2wheels1rod

A Bosnian 'Brucie-Bonus' & A Ginger Guy Called Tom

I will keep this email pretty short - as you are no doubt innundated with emails, and have other things than fishing to prepare for! We had a big restock of flies arrive with us this week - two of them especially stand out: The Ginger Tom v2.0 Tungsten Jigs; and The Bosnian Biot Nymphs - see below Grab yours today, before we run out again! Let's start with the Bosnian Biot Nymphs: We sold out of these when we originally had them back in October (and from recent reports they are working wonder on the Grayling), I mentioned this to 'our man in Bosnia' and he's tied us these as a big of an Xmas brucie-bonus. These Bosnian Biot nymphs are weighted with a 3.3mm Gold Tungsten Bead, tied with goose biots for the body and have a split-tail. We have these nymphs in four 'very fishy' hot-spot colour-ways: Fluoro Orange Fluoro Green Fluoro Pink; and Ice White As well offering you the usual full selection of nymphs, we are also making these Bosnian Biot Nymphs available to buy individually (see below for details on how to access them): The specialist hooks used in these Biot Nymphs is the Hends BL124 Barbless Wide-Gape Jig hook: Hook Size: 16 Hook Length: 9.00mm Hook Gape: 5.00mm Hook Finish: Black Nickel Nymph Weight: 0.25g Our Bosnian Biot Nymph Selection contains 12 nymphs (4 different colours, 3 of each all tied on Hends BL124 barbless jig hooks in a size 16). Our full selection is available for only £25 - and we've only 10 available, so you will need to be quick! Alternatively, you can buy each of these Biot Nymphs individually, by clicking here. As we've only got 10 of these Bosnian Biot Nymph Selections available you will need to be quick off the mark to secure yours: Next up on the fly pattern conveyor belt (there's another Generation Game reference for you) is: The Ginger Tom v2.0 I've never personally found the original Ginger Tom successful for Grayling - especially on the coloured waters we have up here in North Yorkshire. So, one day early last year I set about refining it (very slightly) for our more northern river conditions ... For me, I always prefer fishing Grayling nymphs on a jig hook - so that was the first change. The next change was to try and make the fly stand out a little more in coloured water - so I added some ginger flash to the body material, and "Hey Presto", we have the Ginger Tom v2.0 ... The original Ginger Tom was devised by Steve Skuce (and featured in his excellent book - Grayling Flies - do get a copy if you've even a passing interest in The Lady of the Stream). I don't know Steve (and to my knowledge have never met him) but he certainly knows his subject - in this case Grayling flies. In coloured water, they were (as Steve says in his book) "sheer magic". Last week I even caught a Grayling on one where I never even thought they existed - I was only testing the fly out to check how fast it sank and a fish took it near my feet - and no, I didn't land it as my line was wrapped around my leg at the time! We've just received more stock of our Ginger Tom v2.0 patterns from our tyers in all the usual sizes (12 to 18), so our shelves are now groaning under their (tungsten) weight - and they're all looking for a new home. So here it is - our Ginger Tom v2.0 Selection (and best of all, they're only £15 for the full set of 12): Our Ginger Tom v2.0 Selection contains three each of sizes 12, 14, 16 & 18 - all tied on barbless jig hooks (in total there are 12 tungsten Ginger Tom's v2.0's in this selection). As we're pretty anal about our nymphs, we've even weighed them: The Ginger Tom v2.0 in a size 12 weighs 0.44g This Ginger Tom v2.0 in a size 14 weighs 0.30g This Ginger Tom v2.0 in a size 16 weighs 0.25g This Ginger Tom v2.0 in a size 18 weighs 0.17g That's a total of 12 Ginger Tom v2.0 tungsten jigs at a heavily discounted price of only £15.00 (bought individually these would be £19.80), supplied in our eco-friendly packaging and includes FREE delivery. Tight lines.

Give Yourself An EDGE This Christmas

Morning, As we are nearly at the Christmas break - where our attention usually turns to Turkey, rather than Trout or Grayling - I wanted to give you a quick progress update on our The EDGE in-depth newsletter off-shoot. I've learnt loads whilst researching each of the articles, and it continues to be enlightening - I actually look forward to the research each week! So far within The EDGE, I've covered subjects as diverse as: Fluid Dynamics in Rivers & How it affects your flies Fluid Dynamics in Stillwaters & How it affects your flies How to find fish in both Rivers & Stillwaters Euro Nymphing Leader Mechanics Barometric Pressure & Fly Fishing We've an article which will be published tomorrow, it's all about - Fly Box Organisation. We don't have an automated 'review' collector setup for it yet, but Jonathan seems to like it, with this unsolicited review: The whole ideal for The EDGE all started around the basic premise of: "I don’t want to keep buying new gear, I want to know how to make the most of the gear I already have." When you write the amount of emails I do, you get lots of feedback (both good and bad - but all constructive). Whilst email is a great mechanism for sending out short, concise information it doesn't allow us to go into real detail and "dig around in the roots" ... TL;DR - Too Long; Didn't Read I know that some of you are pressed for time and save our emails to read later in the day, by this time our selections are sometimes sold out (I get lots of emails from customers pointing this out to me). Not this time though ... This email does not contain any 'time sensitive' info - please feel free to save it and read at your leisure, The EDGE will still be there, ready and waiting for you. Please read the full email below to get all the details. We'd love for you to try us out with a FREE Trial Subscription: – Never underestimate the power of one small win! – By far and away the most frequent comment I receive is that readers love the fact that I include short sections in each email explaining Tips & Tricks relevant to the flies we are offering ... It seems there is a huge appetite for learning among our fly fishing community! So earlier last month, we launched: * There's no minimum term and you can unsubscribe at any time. "A Co-operative For Fly Fishing Knowledge" Let me explain ... The EDGE is a paid for fortnightly email newsletter & subscriber-only knowledge base / learning centre - it only costs the equivalent to a couple of cups of coffee per month - there's no minimum term and you can unsubscribe at any time. Essentially ... We pool the money from ALL our subscribers to The EDGE. We then combine all of that buying power to book ‘non-fishing’ time with the best fly-fishing guides and industry experts from all around the world. With all this 'non-fishing time' we use it to dig deep into their knowledge to unearth the ‘gold’ which will help us all. Alongside this we research and send out fortnightly in-depth articles on various aspects of fly fishing. For example: Have you ever wondered what part fluid dynamics play when fishing in a river or on a lake / stillwater? Try our FREE Trial Subscription to find out! We can now buy knowledge that ONLY A FEW PEOPLE in the world can ever gain access to - we need to learn from the very best if we want to improve and enjoy our all too limited time on the water. That is why we've recently invested 000’s of hours to build a system and gain 1-to-1 online time with some of the best fly fishing guides and professionals in the world – all recorded for posterity. We then devour these recordings, listening to hundreds of hours of knowledge, then share the most useful insights/nuggets to try and help you. We’ve already invested 000’s of hours You will pay only £7.50 / month (or equivalent in your local currency, i.e. US$10 etc). The value is obvious … You have bought fishing books you have never read You have YouTube videos you have never finished You have online courses you have never completed You don’t suffer from a lack of information, but the sheer quantity of it can be overwhelming. We read the books, we do the research, interview the experts - then bring you the GOLD What you need is a service that gives you insightful & incredible knowledge in bite-sized chunks. Think Double Espressos - Not Grande Lattes That is why The EDGE is a service that will stick to its word of ‘Three Minutes or Less.’ We will get to the point fast – with fewer words & no waffle - if you want to dig deeper, we give you access so you can. Now, that is a compelling concept ... * There's no minimum term, you can unsubscribe at any time. "Never underestimate the power of one small win!" By subscribing to The EDGE today, you will receive: A fortnightly ‘3-minute read’ email with concise tips, tricks & research – starting from the 8th November Each fortnightly email will contain links to related in-depth articles hosted on our subscriber-only learning centre You will also have access to our knowledge-based learning centre which hosts all prior emails and research articles You will receive this, every other week - on a Friday (with one due out tomorrow). What better way to spend those dark Winter evenings, than learning a little more about the sport we both love. * There's no minimum term nd you can unsubscribe at any time. Or, if you're still not sure Go on, you know you want to! I will admit - I love to learn and gather as much knowledge as I can, especially where fly fishing is concerned. I've really enjoyed putting all this together so far - and I've learnt loads. And that's just the beginning, there's lots more content to come! If you've read this far and still have doubts, just reply to this email and I will answer any questions you have. Tight lines.

The 2024 Barbless Flies (Last Minute) Gift Guide

Morning James, I've just got my fishing trips planned for over the Christmas break - only to a couple of local streams with a few friends - but I'm really looking forward to getting out and about now that our rivers have started to subside and the Grayling have started to make an appearance. I've been wanting to give a new-fangled furled leader a try out, so hopefully we can stock them in the next few weeks (thanks for the sample Marcus). I will report back in January. But in the meantime, if yo need any last-minute flies or gifts ... Last Posting Dates For Guaranteed Christmas Deliveries As we are now even nearer Christmas, we always experience a rush of orders (and numerous phone calls), from anglers wanting their flies, books etc in time for Christmas. In order to receive your order for Christmas, our last posting dates are below (based on which postal service you prefer): FREE Delivery (2nd Class) - Wednesday 18th December - that's tomorrow! 1st Class Tracked - Friday 20th December Special Delivery (Guaranteed) - Monday 23rd December Our collections from Royal Mail are usually around 3pm, so we would ask that where possible please order before 1pm and the Fly Fairies will make sure your order goes out the very same day. Please Note: I am planning to give the Fly Fairies a few days off in the break between Christmas and the New Year, therefore any orders placed between the 27th December and 1st January will be shipped to you on the 2nd January. Winter Nymphing (Made Easy) If you're planning your own trip to the river in the coming weeks, then you're going to need one of these, it makes fishing at this tine of year so easy: It's an Indicator Furled Leader, and it makes fishing nymphs a doddle, especially when at longer range. These are slightly different to any furled leaders you may have seen before, each furled leader kit includes: Fast Taper Furled Leader - Winter Grey Colour 6 + 1 Installed Hi-Viz Yellow Sight Indicators 4 - 6X Stroft GTM Tippet already installed (around 36"), making the overall leader length 10ft - just add extra tippet to alter the depth your flies fish. Open the packet, attach it to your fly line & you're ready to fish They're only £15 for the leader (which includes a set of indicators which you can move to alter the depth). These are so easy to use it's almost like cheating! Last Minute (dot) Com & only £9.99 Christmas - It's a time to sit back and relax ... What better way than to pour yourself a drink and read a book. We've had some great feedback on the FLY: Series of books we've written + they make great stocking fillers: Each of our FLY: Series of books takes a single subject and dives deep into it. We've covered quite a few different subjects so far: Book 1 - Early Season River Fishing Book 2 - Fishing The Mayfly Book 3 - Fishing Small Streams Book 4 - Streamer Fishing Tactics Book 5 - Fishing For Grayling Book 6 - Fishing For Salmon; and our most popular so far Book 7 - Watercraft (Reading The Water) Why not grab a copy today, set aside a few hours over Christmas (away from the outlaws) and expand your knowledge. Fill your boots & start to make room for the turkey. P.S. We've just recently launched our new 'in-depth' email newsletter, it really is a game-changer. grab your FREE TRIAL by clicking here.

Rude Awakenings & Staying Seine

I'm not one to always practice what I preach - I'm usually fishing a water I know really well so just go with what worked last time. But, over Christmas last year, I had a rude awakening ... I had a day planned to fish for Grayling on a small North Yorkshire river with a good friend (it's probably one of the few waters locally which holds a good head of Grayling). A customer had sent me a seine net which fits onto my scoop net, so I thought I would give it a go. After a good minute kicking the gravel, I peered into the white netting. -- Intermission -- Please check out the very end of this email - we have a few 'Parish Notices' which we'd love you to read - all about what we have planned for the coming season, and a new product launch next week! -- Intermission Ends -- At first glance there didn't seem to be much life in there, just a mass of grey detritus, but at second glance it all seemed to be moving! I emptied it out onto my hand, to see what looked like hundreds of small shrimps. I swiftly reached for my fly box from my vest and tried to 'match the bug' - it was something similar to this (one of our Bacchus Bugs - which were partly inspired by that trip): This week I am turning my attention to one of the most overlooked fly patterns - the humble shrimp (or Gammarus to give it its correct genus). Read the full email for loads of tips for fishing shrimps at this time of year. Gammarus (or the freshwater shrimp) forms the basis of the Grayling's diet in the colder months. They may not be the main food source every day but they do make up over 90% of the diet at this time of year. The freshwater shrimp is usually found in all our UK rivers throughout the full year, making a Shrimp / Gammarus / Scud pattern one of the first to try when the going gets tough - especially at this time of year. Freshwater shrimp are much more abundant in waters with higher pH values (for this read - chalk and limestone streams). As a part of the Riverfly Partnership's Monitoring Scheme on a local North Yorkshire beck, it's not uncommon for thousands of freshwater shrimp to be captured in a short 3-minute kick sample. These shrimp are a fantastic indicator of how healthy the river is - as they are very sensitive to pollution. One of the most popular (and VERY successful) fly selections we've done recently is our Bacchus Bug Selection - because they seem to work everywhere, and at all times of the year ... I know that we only launched these at the beginning of last month, but the Silver ones sold out almost instantly, we've just got them back in stock, so we can now make up the full selection again: As you've come to expect from any of our Artisan range of flies, they're all tied on the best scud/shrimp hooks available, the AHREX FW541 in sizes 14 & 16. Each of our Bacchus Bugs have been tied with: A weighted underbody (covering the middle 1/3rd of the hook). Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - The same colour as the bug A 0.1mm Wire Rib in the same colour as the bug A 3mm Nymph Skin shellback - colour-matched to the bug A UV/Synthetic dubbing for the body And, we have them in 4 very fishy colours - more detailed images of each can be seen below: Dirty Pink Olive Rainbow; and Silver Please Note: These bugs are unusually heavy for their small size: Size 14 - Length: 9.9mm, Gape: 4.25mm - Weight 0.18g Size 16 - Length: 8.0mm, Gape: 3.44mm - Weight 0.10g These Bacchus Bus are a derivative of the popular Disco Shrimp, which in turn is a variant of the well-known Czech-style nymphs. A typical characteristic of a Czech-style nymph is the slim profile (to allow it to sink quickly), a back covered with latex/shellback and a wire rib. *** Go on, treat yourself, it's Christmas! *** Our NEW Bacchus Bug Selection contains 16 Bacchus Bugs (4 different colour variations, 2 of each in sizes 14 & 16) all tied on specialist AHREX FW541 barbless shrimp/scud hooks. Our full selection is now available again for only £26. We like to cater for all budgets, so we've also made these Bacchus Bugs available to buy individually, for: £1.80 each, or £5.00 for a pack of 3, or £9.00 for a pack of 6 *** All orders from Barbless Flies are shipped FREE of charge to anywhere in the UK *** During the Grayling season and once the river trout season opens, it is essential that you have a selection of shrimps in your armoury - these are the most common invertebrates in the water at all points of the year - but especially the spring and early summer. Gammarus Shrimps Behaviour: Shrimps do not like really bright daylight - the become docile when it's really bright. Fish with them during lower light levels - when it's overcast, dawn or dusk, this is when they will be more effective. Shrimps are very good swimmers (but their sense of direction is appalling), they swim in really short bursts (often around in circles), so there's no need to worry too much about presentation, just make sure you fish them on the river bed. Shrimps need to be fished as close to the river bed as possible - in deeper rivers try a sinking line with a short (4ft) leader. On shallower rivers use a floating line and longer leader. How to fish Gammarus Shrimps: Try casting around gaps in any weed beds and to the heads of pools which are just below the weed Gammarus shrimp love weed, rocks and silt Try using 2 x Gammarus shrimps of different colours (one bright & one dark) on droppers spaced 2ft apart Cast these above the target area, let them sink and then track them back downstream Keep in touch with the shrimp at all times by raising your rod tip as the fly comes back towards you I usually fish these using an indicator (as my nymphing skills still need a bit of work!). Typical Nymphing Leader Setup: Shrimps are fished as you would any other nymph - just remember the golden rule "if you're not getting snagged on the bottom, you're not fishing deep enough". A normal nymph leader setup would be to add a short (12") indicator tippet section to your fly line, to this add 1.5 x the depth of the water you are fishing of tippet (4x or 5x), then the shrimp (or a team of 2 or 3). Xmas Parish Notices Last Posting Dates For Guaranteed Christmas Deliveries As we are now ever nearing Christmas, we always experience a rush of orders (and numerous phone calls), from anglers wanting their flies, books etc for Christmas. In order to receive your order for Christmas, our last posting dates are below (based on which postal service you prefer): FREE Delivery (2nd Class) - Wednesday 18th December 1st Class Tracked - Friday 20th December Special Delivery (Guaranteed) - Monday 23rd Decembe Our collections from Royal Mail are usually around 3pm, so we would ask that where possible please order before 1pm and the Fly Fairies will make sure your order goes out the very same day. Please Note: I am planning to give the Fly Fairies a few days off in the break between Christmas and the New Year, therefore any orders placed between the 27th December and 1st January will be shipped to you on the 2nd January. Tight lines.

Fly Fishing Rappers - The LL Cool (J)ig

During a clear out of our stock room at the beginning of this season, I came across a few left-over nymphs which we first sold over 8 years ago - in fact, they were the very first fly which we designed ourselves! I'm not into rap music at all (i'm a bit of an aging psychobilly/punk), but Jack, who is a good 25 years younger than me, is a bit of a fan.

Bacchus - The God, The Nightclub & The Fly ...

Our Artisan fly tyers have been 'on the tools' again - with some very tempting shrimp/scud patterns - fly fish food for Grayling, Stillwater Trout - and the local trees! These have been specifically tied for success as the colder weather approaches (November through to February), when a fishes main source of food is the Gammarus Shrimp.

A Nymph That's Cleaning Up Over The Pond - Tweaked & Now Available Over Here

Now that we have a little more water in the rivers, it's the ideal time to target those early-season Grayling. So we thought it's about time you had a bit more tungsten in your life with a fly you may not have heard of before ... The Sow Bug - the perfect nymph to tempt those early-season Grayling.

Very Late Trout & Early Grayling Tactics - Swing Some Spiders

I'll start with the flowing water: Spiders (or Soft Hackle flies as our cousins from across the pond refer to them) are one of the most popular flies in rivers today, and for good reason - they are very easy to fish and a really effective method when there is no activity on the surface - especially useful in the river conditions we are currently experiencing.

As the leaves start to fall ... The 'Gangly Ones' appear

As the leaves start to fall ... The 'Gangly Ones' appear Be it Rivers or Stillwaters - This time of year (September & October) is the prime month for these larger terrestrials. Daddy Longlegs (Crane Fly): Generally seen from August through to October, they 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 are always blown onto the water. The legs on these flies seem to act as a trigger to the fish (especially when twitched). Hopper Patterns: Really productive flies throughout the UK and equally effective in both rivers & stillwaters. Hoppers are generally fished as you would a dry fly, or as a point fly in a team of buzzers. See below for a great deal on our Hopper Selection. All of our Daddies & Hoppers are tied on size 10 and 12 barbless hooks with slender hackles (more aerodynamic - less leader twist), this allows them to create a wake on the surface when retrieved, again another trigger point the fish home into. The gangly flies (Daddies and Hoppers) are your main line of attack on both Rivers and Stillwaters at this time of year. Both patterns are tied in very similar styles - with long gangly legs tied facing backwards and long buoyant bodies. For much more information on all our Daddies and Hoppers and a few tips on fishing with 'Gangly' flies, Read on McDuff ... Plus we've a great offer on our Hoppers - see below: Our Barbless Hopper selection is a selection of 16 barbless hoppers, comprising 4 different patterns (in 2 sizes). The hopper fly is tied as a suggestive pattern for a number of different insects, it can imitate a Hawthorn Fly, Heather Fly, Daddy Long Legs/Crane Fly and even an adult buzzer, these are great flies to try when searching stillwaters & reservoirs. The legs on these flies seem to act as a trigger to the fish. These flies are tied on size 10 and 12 barbless hooks with a bushy hackle, this allows them to create a wake on the surface when retrieved, again another trigger point the fish home into. Bibio - The classic traditional fly, believed to have been first developed by Major Charles Roberts. The Bibio is tied with a swept-back black hackle, black body, pearl rib and red fur to the eye of the hook. Our selection contains 2 each of sizes 10 and 12. Yellow Owl - This is a bit of a hybrid hopper, a cross between a small mayfly/lake olive and the lighter-bodied daddy long legs. It features a dark yellow body with a black rib, topped with a CdC feather, with the legs kicked back this fly will disturb lots of water when retrieved. Our selection contains 2 each of sizes 10 and 12. Claret Hopper - Tied with a claret swept back hackle, a claret body and pearl rib. With the addition of a target point of a red tag at the end of the body, a great choice when the water is coloured (also great for Grayling on rivers!). Our selection contains 2 each of sizes 10 and 12. CdC Bibio - A small twist on the classic traditional fly. The CdC Bibio is tied with a CdC feather to the top of the body, a black body, a pearl rib and red fur to the centre of the hook. Our selection contains 2 each of sizes 10 and 12. Hoppers are really effective flies throughout the UK in predominantly stillwaters (but are equally as effective in rivers) and are at their most productive from July to September. Hoppers are generally fished as you would a dry fly, or as a point fly in a team of buzzers. Our Barbless Hopper Selection, containing 16 flies is available as a selection for only £20 (was £22), including free delivery. We only have 25 of these selections available today, so if you would like one you will need to be quick! What about the Daddies ... All of the below Daddies are really buoyant and will hold up a team of buzzers (using the Washing Line technique - see below). These Daddies are particularly streamlined and will not twist your leader as much: Daddyhog £1.60 Aero Daddy £1.60 We also have our full Daddy Long-Legs / Crane Fly Selection available which includes 16 flies in total (4 different patterns, 2 each of sizes 10 and 12) for only £20 (was £22), including free delivery. We only have 30 of these selections remaining, so if you would like one you will need to be quick! Or, why not take a look at all of the Daddies and Hoppers we have to offer: "Go on, you know you want to" When Daddy Long Legs are hatching in the area, use these flies with a slightly heavier 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 and Hoppers are also surprisingly effective when fished as a wet fly, so don't be too quick to keep these flies dry, once 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, and hold on! Hoppers are really effective flies throughout the UK in predominantly stillwaters (but are equally as effective in rivers) and are at their most productive from August to October. Hoppers are generally fished as you would a dry fly, or as a point fly in a team of buzzers - in a washing-line configuration. Also, hoppers are surprisingly effective when fished as a wet fly, so don't be too quick to keep these flies dry - once wet and submerged, if on a stillwater, gently "figure of 8" them back (on a river try fishing them as you would a spider), and hold on! What's the 'Washing Line' method you mentioned above? The washing line method is a technique designed to let you fish an buoyant fly on the point with a team of buzzers/nymphs suspended just below the surface of the water, using a floating fly line - it hangs just as a washing line would - suspended by the floating fly line at one end and the buoyant point fly at the other. Normally when fishing with buzzers or nymphs, they would descend down through the water column slowly (which is a good way of searching to find the depth the fish are feeding at). However, the 'Washing Line' method allows you to keep all of your flies just below the surface where the trout are most likely to feed. Using this method requires you to use a much longer leader (in excess of 10'). As a general rule, use a leader of around 12' to 14' (this also makes it much easier to net the fish once you have caught it, as you will not end up with any of your flies hanging in the top ring of your rod). A good initial setup when starting out is to space your flies on short droppers (about 12" long) each one 3 feet apart - this makes it easier to cast. If you're having problems casting it, just use a buoyant point fly (like our Stillwater Dinkhamer) and two droppers. I like the sound of that, when should I use it? Always use this method when the fish are high in the water and sipping buzzers or taking the insects as they emerge. Check out the rise form of the fish, and look for a 'head and tail' rise - think of the way a dolphin breaks the water surface, first you see the head, then the dorsal fin, followed by the tail. This will be the first indication they are taking buzzers. Tight lines & have fun.

A Frespañol Creation - By José Carlos Rodríguez

A Frespañol Creation& A FREE Gift This is quite a long email, you may want to grab a brew before you start reading! Our emails take lots of planning - I always want to make sure that they are: Entertaining (hopefully), Educational; and Relevant That's why, when it comes to the planning stage (we always plan at least 6 months in advance for all our flies - due, in part, to the length of time it takes our guys to tie them!) I sit down with a pencil and a big notebook and start to jot down ideas. As you may imagine, I get through loads of pencils (if you're interested I prefer to use Blackwing pencils - quite expensive and very traditional, but I find the ideas start to flow as soon as I pick one up!). As a consequence of using a traditional wooden pencil, you need to have a good pencil sharpener handy. It was whilst using said sharpener and discovering where it was invented - down a YouTube rabbit-hole! - the idea hit me for the email you are reading now ... I'm sure that you were not aware the humble pencil sharpener was invented by a spanish guy - called Ignacio Urresti. Just like the pattern this email is concerned with - it is the product of a Spanish fly tiers imagination (José Carlos Rodríguez) devised in 2002 - he took inspiration from a Catalan nymph devised by José María Cros and a micro-nymph tied by the renowned French angler Pascal Cognard - very Frespañol. It is of course one of the most successful Autumn & Winter nymphs, a Perdigon: Our tyers have really out-done themselves with these - yes, they are some of the more expensive flies we sell - this type of quality is never cheap, but hopefully you will have the same excitement when using them as I do when I reach for my Blackwings! We've loads of info on the Perdigon below - no matter if you want to buy them from us or tie your own (with the launch of the Perdigon kit from our sister site, Feathersmith - see below). Please Note: I've also included a section at the very end of this email on how to get the best presentation when fishing with perdigon flies and a special offer for the first 30 orders placed today! SPECIAL OFFER - for today only - if you are one of the first 30 orders, we will include a 'hand-tied' (by myself) indicator leader - made from bright-red 12lb Amnesia mono - which are great to detect any subtle takes, I use these myself, they are easy to see & ultra sensitive! TL;DR - Too Long; Didn't Read I know that some of you are pressed for time and save our emails to read later in the day, by this time our selections are sometimes sold out (I get lots of emails from customers pointing this out to me). I've put this section at the beginning, so you can grab your flies now - and save reading my musings for later, safe in the knowledge that you have already secured your Perdigon nymphs. This email is all about the Perdigon nymph, a fly pattern specifically designed to sink fast, and catch fish! These flies are all tied on one of the best jig hooks available (the Hanak H450BL). In this email, we are launching our Autumn & Winter Perdigon patterns, all available in sizes 14 & 16. We are making them available as either individuals (including packs of 3 or 6), two separate selections or as a full 'Ultimate' selection. Click the button below to grab yours now: SPECIAL OFFER - for today only - if you are one of the first 30 orders, we will include a 'hand-tied' (by myself) indicator leader which you can use to detect any subtle takes - I use these myself and they are easy to see & ultra sensitive! Perdigon flies were developed in the early 2000's by Spanish fly anglers and are usually used in fast flowing rivers. These flies have tungsten bead heads and thin bodies, made of thread and tinsel. They have a very slim profile, allowing a very fast sink rate compared with classic beaded nymphs. The lighter coloured (sparkly) perdigons are ideal for both very clear or coloured water. So what makes these patterns so special? We posed that exact question to Nygren (the designer), and his reply was - "These are tied on strong Hanak wide-gape hooks, they sink quickly with very little disturbance and due to their bright bodies are perfect when fishing at less than 6ft deep - as the sunlight will 'activate' the coloured bodies. Their mass also allows you great feel through the line when fishing a single nymph - you should be able to feel the gravel on the river bed!" That was us sold on them, and we're launching to you, our fantastic email community, today. These flies have been specifically tied for fishing in the water levels and flows we experience through Autumn and Winter here in the UK and are ideal for both rivers and stillwaters. As well as the ability to buy each of the flies individually, We have three distinct selections for you to also choose from, see below (each selection is available either with or without a Tacky Double-Sided silicone fly box): Nygren's Metallic Perdigon Jig Selection £32.00 Nygren's Grayling Perdigon Jig Selection £33.00 Nygren's Ultimate Perdigon Jig Selection Sale price£81.50 As you probably know by now, we're pretty geeky when it comes to nymphs! Here's the specification for the size 14 & 16 Perdigons: Size 14: Weight: 0.35g Hook Length: 12.6mm Hook Gape: 5.3mm Tungsten Bead: 3.3mm Size 16: Weight: 0.22g Hook Length: 10.2mm Hook Gape: 4.5mm Tungsten Bead: 2.8mm Each fly has a red hot-spot tied in just before the Coq de Leon tail and is tied on a Hanak H450BL Jig Superb barbless jig hook. The colour variations we have available are: Black (with Silver Slotted Tungsten Bead) Copper (with Silver Slotted Tungsten Bead) Gold (with Gold Slotted Tungsten Bead) Light Pink (with Silver Slotted Tungsten Bead) Metallic Blue (with Silver Slotted Tungsten Bead) Metallic Green (with Silver Slotted Tungsten Bead) Metallic Orange (with Orange Slotted Tungsten Bead) Peacock (with Silver Slotted Tungsten Bead) Pearl (with Silver Slotted Tungsten Bead) Rainbow (with Silver Slotted Tungsten Bead) These are not cheap flies, but we do have something to suit all budgets, how much I hear you ask - £2.25 for each individual fly (including packs of 3 for £6 or 6 for £11.25) or £32 for each selection of 18 (The Ultimate Perdigon Jig Selection including all 36 flies and a Tacky Double-Sided fly box is £81.50), but I think you will agree that the quality is outstanding. We only have 38 of these selections for sale - they will never be produced in large numbers due to the time taken to tie/make each fly. SPECIAL OFFER - for today only - if you are one of the first 30 orders, we will include a 'hand-tied' (by myself) indicator leader - made from bright-red 12lb Amnesia mono - which are great to detect any subtle takes, I use these myself and they are easy to see & ultra sensitive! *** As always, all orders are shipped free of charge to any location within the UK *** If you would like a set, you will need to be quick off the mark! Here are a few more images to really tempt you: Go on, you know you want to! Launched Today ... The Quill Perdigon kit This eleventh in our series of kits celebrates the Perdigon - a pattern original concieved by the Spanish Fly Fishing team back in the early 2000's. Then, made popular by the French fly fishing team in competition use. The word 'Perdigon' is Spanish for "pellet" or "shot" and is very apt! This style of fly sinks like a stone. Our kit comprises of all the materials you need to tie 30 Quill Perdigons - 10 each of the most used sizes 12, 14 & 16: Our 'Hot-Spot' Quill Perdigon kit includes: Hooks: AHREX FW541 hooks (10 each of sizes #12, #14 & #16) Beads: Tungsten (Black Nickel) 3.2mm, 2.8mm & 2.4mm Wire: Solder Wire 0.3mm diameter Thread: Semperfli Classic Waxed (Black) Tail: Strung Cock Hackle (Grizzly) Body: Full Peacock Eye (Natural) Hot-Spot: Glo-Brite No. 4 Scarlet Resin: Sally Hansen Hard As Nails Pre-Tied Sample 'Hot-Spot' Quill Perdigon All of the above high-quality materials combined make a quality fly which is straightforward to tie, with full easy to follow step-by-step video instruction. Contained inside each kit is also a leaflet which will direct you to a secret page on our website where all the videos (including all of Kenan's Fly tying tutorial series) can be accessed. Our Feathersmith Quill Perdigon kit is now available for only £30. At less than £1/fly, that's great value for money. The Perdigon nymph is designed to catch fish, at depth. Therefore it is important when fishing with Perdigon nymphs to follow these few tips to make sure the presentation of the nymph is as realistic as possible. The key to fishing with any Perdigon style of fly is the make sure the fly is presented in the best way possible. Here are a few tip to allow you to get the most when fishing with this style of fly: Choose Your Water: This style of fly is particularly proficient when fishing small pocket water, i.e. lots of short runs where you need to get the fly down quickly. Fly Presentation Techniques - 1: To get the fly as deep as possible, as quickly as possible, you need to make sure the fly enters the water before your leader - to do this make sure to stop your rod tip much higher than usual. This will force the fly to enter the water first and also put the rod in the correct position to keep you in contact with the fly as soon as it enters the water. Fly Presentation Techniques - 2: For the fly to sink as quickly as possible, it needs to enter the water at its maximum velocity. To do this add a single haul to the final cast before presenting the fly - this will speed up your line and in-turn the flies entry to the water. Fly Presentation Techniques - 3: When fishing with a Perdigon, you need to present it on (or near to) the bottom, when the fly enters the water it is usually better to lead the fly through the water - keeping in contact so you can detect any takes. The speed with which you lead the fly varies depending upon the speed of the water, but I usually lead it through just slightly slower than the water is flowing. Remember, that the water on the bottom will always flow slower than the water on the surface and you need the nymph to react as normally as possible. Perdigon nymphs are generally used in the faster stretches of water, due to their slim, smooth profiles, they sink very quickly and can get to the river bed quickly. This allows you longer drifts each time you cast. However, using these flies will also allow you to fish those slower parts, which anglers usually pass by. Tight lines & have fun in the sun. P.S. Don't forget about our Special Offer - for today only: SPECIAL OFFER - for today only - if you are one of the first 30 orders, we will include a 'hand-tied' (by myself) indicator leader - made from bright-red 12lb Amnesia mono - which are great to detect any subtle takes, I use these myself and they are easy to see & ultra sensitive!

Late Season River Essentials - Late Season Fly Selection Ideas

Late Season River Essentials Fishing in September can be very challenging - adapting to the different weather conditions thrown at us - take last weekend as a perfect example: 09:00 - Bright Sunshine - I decide to venture to the river for a couple of hours later in the day (after my household chores are completed!) 15:00 - Slightly Overcast - Gear deposited in the car, quick stop at the garage for some Jelly Babies - apart from a Pork Pie, they are the perfect river snack. 15:05 - Still Overcast - Arrive at the river, setup up rod and step into waders 15:06 - Still Overcast - Looks like there's an Olive hatch in progress, tie on a JT Olive 15:10 - Getting A Bit Breezy - Step into the river and make my 1st cast 15:11 - Monsoon Conditions - Get out of the river and shelter under a tree, it's bound to pass soon. 15:45 - Still Monsoon Conditions - Half an hur later and I've finished my Jelly Babies, the river is up by about 1ft and coloured, time to head back to the car 15:50 - Bright Sunshine Again - Tie on a size 12 Endrick Spider, there's a favourite pool (just near the car) which is perfect for Euro Nymphing when the river is high. 15:51 - Still Bright Sunshine - 3 casts & 1 fish, not too bad! 15:55 - Monsoon Conditions (again) - Quick run back to the car, it turns out my waterproof jacket is not quite as waterproof as it used to be! I'm sure you have all experienced something along the same lines as the above, although I was washed off I found that by adapting to the conditions presented to me I was able to still enjoy a cast (or two) and spend some quality time besides (if not in) the river. Over the next few weeks, I will be bringing you some tried and tested fly patterns and selections, specifically for late-season trout (and early-season Grayling) fishing - we've just received some cracking patterns which I will tell you more about on Tuesday! I thought I should start today with one of the most popular selections we have available: The Late Season Selection - it covers all the most popular patterns used in September - if you were to get just one selection, this is the one! The majority of late-season success will be fishing flies sub-surface, that's the reason for our selection mainly consists of spider patterns (both weighted and unweighted) - with a really nice olive imitation included for when those afternoon hatches occur. We've also included a handy primer on Spider fishing for you to download towards the end of this email - happy clicking! The patterns included in our Late Season Selection are: We previously extolled the virtues of the Endrick Spider (which is included within this selection), so here's a rundown of a few of the other patterns included in our Late Season Selection: The JT Olive A dry fly imitation of a hatching Olive - originally devised by John Tyzack. Tied with a mole fur body, Coq de Leon tail and a sparse CdC hackle. This fly can be used in all seasons, there's nothing better than this on a warm late-season afternoon, on its own with a long tapered leader during an Olive hatch. Snipe & Purple A great sparse spider pattern for the early season. Fished on a long leader teamed up with the Waterhen Bloa & Endrick Spider, these can be deadly. Dressed in appropriate sizes and weights, the Snipe & Purple can be fished successfully throughout the late-season. Our selection contains two each, of sizes 14 & 16. As with most of our emails, we only have a limited number of these Early Season Selections available, so if our previous offerings are anything to go by, you will need to be quick off the mark! These flies are available as a selection (20 flies in total) for only £26.00 - saving you 10% on buying the flies individually. Click any button or image above to view each of these flies and the selection in much more detail. A Specialist Autumn Pattern The Sherry Spinner (or Spent Mahogany) is a pattern which comes into its own at this time of year, it's a great imitation of any spent Olive and it great when fished in the smaller sizes (size 18) later in the day. Tied on an an AHREX FW503 barbless hook with a stripped peacock herl body and Z-Lon flat/spent wings. Tied on a size 18 AHREX FW503 barbless hook with a stripped peacock herl body and Z-Lon flat/spent wings. Our Sherry Spinner features: Hook: Ahrex FW503 Size 18 Body: Stripped Peacock Herl Wings: White Z-Lon Tail: 3 Paint Brush Fibres We've just received these patterns from our Artisan guys, and the quality is outstanding. Grab your's now - while we still have them in stock! Click on the image or button below to download your FREE copy of our Spider Fishing Manifesto: FLY: Book Series - Restock The guys at the printers have been hard at work - re-printing all of the FLY: series of books that were out of stock - the good news is that we now have them all again! If you want to get a head start on the Grayling season, why not pick up our "Fishing For Grayling" book, it's great to get you started on the right foot for the Lady of the Stream. Tight lines, pack your Jelly Babies & keep dry.

It's been a warm one ... 🔆🔆🔆

It's been a warm one ... In our previous 'Artisan' email a few weeks back, I mentioned that we were the sole supplier in the UK for these fantastic flies. We have already started to receive our 2025 fly orders from them, ready for the beginning of next year's fly fishing season - it always pays to plan ahead! As a part of these pre-season orders, we had planned a 'Spring' Selection (containing 8 dry fly and 4 nymph patterns) - ideal for those warmer pre-summer months. Looking at the weather for the coming weeks, these patterns are also perfect for the conditions we will be experiencing - if the forecasters are to be believed - so rather than wait for 6 months until we let them loose on those unsuspecting trout, we're releasing them six months early, and calling them our Artisan 'Indian Summer' Selection**. ** I know the true definition of an Indian Summer is a spell of unseasonably warm weather after the first frost, but these flies will be perfect on both rivers and stillwaters until the end of the season - and I like the name! All of the flies contained within this selection are superbly tied - using top class materials and attached to AHREX barbless hooks by a master of the tying art. I'm sure you can tell the quality from the images above and below: As you will be no doubt aware this type of quality does not come cheap, these flies cost us quite a bit more than we usually buy flies in at - due to the very best quality materials and hooks - but we just couldn't resist, the quality is that good: "The highest quality flies, tied with the best materials and hooks money can buy." The last time we offered flies from this tyer the response was the best we've ever had from any of our flies, so here we present to you our Artisan 'Indian Summer' Selection: The Artisan 'Indian Summer' Selection Our Artisan 'Indian Summer' Selection consists of 24 flies, 2 each of 12 separate patterns: Dry Flies: Green Dream - Size 18 - Ahrex FW525 CdC Midge - Size 18 - Ahrex FW525 Mosquito - Size 16 - Ahrex FW503 Fluttering Little Black - Size 16 - Ahrex FW503 Fluttering Little Olive - Size 16 - Ahrex FW503 Sparkle Sedge Pupa - Size 16 - Ahrex FW541 Kayleigh - Size 16 - Ahrex FW525 Freebird - Size 18 - Ahrex FW503 Nymphs: Caddis Larva (Tan) - Size 12 - Ahrex FW511 Caddis Larva (Olive) - Size 16 - Ahrex FW541 Little Olive Stone Nymph - Size 16 - Ahrex FW531 Snowfly Stone Nymph - Size 16 - Ahrex FW531 These flies are all tied on one of the best barbless 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 24 flies in total for a price of only £40, which is outstanding value for the quality - I know these are some of the more expensive flies we sell, but the quality has to be seen to be believed, and at only £1.66 per fly they are fantastic value. Please Note: On the product page, you also have the option to include one of the fantastic Tacky Daypack silicone fly boxes (for only £15), bringing the total for flies and a silicone box to £55. Our Artisan 'Indian Summer' 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 a set, 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! Warm Weather & Fish Welfare The majority of fishing within the UK is Catch & Release, which is the reason for the popularity of barbless flies, the hooks just fall out of the fish once they are in the net. When fishing in warmer weather, always keep the welfare of the fish at the forefront of your mind and adhere to the main Keep Fish Wet principles: Minimise Air Exposure - Just like humans, fish need oxygen to support essential bodily functions and keep them alive. What’s different is that fish get their oxygen from the water (it is dissolved), not the air. Fish respiration (“breathing”) involves moving water into their mouth and over their gills, whether by pumping it or when swimming with their mouths open. Eliminate Contact With Dry Surfaces - Fish have a layer of protective mucus (slime) and scales that protects them from disease. Contact with dry, hard, or rough surfaces (such as hands, rocks, sand, and boat bottoms) can remove slime and scales making fish more susceptible to diseases, especially fungal infections. Keeping fish in or over the water, and holding them with clean, wet hands or a soft rubber net will help keep their slime layer and scales intact and the fish disease free. Reduce Handling Time - Fish are wild animals and handling is stressful for them, whether they are in your hands or in a net. Most fish that are brought to hand are still amped up based on the release of glucose to fuel their ‘fight or flight’ response to being caught. It can take hours for a fish to physiologically return to normal once it is released. The longer you handle a fish, the more stressful it is for them, which compounds the stress associated with capture. You can read more about the ‘Keep Fish Wet’ principles here: www.keepfishwet.org Tight lines, have fun & Keep Fish Wet. P.S. We also just received a restock of our Artisan Summer Dry Selection, you can find those here:

Innovative Scuds

The Bacchus Bug Selection

Barbless. Clothing