Morning,

There's a box that sits on my desk. It gets added to throughout the year - samples from suppliers, new products to try, bits and pieces that people think I might like.

Most of it gets field-tested, noted down, and either ordered or quietly forgotten about.

Towards the end of last season, a packet of tapered leaders landed in that box.

I'll be honest - I nearly didn't bother. Leaders are leaders, aren't they? I've got a drawer full of them. But I was heading out to the river, I needed a fresh one, and these were right there.

So on they went.

And then I fished with them for the rest of last season.

The turnover was lovely - smooth, progressive, exactly what you want when you're presenting a dry or dropping a nymph into a crease.

No memory, no stiffness, no drama. Just the fly going where I pointed it.

I came home, looked at the packet for a brand name, and found ... absolutely nothing.

Not a logo in sight. Completely unbranded.

So I contacted the supplier.

Turns out these are what the trade calls "white label" - made to a solid specification, no brand attached, sold on merit rather than marketing.

Which, frankly, suits us down to the ground.

We ordered a batch (a few thousand to be precise - we're that confident in them!), we're selling them exactly as they come, and we're passing the savings straight on to you.

We're selling them at only £2.75 each (or only £2.50 each when bought as a pack) and calling them our White Label Tapered Leaders. Because that's exactly what they are.

We have these "White Label" Tapered Leaders in the following lengths and diameters:

We are also making these leaders available to buy in the following formats:

• Individually - for only £2.75 each
• Packs of 3 - for only £7.50; or
• Mixed 9ft or 12ft Packs (contains 1 each of sizes 3X, 4X, 5X & 6X) - for only £10

These aren't the flashiest things we've ever sold. But they're genuinely good, they're priced fairly only £2.75 each (or £2.50 each when bought as a pack of 3), and I used them for the tail end of a season and never once wished I'd reached for something else.

That's good enough for me - and they're already in my pack, ready for the opening day of the season here in Yorkshire.

Please Note: Whilst we are still able to offer free delivery to anywhere within the UK and with these leaders being only £2.75 each, it would be really appreciated if you could 'top up' your order to a minimum of £10, so we can at least make a little profit and keep the lights on in the office!

If you need a little inspiration ... keep scrolling ...

*** These must be the best value for money tapered leaders around.

Go on, You Know You Want To ***

Tapered Leader FAQ

Q. Why should I add tippet to the end of a tapered leader?

A. Tapered leaders have a built-in taper to them (they are thicker at one end and thinner at the other), when you change flies you will always eat away at the line - making it shorter (and in this case yo will be eating into the clear section og the leader). If you just attached your fly to the tapred leader, once you've changed flies a few times you would completely eat into the taper, so you add in a 2ft or 3ft section of tippet to the end of the tapered leader and then change this section of tippet once it gets too short. It also allows you to extend the overall leader length should you wish for a more delicate presentation with smaller flies.

Q. How do I attach them to my fly line?

A. Most fly lines now come with a welded loop at the tip, I find the best way to attach your tapered leader is to tie a perfection loop (click here for tying instructions) in the butt end of your leader, and then use a loop-to-loop connection to attach it to your fly line. This way has the added advantage that should you wish to change your leader (for a longer/shorter/thinner one), then it's simply a case of loop-to-loop connecting the new leader.

Should your fly line not already have a welded loop on the tip, then my favourite way to attach a tapered leader is with a needle knot (click here to see a fantastic video on how easy they are to tie):

Modern extruded co-polymer tapered leaders represent the latest evolution in leader technology, offering consistent tapers and reliable performance straight from the packet. These leaders utilise advanced materials and manufacturing techniques to create smooth, progressive tapers that rival even the best hand-tied alternatives.

Advantages:

• Consistent, precise taper every time
• No knots in the leader body to collect debris or create disturbance
• Wide range of lengths, weights, and taper profiles available
• Reliable performance for anglers of all skill levels
• Quick and easy to attach and fish immediately
• Advanced materials offer superior strength-to-diameter ratios
• Excellent value for occasional or travelling anglers

We've managed to get our hands on quite a few of these "White Label" Tapered Leaders (which is good, as I will be using them for the rest of this season and I do go through them quickly!) and we are offering them to you either individually for only £2.75 or in packs of three for only £7.50 - which includes FREE Delivery to anywhere within the UK.

Please Note: Whilst we are still able to offer free delivery to anywhere within the UK and with these leaders being only £2.75 each, it would be really appreciated if you could 'top up' your order to a minimum of £10, so we can at least make a little profit and keep the lights on in the office!

If you need a little inspiration ... keep scrolling ...

A New Early-Season Nymph

We've just received a large delivery of nymphs. Here's one of the 'early-season specials' - The Hot Head Rainbow Jig:

A nymph from the competition scene, a Czech style nymph (very similar to a Perdigon), fantastic for Trout in coloured water. A classic tungsten nymph pattern that is very successful in early-season, especially when you're faced with faster/deeper water.

These are very high-quality flies tied on high-quality barbless VMC 7077 jig hooks and are available individually in sizes 12, 14 & 16.

How to fish it:

This jig shines on a Euro nymphing rig in sizes 12-16. Use it as your point fly for maximum depth, or on a dropper above a lighter pattern. The tungsten bead and slim body profile gets it down fast, while the bead (and body) colour adds some colour in the darker water.

Size Guide Notes:

• Size 12: Heavier water, larger trout, stonefly imitation
• Size 14: All-round workhorse for UK conditions
• Size 16: Ultra-selective fish, small olive imitation

Our Selection Contains: A total of 9 nymphs - three each of sizes 12, 14 & 16

Price: Only £15.50 (includes free delivery to anywhere in the UK)

We have these patterns available as a selection of 9 (3 of each in sizes 12, 14 & 16):

or available to buy individually:

*** Go on, fill your boots (and your early season fly boxes) ***

Speedy Deliveries

As we are now at that time of year when the river seasons are opening across the country, we do understand that when you order your flies - you want to receive them as quickly as is humanly possible.

So ... we've got you covered.

When you reach the checkout, there's the option to use oursubsidised Royal Mail 1st Class Tracked service for only £2.50 - this will allow you to get your order the 'very next day', assuming you can order before 1pm and are located in mainland UK.

As with all things 'Royal Mail' we can't guarantee it will be the very next day (unless you use the Special Delivery option at checkout), but we will ship it using their 1st Class Tracked service which does have a 95% success rate of delivering to addresses in mainland UK the very next day.

Tight lines and have fun out there.

P.S. We're about to launch something brand new on Saturday - I've been working on it for the last 9 months - I hope you like it!