grayling season, I'm sending an email out on Saturday which includes everything you need to know when starting out on your Grayling adventure - it will be with you at 8am on Saturday - and it's a long one!

This Fly Is "Sheer Magic" - A Steve Skuce Special

As you may be aware, I've more than a passing interest in fishing books. Whilst perusing the 'Grayling Section' of my bookshelf, I came across a book which I bought ages ago but had not had much of a chance to read it thoroughly - other than flicking through the pages to see if any patterns caught my eye.

The Decline & Fall of Pick n Mix - With a Grayling Twist

Doing this job, i.e. running a fly shop, is the best job in the world - it's something I've always wanted to do and I love every minute of it. From researching content for emails to having a say in the design (and thorough testing) of new fly patterns - it really is a dream come true for me.

FREE Flies + Fishing in Faster/Higher Water

Everyone likes free stuff, right? We're no exception, and every so often we get approached by new fly tyers who ask if they can send us some samples of their work - in consideration for us stocking some of their flies. We are normally pretty cautious with these approaches, as generally, the flies are way overdressed. A few months ago I received a phone call from just such a tyer, offering to send us some samples - he sent us some photos and I agreed to receive said samples, then completely forgot about it, until last week - when a box full of flies arrived. The box was only small, but good things often come in small packages, there were only 2 different patterns, but they looked really nice and perfect Olive imitations for a little late-season dry fly action. I thought, what better way to give them a test, than to give them away for FREE (it seems only right as we didn't pay for them), all we ask in return is you let us know what you think of them - I hope that's fair? We can then take it from there with the tyer - and everyone wins! "So, how do I get my free flies?" - Just place an order with us either today or tomorrow for £20 or more and we will pop a set of 5 Olive flies in for FREE (while stocks last). And so, on to the previously planned subject of this email ... Fishing with heavier nymphs in faster/higher water We've Just Had This ... Which will, inevitably, lead to this: At this time of year, fishing can be very challenging, mostly due to the variable amount of water in the rivers. Assuming it is safe to actually fish - as floods can considerably weaken the riverbanks, then most fish will be nailed to the bottom of the river and you will need nymphs with a little more weight to reach them. This is where fly choice and technique come into play: Fly Choice - This is pretty easy, something with weight, that is natural-looking. With a little colour if the water is coloured, or drab if the water is clear. Technique - This is where a little knowledge of Fluid Dynamics comes into play (don't bother reaching for your copy of the 'Dummies Guide to Fluid Dynamics', I'll explain here) - When a river is flowing, the water on the surface moves faster than the water below it - the faster the flow the more difference in speed between the surface water and riverbed water. When you cast a nymph upstream you need to give it a chance to sink to where the fish are holding. Generally, in fast water, the nymph doesn't sink fast enough to get there - so the fish will never actually see the nymph at all! To fix this, once you have cast your nymph and it hits the water, quickly perform an upstream mend, this will allow the nymph more time to sink and get to the target zone. We have put together a selection of heavy nymphs that will be ideal for use over the next few months (for both Trout & Grayling), especially if the rivers are 'up and coloured'. These should be all you need for a fantastic 'stress-relieving' day on the river. The patterns included in our selection are 3 each of: Violet Bug - Size 12 Mr. Green - Size 12 Duracell Jig - Size 12 Czech Weapon - Size 12 We've also included a few tips on how to handle and cast heavier flies towards the end of this email. We only have a limited number (30) of these 'Heavy Mob' Nymph Selections, so if our previous offerings are anything to go by, you will need to be quick off the mark! These nymphs are available as a selection (4 patterns, 3 of each in a size 12 = 12 flies in the selection) for only £20, click any button or image to view the patterns contained within this selection in more detail. *** We've only 30 of each of these selections - so if you want one you will need to be quick *** Fishing With Heavy Flies If you have ever tried to cast a heavy multi-fly rig, you will know that you are just asking for trouble, if you cast in your normal style. Heavy flies and tight loops are a recipe for disaster - here are a few tips which you can deploy to make life a little easier when casting heavier rigs: Widen Your Casting Arc - This opens up your loops and by default keeps the heavy rig away from the rest of your leader (and your fly rod - the last thing you want is a heavy bead hitting your pride and joy). Slow Down - By slowing your casting stroke you are immediately slowing down your line speed, this, in-turn reduces the kick (and associated slack line) which happens when a heavy nymph changes direction as a result of the cast. Increase The Fly Line Size by 1 - Overlining the rod by one size can improve your presentation when casting heavy rigs. Lift & Cast - Lift your rig to the surface of the river first, before starting the cast. By beginning your cast with your rod tip low, and taking up any slack in the system your cast will be more efficient. Use The Lob Cast (or Water-Load Cast) - Simply, this is a low backcast to get the whole rig downstream of you. Wait for the river flow to take up the tension in the entire system, then push your rod tip forwards as you would for a normal cast, this will see your rig cast in an arc (or a 'lob') and enter the water, already under tension and ready to fish. The benefit of this cast is it keeps the entire rig away from your rod and is much easier to control, with the added advantage that the point fly enters the water first and is fishing effectively straight away. The above techniques are best practised on a quiet stretch of water where there is no overhanging vegetation. Tight lines & have fun.

Worshipping At The Riverside Alter Of The Small Fly

Worshipping At The Riverside Alter Of The Small(er) Fly The last few days have been very wet, with what looks likely to be followed by warm and humid conditions, this usually heralds the start of the more tricky conditions as far as fishing on both rivers and stillwaters are concerned, i.e. low water levels and spooky fish. But, there's no need to make sacrifices for your fishing - see what I did there. 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 than you would usually consider. P.S. This email is going to be quite long, so you might want to grab a brew before you start reading! Also, please read right to the end, as there's a really nice offer for you. 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 using small flies. 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: 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! 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 the latter part of July and into early September. We've got you covered with all the smaller flies you will need for the whole summer in our Ultimate Small Fly Selection: During the summer months it is essential that you start to fish with smaller and more representative flies. We have created this selection of Midges & Aphids which work exceptionally well on all UK waters. Here we have a selection of 32 flies, twelve different patterns (8 dry and 4 nymph patterns) - all supplied in one of our super-slim silicone fly boxes - to stop your flies blowing away! That's a selection of 32 nymphs and dry flies which represent all the smaller insects you will find on (and in) the water during the summer - including one of our Super-Slim Silicone fly boxes, for only £39.99. Light Tippet Because these hooks are really small - with small eyes, your standard tippet might not thread through the eye - you will need something that is less than 0.10mm in diameter. But don't worry, we have you covered - with a SPECIAL OFFER FOR TODAY ONLY: *** FOR TODAY ONLY - Add a spool of RIO Powerflex 8X tippet to your basket, alongside the Ultimate Small Fly Selection and the tippet will be yours for FREE (while stocks last) - not something you would ordinarily buy, if you could even find it *** *** Yes, you did read that right, that's 32 small fly imitations, a spool of RIO 8X tippet and a silicone fly box, all for only £39.99 *** 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 into the eye of the hook. Longer Leaders If you downloaded our copy of the Small Fly Manifesto (which we emailed you ast month, there's also a copy available at the end of this email), then you will have already 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 couple of feet of the 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. 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 medium-fast 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. One of the best in the business is the Redington Butterstick: Fishing with small flies generally happens at close range, choose a rod you are comfortable with using for very short casts – sometimes a softer rod is much more accurate and sensitive on short casts. Softer rods are also much better for playing fish on lighter tippets – something which most rod manufacturers don’t explain, they are more than willing to tell you how far you can cast with one, but not how well it plays a fish! If you’ve never tried a glass rod, they have an ideal action for fishing smaller flies. The Small Fly Manifesto For those of you who missed our free download of the Small Fly Manifesto - which gives you the low down on leaders and tactics to use when fishing small flies - you can grab yours by clicking either the image or button below. Get out there and have some fun with small flies. P.S. Don't forget to add the RIO Powerflex 8X tippet to your Ultimate Small Fly Selection, to receive the tippet for FREE - while stocks last, we have about 30 of them waiting for a new home!

Warmer Weather Success On Stillwaters

For all of you who prefer your water still (rather than running), this email is for you. It also contains a really nice special offer, so read it right to the end .. Summer Stillwater Fishing Weather conditions always play a major role in successful stillwater fishing, even more so in the summer months, as this can be a very unpredictable season, sometimes baking hot and sometimes wet. Always try to maximise your chances by checking the weather conditions the day before fishing. If it’s going to be a hot sunny day then get to the water either early or late, try to avoid fishing between 11am and 3pm, as this is when the water will have the lowest oxygen levels and the fish will be very lethargic. It’s also worth noting that during the hotter months smaller stillwaters may be very tricky to fish, as they tend to be shallower, which means the water heats up quicker. Trout are cold-blooded, for them to be at their most comfortable the water temperature needs to be anywhere between 10 and 17 degrees C, any warmer and the fish will not feed and look for deep water. If we are experiencing a hot summer, then either head out to the water early or choose one of the larger (deeper) stillwaters/reservoirs. When you cannot see fish rising, or any sign of fish activity on the surface, they will be in the cooler water at depth, it’s time to break out the lures and fish them deep. Colour choice is important with the black/green lures proving more successful in the early summer months (June & July) and the more vivid colours (Red, Green, Yellow & Orange) in the later summer months (August & September). For When Fish Are Higher In the Water- Use Buzzers Eye Spy: Take a look at the shuck of the hatching buzzer above, it's nearly identical to our Black Quill Foam Buzzer - we don't just throw this together you know! Buzzers are the pupal form of midges (chironmidae) – they are the form between the larva (bloodworm etc) and the adult flying insect. They are the most abundant food supply that a Stillwater trout will encounter. Buzzers are found in all waters at all times of the year but are especially abundant in the Spring months of April, May & June – this is the best time for buzzer fishing in UK stillwaters. When you see a buzzer in its natural form, there are two things that are very apparent: They are bigger than you first expect – ranging in size from 8mm to 15mm (a size 10 to 16 hook) They are very thin Buzzers are generally seen just under the surface of the water - as far as the fly angler is concerned, we try to imitate them at the stage where they are transforming into the adult. One of the best methods to employ here is The Wahing Line method. The washing line method is a technique designed to allow you fish your buzzers (or small nymphs) just below the water's surface. It uses a very buoyant fly on the point to hold the flies up (a foam buzzer is a good fly for this - see below). Usually, when you fish buzzers they would drop down through the water column, the Washing Line method allows you keep them just below the surface where the trout are hunting for them. The ideal fly to hold up your team - it's also great when drifted as a single fly - is a Foam Buzzer, here's a couple to whet your appetite: Foam Buzzer - Black Quill Dry €1.75 Foam Buzzer - Dennis Dry €1.75 SPECIAL OFFER: Buy any 10 of our Foam Buzzers and grab a 20% discount - applied automatically at the checkout. Just cast your team of flies out and let the wind drift your whole rig, you will generally feel any takes (as the wind will keep very light tension in the leader), or watch your floating fly for any movement and lift into it. For When The Fish Are A Little Deeper The original Montana fly variant was tied by Lew Oatman from New York. It was tied to give a general impression of a range of large stonefly nymphs. We have a selection of barbless Montanas, especially tied for year-round Stillwater fishing, ideally targeting rainbow trout, but fished deep in the summer months and you are equally as likely to pick up the odd brown trout. Our Montana selection contains 4 different patterns, in sizes 12 and 14 (two of each of size) giving a total of 16 flies, priced at only £20 - including free delivery. *** We've only 25 of these selections - so you will need to be quick *** See below for some great tips on how to effectively fish any type of Montana pattern. How to Fish Montana Patterns Fishing Montana style patterns is all about the retrieve - effective retrieval tactics include: An unweighted Montana will float and appears as a Hopper/Daddy Long Legs. Stripping the floating Muddler across the water surface rhythmically, imparting a "wake" will induce a take Allowing the Montana to sink just under the surface and twitching or pulsating it against or across any current - especially near any water aerators or inlets. With a tiny piece of weight added in front of the fly (or an intermediate fly line or sinking tapered leader) the Montana can be made to swim slowly over weed beds and shallow gravel bars. With more weight, the Montana can be stripped quickly in the shallows to imitate and alarmed fry. Allowed to settle in deeper water the Montana may be fished right on the bottom. When fishing on the bottom they must be fished slowly, with occasional fast strips of maybe a foot or two, as if imitating a small fish trying to escape a predator. Tight lines & have fun.

Easy .. Easy .. Easy - Big Daddies & Giant Haystacks

I send a variation of this email out at this time every year - it's one of my favourites - this one includes a new daddy pattern for us, to say 'it works' is an understatement ... Easy ... Easy ... Easy It's time to deploy the big daddies ... I'm sure you can remember sitting around the TV on a Saturday lunchtime with the dulcet tones of Kent Walton ringing in your ears! These images and sounds came flooding back to me just the other day when I spotted a local newspaper showcasing some of the 'sporting' heritage of our local town (Scarborough) - that led me to think of the legendary bouts between Big Daddy and Giant Haystacks (and my personal favourite Kendo Nagasaki - whatever happened to him?). I was looking for a way of framing this email - which is all about the Daddy Long Legs - and bingo (another local favourite) the idea hit me! So forgive the cheesy nature of this but ... Now we are nearly into September and the haystacks have started to grow it's time for the daddies to appear - I'm sure you've already begun to see them bumping into the windows around your house. Daddies (and Hoppers) are your main line of attack on both Stillwaters and Rivers at this time of year (late Summer and early Autumn). Both daddies and hoppers are tied in very similar styles - with long gangly legs tied facing backwards and long buoyant bodies. Generally seen from mid-August through to late October, Daddy Longlegs (the Crane fly, or to give it its latin family name Tipulidae) hatch in the ground on cool humid mornings. It pays to fish these when the wind is blowing, the Daddy Longlegs is not good at flying and is always blown onto the water. The legs on these flies seem to act as a trigger to the fish (especially when twitched). A NEW Daddy Pattern Daddy Longlegs patterns are usually tied on size 10 or 12 barbless hooks with a slender hackle, this allows them to create a wake on the surface when retrieved - again another trigger point the fish home into. Late last year, just as the trout season was closing, I was sent a NEW Daddy pattern to try - apparently, it had been cleaning up on the reservoirs and smaller stillwaters, but I wanted to give it a go on a river, to see if it would be equally successful. It was ... This new pattern is a crossover between one of our most popular flies, the Stillwater Dinkhamer, and a Daddy Longlegs ... introducing the Daddy Dinkhamer: I was finding that on even the worst of conditions, this fly - teamed up with a standard Hare's Ear nymph tied to the dropper ring on the fly was tempting fish from all stretches of my local river - even the ones I would regularly walk past assuming that they were devoid of fish! For the whole of last September, I was hooked on this pattern, and I knew that we must get stock of them for the 2023 'Daddy Season' - well, we've just received them from our 'artisan' fly supplier and the tyings are superb, all tied on the highest quality Ahrex FW501 size 10 hooks and use a 9mm Hi-Viz orange foam post. To give you the best possible value, we've decided to offer these Daddies in three different quantities: Individually - for £1.95 each Pack of 6 - for £10.50 (equivalent to £1.75 each) Pack of 12 - for £18.00 (equivalent to only £1.50 each) We do have quite a few of these and we're expecting them to sell out very quickly, so if you would like some you will need to be quick! More Gangly Daddies ... If you're looking for some daddies which are a little more conventional, then the two below have been our bestsellers for the past three years (the Deadly Daddy & the Glo Daddy) - we can never get enough stock of these - we've around 50 of each remaining - grab your's while you still can: Deadly Daddy £1.85 This daddy is specifically tied so the legs splay out sideways, not as streamlined - but much more realistic. Glo Daddy £1.85 With added foam for buoyancy in rougher water and a nice white wing (used as a sighter), this daddy is great in rough water. Or, Go The Whole (Daddy)Hog ... Why not treat yourself to our Barbless Daddy Long Legs selection, a selection of 16 barbless daddies. The Daddy Long Legs (or crane fly) are land-dwelling insects that are regularly blown onto rivers and stillwaters, where the trout devour them aggressively. The patterns included in our selection are: The DaddyHog - A twist on the classic Daddy Long Legs pattern. This is tied with an Elk Hair wing, black thread body (wrapped in silver wire) and detached tan foam abdomen. This selection contains 2 each of sizes 10 and 12. Aero Daddy - A more aerodynamically tied Daddy Long Legs. Tied with a black foam body, short wings and swept-back knotted pheasant tail legs. This selection contains 2 each of sizes 10 and 12. Orange Daddy - The classic Daddy Long Legs pattern, tied with an orange foam body, knotted pheasant tail legs and a short hackle. This selection contains 2 each of sizes 10 and 12. Yellow Daddy - The classic Daddy Long Legs pattern, tied with a yellow foam body, knotted pheasant tail legs and a short hackle. This selection contains 2 each of sizes 10 and 12. Our Barbless Daddy Long Legs Selection, containing 16 flies is available as a selection for only £22, including free delivery. We only have around 30 of these selections remaining, so if you would like one you will need to be quick! *** Go on, you know you want to! *** When Daddy Long Legs are hatching in the area, use these flies with a slightly heavier/stiffer tippet than you would normally use - it will reduce the amount of twist in the leader as these flies are fairly big and wind-resistant. Daddy Long Legs are also surprisingly effective when fished as a wet fly, so don't be too quick to keep these flies dry, once they are wet and submerged. If on a Stillwater, gently "figure of 8" them back to create a small wake, on a river try fishing them in the surface film, don't worry about any drag (you want these flies to move across the current where possible) and hold on! Tight lines & enjoy it.

See The Fruits Of Our Canadian Trip - The Tom Thumb

The Tale Of A Tom Thumb You may remember, back at the end of March I emailed to say that I was going on a 'research & development' trip to Canada. It was definitely a learning experience - one which I will be hopefully repeating later in the year - when everything's not so frozen over! In the meantime, please read right through to the end of this email, you'll be glad you did! So, read on McDuff ... Canada is a place I've always wanted to explore - I did work there for a few weeks in the late 90's, but didn't get to see much outside of the office and an airport! I know that the fly fishing scene in Canada is very diverse and different to that of the UK and took the opportunity to combine a trip across the pond with visiting family and learning more about the Canadian fly fishing scene - and the flies that they use. We were in the Calgary/Banff area and with everything frozen solid - there was no chance of getting any fishing done: So, a tour of the local fly shops beckoned. The first stop was the obvious one - Bass Pro Shops: Those places are always way bigger than you ever remember! They had a really good fly selection which included loads of patterns which I'd not come across before. The stand-out one was the Bow River Bugger - a huge streamer designed to fish the Bow River running through Calgary & Banff - keep an eye out in Autumn when we do a range of these for the UK! I spent a week just going around all the fly shops in the area (both large multi-nationals and small 'mom & pop' fly shops), chatting with the owners and getting as much info as I could - fly fishing folk really are a friendly bunch! The one thing which really caught my eye was that around 90% of the dry flies were all made from some form of Deer Hair: From chatting to Mark, one of the local proprietors, it's pretty obvious really, the one animal in abundance in Canada is the Elk/Moose/Deer, so there are plenty of raw materials just wandering around outside. Also, deer hair is hollow, so it floats really well - but only if you get the right deer hair! As it turns out the very best deer hair to use when tying flies is that from the animal in late season - this way it has already grown its winter coat and there is more air in the bristles (to better insulate the animal when the mercury hits -30 degrees) - all the air allows it to float much better. Over a freshly brewed coffee (thanks Mark) we discussed the in's and out's of dry fly fishing and I asked the question: "If you could only use 1 dry fly, which would it be?" His answer surprised me, as he chose a fly I'd not heard of before - The Tom Thumb: This is the fly the majority of locals choose for wild river fish (and stillwater trout) in central Canada over the warmer summer months. Think of it as a close relative of the IOBO Humpy, but tied with deer hair and peacock herl, rather than just CdC. Picking through the flies Mark had on display, lots were variants of the Tom Thumb - with some great names: The Devil Bug & Klipspringer were just two that stuck in my mind. So in an attempt to cement Anglo-Canadian fly fishing relations, we asked if we could reproduce our own versions - just slightly smaller and more suited to UK waters, here they are, all included in our new Tom Thumb Selection: The flies we've included in our own Tom Thumb Selection are: Tomb Thumb - 2 each of sizes 14 & 18. Klipspringer - 2 each of sizes 14 & 18. The Cooper Bug - 2 each of sizes 14 & 18. The Devil Bug - 2 each of sizes 14 & 18. All are tied as close to the original patterns as possible, using the correct materials, and perfect for summer fishing on your local rivers or stillwaters. Our Tom Thumb Selection is now available as a selection of 16 flies (4 different patterns - see above, 2 each of sizes 14 & 18). We are supplying all of these for only £22.00. All are supplied in our eco-friendly packaging. Just click on any image or button in this email to view the flies in more detail. Please Note: If you would like a set, please be quick, as we only have a limited supply of our Tom Thumb Selection, 30 to be exact. Or, why not include one of our Super-Slim Silicone fly boxes (now back in stock) for an additional £5.50 (total £27.50): If You've A Thing For Deer Hair ... The Deer Hair Emerger is a classic summer-season pattern (for both rivers and stillwaters) across the whole of the UK. Made popular by Bob Wyatt in his classic book 'Trout Hunting - The Pursuit of Happiness' - do grab a copy if you ever see one for sale: As you can see the patterns is quite 'rough and ready' - by design. The key to this style of fly is in the rough body and the deer hair used - it has to be hair from the winter coat of the animal as this is more buoyant due to the increased amount of air contained within each strand (each strand of deer hair is hollow and is a great insulator). The key to fishing this style of pattern is how you treat the fly when dry - just apply a little floatant to the tips of the deer har. This will cock the fly to sit correctly in the water, you need the fly to sit so you can only see the tips of the deer hair on the water surface. Our Deer Hair Emergers are now available as a selection of 16 flies (4 different patterns - see above, 2 each of sizes 14 & 16). We are supplying all of these for only £20. All are supplied in our eco-friendly packaging. Just click on any image or button in this email to view the flies in more detail. Just a gentle reminder that all our products are shipped FREE OF CHARGE to anywhere Fancy A Car Sticker? Cool Car Stickers We've had some of these stunning car stickers made - would you like one? Well, these are not for sale - but, we will give you one for free, just place an order with us for over £30 at any time during this month and as well as getting an extra 5% off your order you'll also receive one of our car stickers - until stocks last! Go on, fill your boots! Tight lines.

FLY: The Next In The Series - Launching Today

Small Streams & Small Flies ... I'd like to kick off this email by first thanking all of you who put your trust in us and bought the first two in our FLY Series - they have been really well received - so much so, that we've had to reprint them 3 times so far, and counting ... We've had some really positive feedback on them (which we've incorporated into this next in the series): This 3rd in the series tackles a situation that we all face when fishing in the warmer summer months - successful summer fishing on smaller streams, especially when tackling tricky fish with smaller flies: Written and produced in conjunction with FlyFishMedia (think of them as the educational arm of Barbless Flies, as we run both of these sites). Summer is the prime time for being out and about on the water - although it's often not the best time for catching fish, what with the reduced water levels and flows (and oxygen levels in the water dropping). So how do you approach fishing in these conditions - especially on smaller streams? I believe the answer to this is more about watercraft and utilising different searching techniques to get the most out of your day - after all, our fishing time is precious! That's why we did a bit of research and found that whilst there are lots of fishing books out there, there aren't any dedicated to these conditions - so we made that our goal for this 3rd in the series of our handy pocket guides: We're super proud to present to you the 3rd in a series of pocket-sized books at pocket-money prices (only £9.99) - all about Small Streams & Small Flies: Please Note: If you are a retailer and thinking "I like the look of those", please get in touch - we'd like them to be available to as wide an audience as possible. We've taken a subject within Fly Fishing - in the case of this 3rd in the series "Small Streams & Small Flies" - donned our budgie smugglers and done a deep dive into it: This book, written by us and co-published by FlyFishMedia, contains a detailed analysis of how to approach fishing in smaller streams using smaller flies. Chapters include: Watercraft The Short Line Dry Fly Leader Design The Duo Equipment Choices Book Details: Number of Pages - 78Format - A6 (10.5cm x 14.8cm)Price - £9.99 In this book, you will discover the techniques, flies, watercraft and how to approach fishing in smaller streams and rivers. This book also discusses the type of conditions you can expect to face on small streams and the various tips, tricks and techniques used the fish them. We've also included leader configurations specifically designed for use on small streams with smaller flies. Please Note: This is a physical book, printed in English. We are hoping that these will be as well received as the first two in the series, but just to be on the safe side, we've done an initial limited print run of 200, so if you would like one of the first editions, grab yours now. We hope you enjoy reading (and collecting them) as much as we have researching and putting them together. Go on, you know you want to! Watch & Learn Tune Up Your Small Stream Skills Small Stream fishing in Summer - It's what dreams are made of ... Join John Tyzack (professional guide and six times English national rivers champion) for a day's fishing on one of Britain’s many overlooked small streams. John explains the styles and techniques for successful close-quarter fishing where a stealthy approach is often rewarded with almost instantaneous action from pristine wild trout. In addition to a fantastic day's fishing, John demonstrates in detail how to tie all of the flies used on the day – plus an in-depth look at his small stream tackle selection. All this for only £19.95 - including Lifetime Access. Tight lines, get out there and have some fun. P.S. We are hoping to release quite a few of these this year - roughly one every eight weeks - the next one will be with you towards the end of September.

Ring ... Ring ... Hello - Do you sell maggots?

Phone rings ... "Do you sell maggots?" "No, we're a fly fishing shop, but we can point you to somewhere that does." We must have the above conversation at least twice a day - our local coarse fishing shop will be doing a roaring trade in maggots with the amount of business we put their way! The other question we get asked at least twice a week is: "Do you sell barbless hooks?" We've always had to answer "No" to this one, but not anymore ... With over half a million barbless hooks passing through our doors every year, we know a thing or two about barbless hooks. When we originally started our business we had to sign an agreement with a hook manufacturer which restricted us to only sell their hooks as a part of a fully tied fly. Now that we are a bit bigger, and due to the number of hooks we buy, we've come to an agreement where we can now resell the barbless hooks on their own, for all of you who prefer to 'roll your own' flies. Today, we are launching our very own brand of barbless hook - BEKKR. Here in North Yorkshire, our local dialect and place names are heavily influenced by the Vikings. All of our small streams are called 'Becks', so we did a little research and thought it only right that we name our new barbless hook range after the original Old Norse for a small stream or brook, which is Bekkr: I'm sure you are already aware that there is no real standard across different hook manufacturers as far as hook sizes go. A size 14 from one well-known manufacturer is the same as a size 10 from another - all very confusing! So what makes us different ... It's all about the detail. We've taken the time to measure every single style and size of hook with a micrometre and actually tell you its dimensions - both length and gape - so you can judge for yourself which one is most suited for the fly you are tying, for example: Today we are really proud to be launching the BEKKR barbless hook range, which includes the following styles of hook: Dry Fly Wide Gape Jig Caddis Pupa Czech Nymph Shrimp/Scud N.B. We've also got a really nice BEKKR launch offer for you - keep reading to the end of this email to find out more. But enough of the blurb, here are some images of the hook styles we are launching today: To see an overview of the full hook range (and see each hook style in more detail), either click on the button below, or keep reading. Here's each of the hook styles in a little more detail, just click any of the images below to view (and buy) them: We are supplying each of the above hook styles in packs of 20 hooks for only £4.00 per pack - which includes free delivery in our eco-friendly reusable hook packaging. Please Note: Each pack of barbless hooks contains a minimum of 20 hooks, they have been hand packed by weight so there may be 21 in a pack - but we'll let you have any extras on us! But wait, there's more: Special BEKKR Hooks Launch Offer With today being the launch of this new range for us, we are offering a 'Buy 3 Packs & Get The 4th Pack FREE' deal - just add the packs to your basket and the discount will be automatically applied. In effect, this gives you a 25% discount on our BEKKR hooks - bargain! This offer applies to all our BEKKR hooks - i.e. you could buy a pack of each style in a size 14 and the offer will be applied automatically. Any Fly Tying Plans? For all of you who are wondering if this is the start of us catering for those of you who 'tie rather than buy', let's just say we are fly-tie-curious, keep an eye on this new menu option on our site: We think you will be happy with what we've got planned over the coming weeks! Tight lines & happy tying.

Dry Flies Which Work Everywhere - The Universal Dry Fly Selection

Firstly, I like to thank all of you who managed to snag one of our Artisan Dry Selections - you won't be disappointed when you receive it! We are really looking forward to reading your reviews. If, as we hope, they are positive we will be speaking to them about lots more patterns - quite an investment for us, but one we think will be well worth it, watch this space. Now on to more stunning Dry flies for both Rivers & Stillwaters ... When we first launched Barbless Flies - all the way back in 2014 - we started with only two selections of flies. Our initial aim was to put together separate universal selections of dry flies and nymphs which you could take to any water (be it river or stillwater) in the UK, and be confident of catching fish - no matter what time of year. As the weather starts to warm, within the next few weeks, fly anglers from across the country will be blowing the dust off their dry fly boxes and putting them to use in anger on our rivers and stillwater. Our Dry Selection has not changed at all since we first launched it eight years ago. Until now ... We've now given it a slight tweak to make it usable in even more fishing situations you may find when using dry flies. Our Universal Dry Fly Selection contains four patterns. Three of which you will find in virtually every anglers fly box: CdC F-Fly - A very well known and versatile fly. Can be used all year round in all light conditions. An excellent "go-to" fly. Tri-Colour Caddis - This is a classic French fly and best fished in the faster-riffled water. We do recommend you use a slightly thicker leader than normal when fishing these (as they act like little propellers and twist your tippet)! CdC Olive Emerger - A very well known and versatile generic olive imitation. Can be used all year round in all up-winged fly hatches. An excellent olive imitation. The fourth pattern in our selection is a very special one - The Indicator Caddis: This fly is 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. Whenever I'm fishing a dry fly if I cannot pinpoint the exact insect, this is the fly I will tie on. They really are deadly! Take a look at the end of this email for some tips on how to maintain the floatability (is that even a word) of your dry fly. Tri-Colour Caddis - This is a classic French fly and best fished in the faster-riffled water. We do recommend you use a slightly thicker leader than normal when fishing these (as they act like little propellers and twist your tippet)!. This selection contains two each of sizes 14 & 16. CdC F-Fly - A very well known and versatile fly. Can be used all year round in all light conditions. An excellent "go-to" fly. Our Updated Dry Selection contains 2 each of sizes 16 & 18. The Indicator Caddis - This fly is 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. We are supplying 2 each in sizes 12, 14, 16 & 18. CdC Olive Emerger - A very well known and versatile generic olive imitation. Can be used all year round in all up-winged fly hatches. An excellent olive imitation. Our Updated Dry Selection contains 2 each of sizes 16 & 18. Our Updated for 2023 Dry Selection is now available as a selection of 20 flies (4 different patterns - see above). We are supplying all of these for only £20 - that's right, it's only £1 per fly. All are supplied in our eco-friendly packaging. Just click on any image or button in this email to view the flies in more detail. *** Just a gentle reminder that all our products are shipped FREE OF CHARGE to anywhere *** Is It Infallible? As far as I'm concerned this fly is absolutely trustworthy (especially at this time of year before the water really starts to warm up). When I need to get a rise, this is the fly I tie on ... The Infallible Klinkhamer. They're that good we created a selection of them in their own right ... A version of the popular Klinkhamer. Tied with a salmon-pink post, hares ear body and a short red tail section, it is easily seen in all conditions - especially good when Iron Blue's are on the water. Our selection contains 3 each of sizes 12, 14, 16 & 18 - a total of 12 flies, all for only £15. *** Go on, you know you want to! *** Tight lines & have a great time out on the water.

Knock ... Knock ... Who's There? - A Bloke With a Box Full Of Stunning Flies

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

Innovative Scuds

The Bacchus Bug Selection

Barbless. Clothing