You've probably not thought much about worms lately - not since you were about eight, digging for bait with a garden fork.

From the forecast I've seen for this weekend (it is a bank holiday!), we are about to get a fair bit of water into our rivers & stillwaters.

That's really what this email is about. Not a gimmick, not a new gadget - just a fly pattern (which I use myself throughout September and October) that answers a very specific, very real situation you'll likely find yourself in pretty soon.

I'm delighted to share our updated Derwent Worm Selection with you - now improved for 2026.

There's something about these patterns that drives fish wild once there's a bit of new water or the leaves start turning - whether it's the naturalistic wiggle in the water, or simply that haphazard look - like they've had a proper adventure just getting into the river.

Getting that scruffy, tumbled appearance right actually took a fair bit of careful tying. Each one is tied on the AHREX FW541 - a barbless size 12 that's strong, sharp, and just the right shape for worm-style patterns.

These flies come into their own in higher (or new) water, or once a river is going down and starting to clear - exactly the conditions we're expecting. They're particularly effective on smaller rivers and stillwaters with high, soft banks, where real worms genuinely do get washed in after rain.

Use them as a point fly in deeper holes where you'd expect a worm to settle, doubling nicely as a bloodworm imitation when required. It's a versatile pattern that adapts to more water types than you might expect from something so simple.

If you fish competitions (you'll need to trim it), or simply hate blanking on a tricky day, this is worth having in the box regardless of your usual approach. It's often described as the blank-saving fly - the one you tie on when conditions are less than ideal and nothing else seems to be working.

There's no great mystery to why it works; it simply looks like exactly what the fish are already keying into during periods of coloured, rising, or dropping water. Sometimes the simplest, most natural-looking option is the right one.

Please Note: Even though these patterns were devised (and tested) on a Yorkshire River, they are exceptional Stillwater patterns - fish them as close to the bottom as you can and give them a twitch every now and then!

The selection covers all your bases nicely - you'll receive three each of:

• Olive

• Earth

• Red; and

• Chartreuse

Twelve flies in total, each tied on the same reliable AHREX FW541 size 12 barbless hook.

That spread of colour gives you options for water clarity, light conditions, and personal preference, without you needing to hunt down individual colours separately. It's a curated selection built around one proven hook and shape, rather than a scattergun mix of unrelated patterns.

Our Derwent Worm Selection gives you twelve flies in total - three each of Olive, Earth, Red and Chartreuse - all tied on stunning (and very sharp) AHREX FW541 size 12 barbless hooks, chosen specifically for their strength and suitability for worm-style patterns. All of this for only £23 - which includes FREE delivery to anywhere in the UK.

These patterns are designed for high/new water conditions, or as water is dropping and clearing, and work well on both rivers and stillwaters, particularly smaller waters with high soil banks.

Each of our Derwent Worms can also be bought individually or in packs of 6, just click the button below to grab yours:

*** Go on, you know you want to ***

Fancy Some Fancy Fluoro?

We've managed to get hold of some really nice Fluorocarbon - 100m per spool - perfect to stash away for the upcoming Grayling season.

We've only a few, so we're offering it as a "post-purchase upsell" - i.e. before you reach the checkout on our website, you will be automatically offered the chance to grab a spool at a 50% discout (only £9.99, rather than the usual £19.99).

Please Note: Even if you only buy 1 fly from us, you will still be offered the deal. However, we only have a few, and if you are not offered it we will have exhausted our supply!

Usually £19.99 - now only £9.99 with any purchase

It's a superb, 100% Japanese fluorocarbon, manufactured using the very latest technology, producing a leader material of extreme quality and smoothness:

• Low stretch and water absorption for the ultimate in consistent performance

• High knot strength to diameter ratio

• Super fine and low reflective index for minimal visibility

• Excellent abrasion resistance and low memory

We only have it in the following size | breaking strain | diameter | length:

• 6X | 3.5lb | 0.15 mm | 100 meters

I hope some of these flies (or our Fluorocarbon tippet) finds their way into your box before the next rainfall hits, and that they earn their place there once the water starts to clear again.

Tight lines.

P.S. A quick tip on reading the water: worm patterns like these come into their own once a river has peaked and is starting to drop and clear, rather than at the height of the flood. That window, when visibility is just returning, is often when fish are actively looking for exactly this kind of food source.

If you're fishing a dropper set-up, try pairing a smaller size as the bloodworm imitation with a larger point fly in the deepest part of the hole. It gives you two chances at once without overcomplicating your leader.

And if you're new to barbless patterns generally, remember they're just as effective at hooking and holding fish - the difference comes at the net, making unhooking quicker and kinder for fish you're returning.