2wheels1rod

FLY: The Next In The Series - Launching Today

The Mayfly & Marilyn ... I'd like to kick off this email by first thanking all of you who put your trust in us and bought the first in our FLY Series: Early Season Fly Fishing - they have been really well received - so much so, that we've had to reprint it 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): N.B. 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. So, hanging off the coat-tails of the first in our series comes the tricky 2nd album, or in this case, the one which we think will be the most sought after of them all - because it's all about the ... Written and produced in conjunction with FlyFishMedia (think of them as the educational arm of Barbless Flies, as we run both of these sites). What can be said about the Mayfly that's not already been written ... well, I've been playing with some artificial intelligence software - I told you I was a bit geky - I've affectionately called her Marilyn (after Marilyn vos Savant - look her up) - I asked Marilyn "What does the Mayfly mean to the fly angler?" and here's what s he came up with: I think Marilyn's captured the essence of the Mayfly pretty well, especially when you consider she's no idea what one is and has never experienced the feeling of watching them in full flight for herself. Before I get too geeky, lets crack on to the main gist of this email. It's to launch the second in the series of 'Observer' style books, but dedicated to fly fishing: We're super proud to present to you the 2nd in a series of pocket-sized books at pocket-money prices (only £8.99) - all about The Mayfly: This book, written by us and co-published by FlyFishMedia, contains a detailed analysis of the Mayfly and how to fish each of the various stages you will see on the water. Book Details: Number of Pages - 80Format - A6 (10.5cm x 14.8cm) In this book, you will discover how to imitate the full lifecycle of the Mayfly, along with an in-depth 'deep dive' into each stage of the Mayfly's life cycle, including how to then imitate them with the most common fly patterns. This book also discusses the type of conditions you can expect to face and the various tips, tricks and techniques used the fish them. Our book also includes details on the most suitable equipment to use and some leader configurations to get the best from the Mayfly hatch on your own waters. Please Note: This is a physical book, printed in English. We are hoping that these will be as well received as the 1st 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 Mayfly Skills The Mayfly… probably the most eagerly anticipated hatch in the flyfishing year. Join six times English national rivers champion John Tyzack (AAPGAI) for an unforgettable trip to Derbyshire’s River Wye. John shows you how to get the most from a day’s Mayfly fishing, using nymphs, emergers, duns and spinners to target the Wye’s trout, many of which are wild breeding Rainbows. John also meets with the river keeper for an in-depth chat about the reintroduction and supplementation of Mayfly using techniques that can be applied on any venue. Back at the tying bench John shows in detail how to tie each of the flies used and discusses tackle selection and leader makeup. The Complete Mayfly… not only a definitive guide to tying and fishing every stage of the lifecycle but also how to ensure thriving populations of this iconic fly for generations to come. 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 June.

They're Back ... Discover The Stillwater Dinkhamer (*also at home on rivers)

They're back ... We've not been able to get hold of these Stillwater beauties for quite a while - and finally, we have them back again, thanks to those masters at Caledonia Flies.We've also included a full section at the end of this email, All About Buzzers. Read on McDuff ... These are our take on Dinkhamers for Stillwaters (barbless - obviously) - we've imaginatively called these Stillwater Dinkhamers. These barbless flies make ideal indicator patterns for fishing a team of buzzers close to the surface, just in time for some nice weather! These flies are tied on a barbless size 12 hook and are specifically designed to hold up either one or a team of flies, in even the most choppy of stillwater/reservoir/loch conditions (they also work surprisingly well on rivers - using the Klink n Dink method). These flies really come into their own at this time of year when the fish are just starting to sip buzzers and are also really productive on the smaller stillwaters during early Summer - fished static! Stillwater Addicts Love Them ... Our Barbless Stillwater Dinkhamer Selection is a selection of 4 styles of commonly used suspended emerging buzzers with tippet rings tied into the tails, to allow you to hang a team of flies underneath. In total there are 8 flies (2 of each pattern) shipped free of charge and supplied in our eco-friendly packaging: Only £15.00 for the full selection of 8 Stillwater Dinkhamers; or £1.95 for each individual fly These Stillwater Dinkhamers are extra buoyant with the indicator foam posts tied to be extra long, allowing you full visibility, even in the roughest of water. If you'd prefer to buy them individually ... What Are Buzzers? 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 and as far as the fly angler is concerned, we try to imitate them at the stage where they are transforming into the adult. Why Are They Important? Buzzers are important to the fly angler as this is the staple food of any trout which has been in a Stillwater for any length of time. As so, it is important to understand how best to fish them. Buzzer fishing is not just about the fly you use, it’s more about the style and how they are fished. Q. How Do I Fish Them? A. Try The Washing Line Method The washing line method is a technique designed to let you fish an emerger/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 one at one end and the buoyant point fly at the other). Normally when fishing with buzzers or nymphs, they would descent 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 your having problems casting it, just use a buoyant point fly (like our Stillwater Dinkhamer) and two droppers. 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, 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. Top Tips When Fishing Buzzers When It's Still: Use a floating line, long leader and a team of three buzzers. Cast out, and before the flies start to sink, pull the line to straighten out the leader. Then pause (keeping in touch with the flies) and wait for the flies to drop, takes usually come with the buzzers on the drop. You should spot a take before you feel it, keep an eye on the fly line and leader for any abnormal movement. If the buzzers hit the bottom, just a few pulls on the fly line should bring them back to the surface, and you can start again by letting them sink. When it's Windy: Still use a floating line, but this time use a shorted leader. Check the direction of the wind and cast out across the wind (i.e. the wind is side-on to you) - always make sure the wind is to your left shoulder if you are right-handed (and the right shoulder if you are left-handed). Again, using a team of three buzzers, cast out and allow the buzzers to drift with the wind. You should not need to retrieve your line, as the wind will make sure your leader straightens up. Again, you will usually see the take before you feel it - just remember to strike in the opposite direction to the direction your flies are moving. Once the flies have drifted as far as you think possible, lift the flies slowly from the water, it's surprising how many fish take your buzzers as you're about to re-cast! Tight lines & have fun out there.

Take Your Dry Fly Presentation to the Next Level ...

This weeks emails all have a very Italian feel to them - it seems like we almost planned it! Let me introduce you to a very good friend of ours, Massimo Magliocco: Massimo (who was a student of Roberto Pragliola), with his 40+ years of experience, has become a point of reference in fly casting in Italy and abroad. He collaborates and regularly contributes to some of the most important fishing magazines in the world. He's also written a book called “Dry Fly Fishing in fast water” - but, more of that at the end of this email. Welcome to our latest collaboration with Massimo - The Multi-Loop Dry Fly Leader Please Note: The last time we had these leaders, they all sold out within 1 hour! We've got a few more this time, but you will still need to be quick off the mark if you would like one (or more). When fishing longer leaders on rivers the curse of the dry fly angler is - drag. One major issue when using leaders longer than 7ft is micro-currents that are not known or seen by the angler. This new leader (devised by Massimo Magliocco - a world-class Italian angler) has three “chain-link" style connections which also step down in tippet size to create the taper. Think of it as a hand-tied Leader with joints. These joints, create a leader that drifts through multiple micro-currents that never cause drag on the fly - the leader sections can all move independently of each other, without acting on the fly, which would otherwise cause drag. Did that pique your interest, if so read on McDuff ... The leader is a crucial element of importance (which is not completely appreciated) when dry fly fishing, fighting that scourge of the dry fly - drag. These leaders are specially designed and hand-tied with one thing in mind - eliminating drag wherever possible. This leader is unique, instead of knotting together gradually reducing diameters of line, to form the taper, this leader is tied with loops. The loops are micro-perfection loops (around 1mm in diameter) and are used to join the various parts of mono when making the knotted leader. Starting from the principle that in order to fight drag (apart from specific anti-drag casts) it is also necessary to have a specific leader with certain characteristics regarding length and the kind of taper, the more rigid the leader is the more difficulty you will have avoiding drag. Today's self-tied leaders tend to have a maximum of 4 knots and an attempt has been made to tie knots with a much slimmer profile. One more step was missing in order to make the leader more supple, which would allow it to adapt to currents in the case of the dry fly, and underwater currents in the case of the nymph. Massimo had the idea to connect the various sections of mono not with any of the classical knots but by means of micro-perfection loops. A leader made with this system may seem useless but you really need to try it out! The big problem with drag arises not so much in rough waters but rather in calmer ones where it's important to reduce the wake effect caused by the fly and by the tippet. In these calmer waters, there are micro-currents which are invisible to the naked eye. These micro-currents are usually generated by rocks which are 50 - 60 cm under the surface and the water seems to flow down quite normally and in places where you would normally cast without considering the consequences. In other words, strong currents are easy to see whilst these minor ones are not, especially to the untrained eye and it is on the latter ones that a looped leader comes into its own. The micro loops act as hinges, they also hold very well when setting the hook and playing the fish. So they hold well; there is no collapsing of the loop when casting and they still transmit the energy of the cast. Massimo's biggest doubt was accuracy – but even with this he had no problems, so long as the tension during casting is kept constant (which is a problem even with classical knotted or tapered leaders) if the tension during casting is lost, the whole structure collapses. He then started evaluating the advantages this new leader gives, especially with regard to drag. Eventually he tested both classical tapered leaders and multi-looped leaders in the same conditions and got some extraordinary results, especially in those conditions with the treacherous micro currents and strange surface tensions. We have these Multi-Loop Leaders in three distinct sizes 7.5ft (for smaller streams and rivers) up to 12ft (for larger streams and rivers). Specification of the leaders and their profiles can be seen in the table below: Massimo's leaders are available from our site for only £10.99 each which includes FREE delivery, these leaders are all hand-tied - those micro perfection loops are really fiddly and these leaders take quite some time to tie and quality check. Click on any of the links or images within this email to view the leaders on our site along with much more detail on leader connections and configurations etc. Go on, you know you want to! Read All About It ... Most anglers who fish in Northern Italy are very adept at dry fly fishing in the fast-flowing mountain rivers. Massimo has honed his skills on this style of river and transferred his skills onto paper (or electronic paper if you prefer): This publication by Massimo Magliocco (available in both paperback and eBook format) contains a detailed analysis of how to fish dry fly on fast-flowing waters with complex currents. Until recently it was thought to be impossible to fish a dry fly on such waters effectively. In this publication, you will discover how to combat drag in turbulent flows, how to identify the food lanes, how to understand the importance of rocks and other things that will make you realise that it is possible to fish with dry flies in the so-called fast water. Number of Pages - 192Paperback Format (only 5 available) - Measures approx 19cm wide x 26cm highDownload Format - eBook/PDF, other formats available on request Tight lines & have fun. P.S. I need to fess up - the header image on the email I sent on Tuesday was actually a photo of Blackthorn (not Hawthorn as I believed it was) - thanks to the hundreds of you who emailed me to point it out! Let's just say that Alan Titchmarsh has nothing to worry about and it's a good job I'm not running a Garden Centre! P.P.S. As this is another email with a very Italian flavour, why not learn some of the specialist casts that Massimo uses on the fast-flowing mountain rivers - these casts are perfect for the 'less than ideal' conditions we face here in the UK: Don't ever again walk past that fish that's confidently feeding tight up to the bank, and under a tree. Using the Italian Style Casting techniques will give you the skills to target fish that were out of reach before. Massimo Magliocco takes you through all of the basics of Italian Style Casting, building 'from the ground up' each cast. Showing you the dynamics which make up the cast. Including when and where to use each one. Special Email Subscriber 50% Discount OfferNow only £19.95 (was £39.95)

The Doge & His Daughter - Celebrating St. Mark's Day

With the Easterly winds starting to die down later this week we should start to see some more prolonged hatches on the water, the one to look for in the next week or so is the Hawthorn Fly - you know they are on their way when you see Hawthorn bushes in full bloom (see above photo - taken yesterday morning - our dog is just out of shot!). The Hawthorn Fly (or Bibio marci) is the first of the terrestrial flies the trout look up for, it's a small (no larger than 1cm) black fly, noticeable by its long gangling legs. Hatches of Hawthorn flies usually start in late April - some say it's always on St. Mark's Day, the 25th April - the Hawthorn fly is also commonly known as the St. Mark's Fly. St Mark the Evangelist, copyright 2013 by Corbert Gauthier St Mark is the patron saint of Venice and there is a lovely tradition (in Venice) which also falls on the 25th of April called The Rosebud Festival - which you may be able to use to help you get a little more time on the water this season! Copyright © 1995 - 2018 by Weekend a Firenze The Rosebud Festival (also known as Festa del Bocolo) is celebrated in Venice on the 25th April where every man gives a rosebud to the woman he loves, this stems (pardon the pun) from a love story dating back to the mid-1800s: Maria, daughter of the Doge of Venice (an elected civic and sometimes military leader), fell in love with a young man of very humble origins. The Doge did not approve of his daughter's relationship, so the girl suggested to the young man that he enlists in the war against the Turks and earn her father’s respect. The young man fought bravely and gained great notoriety, but he was mortally wounded and died in a rose garden. Before he died he entrusted his friend with a rosebud stained with his blood so that he could hand it over to Maria as a last token of his love. On April 25, Maria was found dead in her bed - the rosebud lying on her chest. Since then, every Venetian man pays homage to the one he loves with a rosebud. Q. "How does this help me with more time on the water?" A. "Think of your other half this weekend, give them a gift on St. Mark's Day. It just might build you up a few brownie points for when the fishing really starts!" If you do manage to get out and about (on or around the 25th), you will need a few Hawthorm flies in your box - especially useful in both Stillwaters and Rivers, as these flies are always blown onto the water and we've a bit of a deal for you - for today only (see below for details): The Hawthorn fly can also be used as a suggestive pattern for a number of different insects, it can imitate a Heather Fly, Daddy Long Legs/Crane Fly and even an adult buzzer. Once the hawthorn hatch starts near your local water, make sure you have these in your fly box these are also great flies to try when searching rivers, small sillwaters & reservoirs. The legs on these flies seem to act as a trigger to the fish. These flies are tied on size 12 and 14 barbless hooks with bushy hackles, this allows them to create a wake on the surface when retrieved on stillwaters, again another trigger point the fish home into. These flies 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 (on a river try fishing them as you would a spider), and hold on! Our NEW Hawthorn Selection contains: Hawthorn Fly - 2 each of sizes 12 and 14 Hi-Float Hawthorn - 2 each of sizes 12 and 14 CdC Hawthorn - 2 each of sizes 12 and 14 Suspender Hawthorn - 2 each of sizes 12 and 14 Top Tip: Fish these flies in the surface film, do not apply any floatant on them. Our new selection of Hawthorns contains 16 Hawthorn imitations - all the flies in various patterns and sizes - all you need for a great day on the water this April (and early May). The Hawthorn Selection is a selection of 4 of the most popular Hawthorn patterns used in both rivers and stillwaters today - in total there are 16 flies in this selection. Special Offer For Today Only: Our NEW Hawthorn Selection is available from our website for only £20 - the regular price for this selection will be £22 from tomorrow, which includes FREE delivery in our eco-friendly packaging to anywhere in the world. Go on, you know you want to! Tight lines & have fun. P.S. Look out for the full-blown Hawthorn Hatch Chat coming to your inbox on Saturday. P.P.S. As this email has a very Northern Italian flavour, why not learn some of the specialist casts which the Italians use on their fast flowing mountain rivers - these casts are perfect for the 'less than ideal' conditions we face here in the UK: Don't ever again walk past that fish that's confidently feeding tight up to the bank, and under a tree. Using the Italian Style Casting techniques will give you the skills to target fish that were out of reach before. Massimo Magliocco takes you through all of the basics of Italian Style Casting, building 'from the ground up' each cast. Showing you the dynamics which make up the cast. Including when and where to use each one.

The Curious Case of the Cornish Consumables

It all got very 'Agatha Christie' in the office yesterday ... Jack and I arrived at the office nice and early - we're good like that - and waiting on the doorstep was this: Now, we don't often get anything delivered directly to the office - as the signage has only just gone up and nobody can ever find us, add to that our actual address was changed by Royal Mail just recently and you can see our surprise. We grabbed the box and took it inside. On further inspection, it was full of frozen Cornish Pasties - result: Before you ask, yes we did check that it was supposed to be delivered to us - and we weren't leaving one of our neighbours without their cornish treats! On even further inspection, there was nothing to show who had sent it, other than it had come from Rowe's - who, on a little bit of Googling - have won multiple awards at the Cornish Pasty World Championships - no, I had no idea that was a thing either! So, they were sent by someone "From Cornwall with love" and we'd love to know who the culprit is: As we'd like to show a little bit of love back, and So we can thank them properly We are all for surprise baked goods arriving unexpectedly at the office, it's even made us think of setting up a bartering system for flies. So what have you got to trade? (All serious offers considered) And ... While we are on the subject of early deliveries ... Q. Which fly is it that the fish love and should be appearing on your local water anytime now? A. The Sedge (or Caddis if you are from over the pond). The Sedge fly is a member of the Trichoptera family (trichos, meaning hair and ptera, meaning wing) - consisting of around 200 distinct species found in the UK. Throughout the world, there are over 3,000 species of Sedge, with the majority (over 1,200) being found in the USA. These flies are easily identified throughout the summer months, just look for the way the insect flies, if it looks very haphazard and like it's about to crash land, then it will be a caddis fly. All sedge flies have wings that fold over their backs to form a silhouette which looks like a roof/tent - that's the reason you may also see these flies referred to as roof-winged flies. Sedge/Caddis flies are nocturnal and the fish love to feed on them early in the morning, just as the females are returning to the water to deposit their eggs. If you want some fantastic dry fly action this early in the river season, then it pays to get our early and tie on a sedge. I do know that the best fly to use in our local area, as soon as the fish start to look up, is the Indicator Sedge (especially in a size 14 or 16): And, as luck would have it, we've just restocked on all of the most popular Sedge/Caddis imitations and included them in a single selection - and it includes the above Indicator Sedge: Our new selection contains 20 Sedge imitations - all the dry flies in various patterns and sizes - all you need for a great day on the water this spring and summer. As well as the Indicator Sedge, mentioned above, our Sedge Selection also contains the famous Elk Hair Caddis and the Goddards versions in both Natural and Green variants: When fishing with Sedge imitations here are a few tips: The two main dry fly forms of imitation for the Sedge are the Emerger and the Adult Female. Use one of the parachute-style flies to imitate the emerger and just treat the post of the fly - this will sit the fly are the correct angle to imitate the emerging insect. When fishing a dry fly, keep in mind that the hatching sedge is very skittish, they make quite a lot of movement on the water, therefore remember to give your dry fly a tweak every now and then to generate some movement. Our Sedge Selection contains: Elk-Hair Caddis - 2 each of sizes 16 and 18 Natural Goddard's Sedge - 2 each of sizes 12, 14 and 16 Green Goddard's Sedge - 2 each of sizes 12, 14 and 16 Indicator Sedge/Caddis - 2 each of sizes 14 and 16 Each of the above can also be bought individually, just click on the relevant link in green above. The Sedge Selection is a selection of 4 of the most popular Sedge/Caddis patterns used in rivers and stillwaters today - in total there are 20 flies in this selection. Our updated Sedge Selection is now available from our website, for only £24, which includes FREE delivery in our eco-friendly packaging to anywhere in the world. Go on, you know you want to! Tight lines & have fun. P.S. We had the pasties for tea last night and I can see why they won awards - they were fantastic - whoever sent them to us, and we are assuming it's not an elaborate marketing ploy from Rowe's to corner the market in 'pasty eating fly anglers' - Thank you very much. P.P.S. We've just released a new video course, in association with the guys at FishOn Productions - Long Leader & French Nymphing Techniques, take a look below:

Shuttlecocks At The Ready - Our CdC Emerger Selection

As we are now just about getting into the season, this is the time to start thinking of those idyllic fly fishing afternoons & evenings - when we have less rain - and the weather starts to warm up, after all they are not too far away now! What better flies to fish these conditions than using Shuttlecock CdC Emergers? Perfect for both Rivers and Stillwaters alike - Shuttlecock CdC Emergers are some of the most successful flies when there is an abundance of midges (and other small flies). These flies can be presented in the most delicate fashion and not spook even the wariest fish. A few years ago we were asked to create this selection from a number of our customers and we are pleased to say that they are just about to come into their own - These were the most popular dry flies we sold last year - and we've just restocked on them, so get them while you can! Our Shuttlecock CdC Emerger Selection has now been updated for 2023 to include slightly more CdC in the plumes, making them float just that little bit higher. We have created this selection of Shuttlecock CdC Emergers which work perfectly on both rivers and stillwaters: Rivers - I fish these with our Ultralight Furled Leader on a 9' 2-weight rod. It's what fly fishing is all about! Stillwaters - Fish them exactly as you would buzzers (using 2 or 3 on a cast), let them drift with the wind when the trout are feeding on the top. Here's a little info on each of the patterns included in our Shuttlecock CdC Emerger Selection: Holo-Butt CdC Emerger A classic shuttlecock pattern tied with a CdC post and thorax dubbing, slender black body and holographic butt. We supply 4 of these, 2 each of sizes 12 & 16. Micro CdC Emerger Another slim profile example of a CdC Emerger, this time tied on small size 16 & 18 barbless hooks, with a CdC post and CdC breathers. We supply 4 of these, 2 each of sizes 16 & 18. Tan CdC Emerger A slim profile example of a CdC Emerger, tied with a CdC post and very slim tan body. We supply 4 of these, 2 each of sizes 12 & 16. Red Butt CdC Emerger Another classic shuttlecock pattern tied with a CdC post and thorax dubbing, slender black body (with fine wire rib) and red butt. We supply 4 of these, 2 each of sizes 12 & 16. Phil loves his Shuttlecock CdC Emergers - Be more Phil: The Shuttlecock CdC Emerger Selection is a selection of 4 different patterns, we are supplying 2 of each pattern in 2 sizes (ranging from 12 to 18) - in total there are 16 flies in this selection. Our updated Shuttlecock CdC Emerger Selection is now available from our website, for only £20, which includes FREE delivery in our eco-friendly packaging to anywhere in the world. Go on, you know you want to! CdC (meaning Cul De Canard - or the feathers around the preen gland of a duck) is a very buoyant and delicate feather, this is due to natural oils which are secreted from the preen gland - how many ducks have you seen that don't float! It is important to care for these feathers in the correct way, otherwise, the fly will sink after the first fish is caught. Here's a few tips on how to get the best out of any fly tied with CdC feathers: When using a gel floatant, always check that it is suitable for CdC feathers, as many of them will clog up the feather and make it unusable. In my experience the best gel floatant I have found for CdC feathers is either Roman Moser Miracle Float (which is quite difficult to get) or Loon Lochsa. 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 / 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. Tight lines & have fun.

British Made Furled Leaders - from Deepest Darkest Cornwall

In this week's email, we have a NEW (to us) tippet material from RIO and we've just received a large parcel from Luke Bannister containing lots of his stunning Furled Leaders. Here's a message from Luke: "Since I have taken over the making of Furled Leaders from Rod Dibble, who some of you will no doubt know. Over the years Rod developed some excellent tapers and has been kind enough to pass on all of his leader designs, as well as his Furling boards, so that I can continue to make them in the same way. The range goes from the Mono which is the leader that I have made for some time, through to the highly regarded Ultralight & Super Delicate which were developed with the help of a quite extraordinary fisherman - Stuart Crofts." Luke Bannister If you want to know more, read on McDuff ... There are several reasons why you should choose one of Luke's furled leaders when dry fly fishing, instead of a standard monofilament tapered leader: Improved accuracy and delicacy: The soft, flexible nature of a furled leader allows for a smoother transfer of energy from the fly line to the fly, resulting in more accurate and delicate presentations. This is especially important when fishing with smaller, lighter flies, where even the slightest disturbance in the water can spook the fish. Better turnover: Furled leaders are designed to turn over flies more smoothly and efficiently than monofilament tapered leaders, which can be especially helpful when casting large, heavy flies. No memory: Unlike other tapered leaders, furled ones have no memory whatsoever. Just unravel it and you're ready to go. No knots: As furled leaders have no knots they cause less disturbance of the water surface when retrieving line. More durable: Furled leaders are generally more durable than monofilament tapered leaders and can last for many seasons without breaking or wearing out. This can save the angler money and time in the long run, as they won't need to replace their leader as frequently. Customizable: Furled leaders can be customized to suit the angler's specific needs, with different lengths, tapers, and materials available, some even have built-in indicator sections. This allows the angler to tailor their leader to the type of fishing they will be doing and the specific species they are targeting. Overall, while monofilament tapered leaders can certainly be effective, furled leaders offer a number of advantages that can help improve an angler's success on the water. But which Furled Leader should you choose? Here's a quick run-down of how to make your decision. Furled leaders are generally chosen based on the line weight you will be using: 5wt and Above: Go for a Mono Furled Leader 3wt to 4wt: Go for an Ultralight Furled Leader 2wt and below: Go for a Super Delicate Furled Leader Nymphing: Go for either a Hi-Viz Furled Leader or Hi-Viz Butt Furled Leader As for choosing the correct length for your furled leader: as a general rule of thumb, take the overall length of the leader you currently fish with (including tippet) and divide it by 3, that is the length of furled leader to choose - i.e. if the overall length of your desired leader (including tippet) is 12ft, then go for a 4ft furled leader etc. To fine-tune it a little further, also consider the fly you will be using if it's big and bushy (like a daddy long legs), then go for a slightly longer furled leader than the formula above. For example, fishing a big bushy fly on a 5wt line with a total leader length of 12ft, use either 5ft or 6ft mono leader. Note: I would never go for a furled leader that is less than one-third of the overall length of the leader, even when fishing size 18 and 20 dry flies. But then, I'm not that blessed in the casting department! It always pays to have a few different lengths handy, just in case you need to change tac midway through your session on the water. Our Furled Leaders from Luke Bannister are now back in stock and available again for only £8.00 each - a bargain for the quality and improvement in your fishing pleasure. Just click on any image or button in this email to view the leaders in more detail. Give one a go, you will not be disappointed! NEW: The Best Tippet Material Available Today I know that tippet material is really a confidence thing, especially regarding knots, and anglers rarely change their brands. But, I would urge you to try this tippet out - it has replaced my favourite Orvis Superstrong tippet in my pack - I never ever thought I would find anything better! RIO's Powerflex Plus Tippet is the strongest nylon tippet material ever made, with tensile strengths up to 20% more than regular tippet. A highly technical formulation of the nylon copolymer manufacturing process has resulted in this prodigious strength increase, without compromising knot strength or suppleness. Simply put, this is the strongest, most reliable tippet ever made. Each spool has the added bonus of 50 yards of tippet. Features: Incredible strength-to-diameter ratio Soft material for high knot strength Available in the following sizes | breaking strains | diameters | length: 4X | 7.5lb | 0.178 mm | 50 yds 5X | 6.0lb | 0.152 mm | 50 yds 6X | 4.0lb | 0.127 mm | 50 yds 7X | 2.7lb | 0.102 mm | 50 yds The RIO Powerflex Plus tippet material is now available from us for only £11.99, which includes FREE delivery. Just click on any image or button in this email to view the leaders in more detail. Our Other Specialist Tippet Materials To Consider This Season We also have a few other specialist tippet materials available, From the 'do it all' Powerflex, to the 'dry fly specific' Suppleflex, to the nymph-specific Fluoroflex we have tippet material for all techniques: RIO Powerflex Tippet £5.99 RIO Suppleflex Tippet £6.99 RIO Fluoroflex Tippet £12.99 If you want to try a few roll-your-own leaders, here are some recipes for you to follow: Leader Length If the water is small or rough, use a leader which is roughly the length of the rod you're using. If the water is calm, extend the leader to between 11ft and 15ft, then add 2ft to 4ft of tippet. Just remember: "the calmer the water - the spookier the fish - the smaller the fly - the longer and finer tippet you need." Tippet Size To enable your dry fly to turn over correctly (which is our main aim), your tippet should always be balanced to the size of your fly: DIY Leader Designs In this section I will give you some leader designs for different leader lengths. All of the below designs end with 6X (except one) and are designed for rods rated from 2 to 7 weight - happy tying: Get out there and have some fun this easter!

Dry Flies Which Work Everywhere - The Specialist Dry Fly Selection

When we first launched Barbless Flies - all the way back in 2014 - we started with only two selections of dry flies. Our initial aim was to put together separate universal selections of dry flies 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 (hopefully!), 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 stillwaters. Our Specialist Dry Selection has not changed at all since we first launched it nine years ago. We've now given the patterns a slight tweak with updated materials to make them usable in even more fishing situations you may find when using dry flies. Our Specialist Dry Selection contains four patterns. Three of which you will find in virtually every anglers fly box: The Jingler - An imitation of the Large Dark Olive, this spider like fly is fished dry and sits just in the meniscus. Can be used in either early or late season, one of the new generation of flies. Our selection contains two each of sizes 14 & 18. Split-Wing Olive - With a slim quill like body and CdC split wings, these really do imitate the Blue Winged Olive and are ideal during afternoon hatches. With the wings tied in a slight 'V' formation, these sit just right on the water surface. This selection contains two each of sizes 14 & 18. IOBO Humpy - One of the best named flies around! The IOBO Humpy was originally designed and tied by Jack Tucker of Pennsylvania, USA. Very simple to tie (using a single CdC feather), floats like a cork and is deadly. This selection contains two each of sizes 14 & 18. The fourth pattern in our selection is a very special one - The John Storey. This fly, named after a river keeper on the Ryedale Anglers Club, is a favourite on the Yorkshire rivers. Tied with a peacock hurl body, cock hackle and mallard wing sloping over the front of the fly. This selection contains two each of sizes 14 & 18. 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. Our Updated Specialist Dry Selection is now available as a selection of 16 flies (4 different patterns - see above). We are supplying all of these for only £18, all shipped to you FREE of charge 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 *** Dry Fly Boxes If you're looking for somewhere to store your nice new dry flies, then look no further, as we have just received some stunning boxes from those fly box masters at Tacky Fly Fishing: With slits for up to 143 flies, a waterproof closure, and their signature magpad mean you won’t have to compromise between carrying capacity and function. While we’d all love to have a full complement of flies at our disposal at all times, carrying every pattern in the arsenal doesn’t always make sense. For those quick trips to the river after work or just a prospecting mission at your local pond, the Small PescadorMagPad offers plenty of storage. Slits for up to 143 flies, a waterproof closure, and our signature MagPad mean you won't have to compromise between carrying capacity and function. These boxes are easy to fit in a pocket or small pack, as they measure only: 5” x 3.125” x 1”. We've only a few of these (as they are pretty hard to come by, available now for only £29.99 - including FREE delivery. Grab one while you can. When fishing with dry flies there is one key aspect that the fly angler needs to concentrate on - keeping them afloat! Keeping your dry flies floating on the water - not in it - is one of the main skills for effective dry fly fishing. If you follow these steps you can be confident that your dries will stay afloat throughout the day: Only ever apply a gel/paste/liquid floatant to a fly that is 100% dry - i.e. it's straight out of your fly box and not seen the water that day. Applying this type of floatant to a fly that is damp will lock in the moisture and not allow it to float. Once you've had a fish, or your fly starts to sink, give it a squeeze between some amadou/a drying towel or piece of kitchen roll. Once you've removed the water and the fly is dry you can then freshen up the fly using one of the powder style floatants. Just brush the powder deep into the feathers and give it a blow to remove any excess. Top Tip: Use the 'Elastic Band' method to remove water from your fly: Attach an elastic band to your vest/pack. Hook your fly around the elastic band. Holding the tippet, pull the fly to stretch the elastic band. Channel your best Eric Clapton and twang the elastic band a few times with your free hand. This will shed all of the excess water from the fly! Tight lines & happy twanging.

A-lure-ing Early Season Fish

We have an informal family motto which is: " si unus es habiturus, magnus es" which translates to: "if you're going to have one, get a big un" We're not that grand really, but the saying is often quoted when buying chocolate, beer and cars. The above motto was brought to mind just recently when chatting with the guys who tie for us, we were discussing flies to catch big fish - streamers were the obvious choice, but I wanted to do something a little bit different, so we decided to take a selection of tried and tested lures and slim them right down and tie them on much smaller hooks than normal. In this email, we are bringing to you our NEW and updated selection of Barbless Micro Lures, flies which are equally as successful fished in both Stillwaters and Rivers. As we enter Spring, fish in both rivers and stillwaters are actively on the hunt for food. If you've been in - or on the edge of - any water over the last few weeks you will have noticed that there are more and more insects buzzing about as the buds on the trees and bushes start to appear. If you read towards the end of this email you will also find some great tips on how to fish these lures (and streamers) with a free download of our Streamer & Lure Manifesto. A lure is not really imitating any specific lifeform in the water - although originally designed to imitate small fish/fry - they are more used to provoke the fish's interest and they take it more out of curiosity/anger. To a trout these patterns seem very much alive when any action is imparted to them - therefore these are fished quite actively - see below. Our new Micro Lure Selection contains 24 lures in total, 8 patterns - 3 of each in a size 14. The patterns included in our Micro Lure Selection are: Olive Micro Lure - 3 each of size 14 Dennis Micro Lure - 3 each of size 14 Black Micro Lure - 3 each of size 14 Kingfisher Micro Lure - 3 each of size 14 And: Black Cat Micro Lure - 3 each of size 14 White Cat Micro Lure - 3 each of size 14 Pin Head Fry Micro Lure - 3 each of size 14 Black Nuke Micro Lure - 3 each of size 14 Our Barbless Micro Lure Selection, containing 24 flies is available only as a selection for £32, including free delivery. In fact, because of our discount tiers, just add this selection to your basket and it will automatically be discounted by 5% as it's over £30 - how's that for a bargain! We only have 20 of these selections available, so if you would like one you will need to be quick! What About A Smaller Zonker Style Lure Our Barbless Micro Zonker Lures. We have had these Zonkers especially tied for lure fishing in autumn, ideally targeting rainbow and brown trout in both stillwaters and rivers. These zonkers are all tied with a rabbit fur wing and are a fantastic imitation of any small fry (especially tadpoles). These are great fished in the margins with a slow retrieve. They also work well as mini-streamers fished in deep weir pools on rivers! These flies are all tied on strong barbless size 14 & 16 hooks. We only have a small number of these Micro Zonker Selections available. This selection contains 16 zonkers in the following colour variations and sizes: Black Zonker - 2 each of sizes 14 & 16 Size 14 - Overall length 6cm Size 16 - Overall length 5cm Pink Zonker - 2 each of sizes 14 & 16 Size 14 - Overall length 3.5cm Size 16 - Overall length 3cm Orange Zonker - 2 each of sizes 14 & 16 Size 14 - Overall length 3.5cm Size 16 - Overall length 3cm Cat Zonker - 2 each of sizes 14 & 16 Size 14 - Overall length 3.5cm Size 16 - Overall length 3cm Our Barbless Micro Zonker Selection, containing 16 flies is available only as a selection for £24, including free delivery. *** Go on, you know you want to! *** It is often said that to catch a big fish you need a big fly – that’s not necessarily the case – but usual in the early trout season, in my experience the one fly fishing method that more often produces the bigger fish is lure fishing. Lures are tied in various patterns – but they all imitate one thing, small fish. Not much can compare to the adrenaline rush when you see a large trout chasing your lure near the surface! Our Streamer & Lure Manifesto aims to introduce you to one of the most productive fly fishing styles to catch the bigger fish in the water. The key to lure fishing, as any fly fishing method, is to know when and where to use it. Do not be put off using lure - even on smaller waters, with your existing kit you will have all the equipment you need, you just need to change your approach – and maybe buy a few extra lure patterns if the bug really bites you! If I've piqued your interest in lures, take a look through all of the lures we have to offer here. Tight lines.

The Pursuit of Happiness - Deer Hair Emergers for the Early-Season

The Deer Hair Emerger is a classic early-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: In this book Bob describes fly patterns that have a ‘prey image’ - something in the design of the pattern that allows the fly to be picked out among others, rather than ignored – such as its silhouette or size. The Classic pattern Bob is renowned for is the Wyatt's Deer Hair Emerger: 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. For more tips on fishing emerger style flies, please check out the end of this email - we've added a section on how to fish this style of fly. We asked our guy who tie for us to come up with some classic Deer Hair Emerger style patterns. Patterns which I've used with success in the past. We've curated this Deer Hair Emerger Selection based on the flies which: We've found are the most popular on our site; and Ones which I use myself on my local river To this end, we have created our Deer Hair Emerger Selection which contains four variations of the classic pattern - Original, Black, White & March Brown: 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 Early Season Conditions Fishing in the early part of the season (March and April) can be very challenging, depending on which part of the British Isles you are located. Generally, the further South and West you are the better the fishing will be at this time of year – the North and Scotland always seem to lag a couple or three weeks behind the South of the British Isles as far as hatches and river fish activity go. Dry Fly Leader Setup for Emergers Firstly, when setting up your leader for fishing emergers, do not use fluorocarbon tippet, as this will sink and drag your fly under with it, use a thin supple mono (there are plenty to choose from such as Stroft & Orvis SuperStrong Plus etc). When building your leader, take note of the river size, if you are fishing a small overgrown stream, it's going to be difficult in most places to cast a 14ft leader, so try cutting back a 9' 6X leader by a few feet, and replacing what you cut off with your chosen tippet. All it means is you will need to wade very carefully in order to not spook any fish. Early Season = Slower Water When fishing in the early season the fish will not be really active, so target the deeper slacker water either to the side or below any riffles. As you will be fishing with an 'emerger style' fly which is not very visible you may struggle to see it (or it will sink) when in very turbulent water - in this case use the 'double dry' technique: The Double Dry This technique is the same setup as the duo, but instead of using a dry fly and a nymph - use two dry flies, one larger and more visible; and one small, the trailing fly should be the smaller one. How to rig: Tie the larger more visible dry fly to the end of your tippet. Tie a separate length of tippet (usually around 2ft long) to the eye of the larger dry fly. To the end of this tippet, tie in your smaller fly. Remember: When casting a rig such as this it is better to use a slow/medium rod and a wide casting arc - a fast rod will cause the loops to be too tight and will cause you no end of tangles. A slower rod (glass is ideal for this style) will allow you to cast a heavier dry rig with a wide loop at short distances. Tight lines.

The Early Seasons Most Successful Flies - Small Tungsten Nymphs

We all know that fishing in the first few weeks of the river season can be tricky - it's always best to approach any venture to the river before Easter with as much information as possible and the right flies. This is the reason for this email - equipping you with both info and flies - take a look below at some nymphs which are as good a bet as any at this time of year and further below on some 'Early Season' tips. As the season is now underway on most of our waters in the UK, we would like to thank you for your continued support and keeping subscribed to our emails with an offer, especially for you (this will not be advertised elsewhere). How about a discount on flies you actually need (and are really successful) right now. Our Tungsten Nymph Selection is the best selling (and most successful) selection we offer (and the price has not changed for the last 6 years)! Our selection of tungsten nymphs contains the 5 most successful patterns (in total there are 30 tungsten nymphs - sizes 14 to 18). Our Tungsten Nymph Selection Contains: Red-Neck Pheasant Tail Nymph - 3 each of sizes 14, 16 & 18 Copper Pheasant Tail Mary - 3 each of sizes 14, 16 & 18 Olive Quill Nymph - 3 each of sizes 14, 16 & 18 Orange-Head Pheasant Tail Mary - 3 each of sizes 14, 16 & 18 Hare's Ear Nymph - 3 each of sizes 14, 16 & 18 Here's the deal - for today only - buy a full selection of Tungsten Nymphs for only £22.10 (that works out at just over 70p per nymph) - this offer also includes FREE delivery to anywhere in the world. Just add them to your basket and your 15% discount will be automatically applied - but only for today (this offer will automatically end at midnight tonight)! Click any image or button in this email to go direct to the offer. Early season is always challenging, for this reason I find it's best to set my expectations before I venture out onto the water! I'm not expecting there to be any dry fly action - although there will usually be a short window when some Olives will hatch, all the action will be nearer the river bed. The best flies to use before Easter are small nymphs and spiders. The one advantage you do have is that the fish will not be too wary (having not had any angling pressure for the last 6 months). I usually start off fishing nymphs on an Indicator Furled Leader setup at this time of year. This method generally produces the goods. I also have a few Olive Emerger patterns to hand, just on the off chance a hatch starts and the fish start looking up! We all eagerly await the start of the river season, anticipating abundant hatches and prolific rises, but usually, it's never like that and fish are quite hard to come by in the first four to six weeks. Try to cover as many bases as you can. If you're struggling when on your local water, give the Klink 'n' Dink method a go. It allows you to fish both a dry fly and nymph at the same time and is the most effective method for searching the water when there are no obvious hatches in progress (or fish showing themselves). Go on ... fill your boots - and your early season fly boxes. Tight lines

How Do You Knit A Fly - You Don't, Our Man In Bosnia Has Done It For You

Our man in Bosnian has been at it again ... Bosnian Woven Nymphs Woven Nymphs - once the preserve of the competition angler (due to the complexity of weaving the bodies), and now available to us mere mortals. These nymphs all have woven two-tone bodies, the amount of skill required to tie these properly is amazing: Here we present our Bosnian Woven Nymphs, in four different body colour variations: Natural & Cream Olive & Cream Purple & Black Orange & Champagne (Buck's Fizz) We are making these available to you only as a selection, tied on Ahrex FW551 Mini Jig size 14 barbless hooks with 3.5mm slotted tungsten bead heads, click any button or image to go direct to the page where you can see each of the nymphs in much more detail. But keep reading for much more detail on these stunning creations ... Ephemera are one of the most common nymphs found in virtually all rivers, these nymphs are found on rocks, sand and all types of gravel, so we decided to try and make an imitation as realistic as we could. The perfect imitation has to imitate the body colour, thorax and legs .... so we decided that a woven nymph is a perfect combination of back and thorax colour, with the woven segmentation imitating the thorax. Cream & Champagne coloured thread underwater changes colour, to the correct shade. With a dubbed thorax and a hot-spot orange collar. These are all tied with either black or gold 3.5mm tungsten slotted beads. These flies are tied to represent the ephemera nymphs commonly seen on our riverbeds. The 'real-life' nymph body looks something like this: Our imitation woven nymph looks like this: I think you will agree that the woven design running throughout the body of the nymph makes these look very like the real thing (if you sort of ignore the sharp metal hook hanging out of the end!). Our Bosnian Woven Tungsten Nymph Selection contains 16 nymphs (4 different bofy colours, 4 of each, all tied on the highest quality size 14 jig hooks). As we've only got 30 of these Bosnian Woven Nymph Selections available, we'll get straight down to the details. We are making these available today for only £32.00 for the full set - 4 each of the 4 different colours, all tied on size 14 Ahrex mini jig hooks. If you would like buy a set in one of our superb silicone boxes, you can opt to include one for only an extra £8: To view more details or buy one of our Bosnian Woven Tungsten Nymph Selections, just click on any image or button contained within this email. Go on, treat yourself - you know you want to! Tight lines and have a great day. P.S. If you are reading this on Tuesday, then I will be somewhere over the Atlantic heading out on a 'fact-finding mission' to Canada: You don't have to thank me, I'm always prepared to go that extra mile to bring you something a little different in the way of flies. I know it's a tough job, but someone has to do it on your behalf! You will hear much more about my 'findings' throughout April.

Innovative Scuds

The Bacchus Bug Selection

Barbless. Clothing