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Wolfram - The Fly Anglers Springtime Friend

Wolfram (aka Tungsten) With the river season now in full swing. I thought it would be a good idea to look forward to targeting trout in the tricky conditions which are prevalent during late April and Early May - specifically 'pre-Mayfly' trout when the water is usually still cold. Targeting trout in these conditions usually means 2 things: You will be using nymphs; and They will need to be small(ish); and Need to be presented somewhere near the bottom That usually means nymphs equipped with some form of bead - usually Tungsten. Tungsten is most commonly found in lightbulb filaments, but us fly anglers have used one of its properties to our advantage - tungsten is a very dense mineral and when powdered and formed into beads (usually by metal injection moulding) they can weigh up to four times that of the same sized brass bead. 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 Spring Tungsten Nymph Selections. This email is all about Tungsten and how it has transformed the 'nymphing' game - especially when the fish are not looking up. We've revamped our most successful Tungsten Nymphs and have just received them at Barbless Flies HQ, ready for a swin on a water near you: *** Grab yours today, these are the most popular flies we have ever sold - and they never hang around for long! *** Before I get onto the nymphs themselves - and which ones to use - I want to take you back to school for a History & Chemistry lesson ... When you look up the element Tungsten in the periodic table, you will see it has the symbol 'W'. This is due to the element historically being known by two different names - Wolfram & Tungsten, officially the name Wolfram was dropped in 2005. The name 'Wolfram' comes from a different mineral, wolframite, which also has a high content of the element we now call tungsten. Wolfram is believed to be derived from the German for 'wolf's foam'. Many centuries ago mid-European tin smelters observed that when a certain mineral was present in the tin ore, their yield of tin was much reduced. They called this mineral 'wolf's foam' because, they said, it devoured the tin much like a wolf would devour a sheep! Whereas, the word Tungsten is derived from the old Swedish name for 'heavy stone', a name given to a known tungsten-containing mineral. Tungsten is the name which has now stuck - I'm not too worried about what it's called, all I know is that fishing in Spring would be much more difficult without it! As well as its obvious weight advantage, the real properties which make tungsten ideal for nymphs are: Its Compact Size: Tungsten beads are small and can be used to add weight without significantly increasing the overall size of the fly. This is particularly important in smaller nymphs, where imitating natural insect sizes is crucial for success. Its Versatility: Tungsten beads are available in various sizes, shapes, and colours, providing fly tyers with a wide range of options to create different nymph patterns. This versatility allows us to match the specific characteristics of the insects we are trying to imitate. Improved Sensitivity: The density of tungsten allows for better sensitivity when fishing nymphs and other subsurface patterns. We can more easily detect subtle takes or changes in the behaviour of the nymph, leading to increased hook-up rates. Their Consistency: Tungsten beads are known for their consistency in size and weight, providing a reliable option for fly tyers. This consistency helps maintain the balance and performance of the nymph in the water. Generally, when targeting trout in the earlier parts of the river season, keep in mind the following: The faster and deeper the river, the heavier the nymph Target the area behind any type of structure in the water (think boulders, bridge supports & weed beds) Where allowed, it’s better to fish a team of flies (spiders) in the early season, with the heaviest fly on the point. I've put the first point above in bold, as it's the most important part. So, which nymph patterns should be your first choice? Our most successful Tungsten Nymphs ever! We've just received a delivery of our most popular (and successful) tungsten nymphs, updated for 2025 with new materials,  in all sizes - ideal for any 'pre-Mayfly' conditions you will face. The selections below all contain patterns from our most popular tungsten nymph selection, in sizes ranging from 10 (Jumbo) to 18 (Micro) - click on any image or button below to see the full details of the nymph patterns included: These are the first nymphs I use in the earlier parts of the season. Each of the above Tungsten Nymph Selections contain the following patterns in various sizes: Red-Neck Pheasant Tail Nymph Copper Pheasant Tail Mary  Olive Quill Nymph Orange-Head Pheasant Tail Mary Hare's Ear Nymph  The various configurations in each selection are: Jumbo Tungsten Nymph Selection - contains 20 nymphs - 2 of each of the above 5 patterns in sizes 10 & 12, for each of the five patterns below for only £24 - that's a 22% discount on buying the nymphs individually!. Tungsten Nymph Selection - contains 20 nymphs - 2 of each of the above 5 patterns in sizes 14 & 16, for each of the five patterns below for only £24 - that's a 22% discount on buying the nymphs individually!. Micro Tungsten Nymph Selection - contains 15 nymphs - 3 of each of the above 5 patterns in size 18 for only £18 - that's a 22% discount on buying the nymphs individually!. The Ultimate Tungsten Nymph Selection - contains 50 nymphs - 2 of each of the above 5 patterns in sizes 10, 12, 14, 16 & 18 for only £59.50 - that's a 25% discount on buying the nymphs individually!. Click any image or button in this email to go directly to the nymphs. *** Stock up on these while you can, they always sell out fast! *** Go on ... fill your boots - and your 'pre-Mayfly' boxes - we've only limited quantities of these so grab yours whilst you still can! Tight lines

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Wolfram - The Fly Anglers Springtime Friend

The Leisenring & Hindy Effect - The Ascending Flymph

It's A Flymph ... We've something a little different for you this week, which is equally at home in both rivers and stillwaters - it's a Flymph. Please Note: Flymphs are designed for both Rivers & Stillwaters - there's a section at the very end of this email detailing all you need to know about "Fishing a Flymph" and we've also included a section on a nymph which is really doing the business at the minute on rivers - The Spring Jig. I came across the term 'flymph' when doing a bit of research on a pattern we have planned for Autumn this year, and then a couple of days later it cropped up again on a Facebook post by a friend - ii'm sure it's secretly listening to me - who had tied some up and was having great success with them on both rivers and in stillwaters. So I contacted him to get the low-down on the pattern and what it is about them that makes them so successful. If, like me, you'd never heard of such a fly before then Read on McDuff ... I purchased a copy of the definitive text on the Flymph (The Art of Tying The Wet Fly and Fishing The Flymph;  by J.E. Leisenring & V.S. Hidy, 1971). Within the book a Flymph is defined as: "A wingless artificial fly with a soft, translucent body of fur or wool which blends with the under-colour of the tying silk when wet, utilising soft hackle fibres easily activated by the currents to give the effect of an insect alive in the water, and strategically cast diagonally upstream or across for the trout to take just below or within a few inches of the surface film."  So essentially a flymph is a spider / soft-hackled wet fly that is fished just under the surface - similar to what we know today as an emerger pattern (or a Cruncher in stillwater circles). As these are a pretty new to us pattern to us, I thought we would dip our toes in the water with the most popular design and get our Artisan fly tying masters to show us their interpretation. Here is the final product - we've called it the Hare's Ear Flymph: It seems that the way these nymphs are tied (and fished) is the key to their success. They are tied with quite thick bodies wrapped in flat tinsel and soft hackles (very different to traditional spider patterns). They are then cast 'up and across' when on rivers (or around weed beds and any moving water on stillwaters), and allowed to sink a little. With their bodies being tied quite straggly (to trap air) it can be difficult to sink them at first - that's where that bottle of Xink that you've never used before comes in handy! By keeping in touch with the fly as it moves in the water column, you can detect takes immediately. You can also impart action on the flymph by slowly raising and lowering your rod tip whilst the flymph is in the water - similar to an 'induced take'. The flymph was created by James E. Leisenring and Pete Hidy in the 1930s and 1940s. Leisenring was a master fly tier from Pennsylvania who, along with his fishing companion Hidy, developed this style of fly to better imitate the vulnerable transition stage of aquatic insects. They observed that trout often feed most aggressively on insects during their emergence phase - when insects are rising from the streambed toward the surface but haven't yet reached it. During this phase, the insects are particularly vulnerable as they shed their nymphal shucks and transform into adults. The flymph was designed to have specific characteristics that differentiate it from standard wet flies or nymphs: Soft, mobile materials that pulse and move naturally in the water A translucent appearance that suggests the emerging insect Often tied with hackle fibers that suggest the forming wings of the adult fly Usually fished with a "swing" technique in the water column These flymphs are tied on a Size 16 AHREX FW503 - the perfect size to imitate the majority of natural emerging insects. They are now available in three forms: Individually - for £1.90; or Pack of 6 - for only £10.00; or Pack of 12 - for only £18.50   *** If these prove to be as successful as we expect, then we will have our guys tie them in lots of different pattern variations *** The Spring Jig ... From reports I'm getting back to Barbless Flies HQ, these Spring Jigs are really doing the business on the rivers at the moment - fill your boots: The Spring Jig is a generic nymph, in that it represents many olive and caddis nymphs, and is often used as a searching pattern. Its shaggy appearance resembles many species of nymphs when they shed their skins or shucks as they progress into the next stage of their life. These nymphs are tied on a Size 14 AHREX FW551 jig hook with a 2.5mm gunmetal tungsten bead. They are now available in three forms: Individually - for £1.95; or Pack of 3 - for only £5.25; or Pack of 6 - for only £9.75 *** Fill Your Boots *** Flymph fishing bridges the gap between nymph and dry fly techniques. These flies are designed to be fished in the water column — typically just below the surface — where they mimic emerging insects that are vulnerable and highly attractive to feeding trout. The soft hackles and natural materials create a lifelike presentation that can be deadly effective when fish are keyed in on emergers. Here's a quick rundown on how to get the best from them in either Rivers or Stillwaters:  Tackle and Leader Setup Rod and Line Selection: Rivers: 8.5-9ft 4 or 5 weight rod with a medium-fast action works well Stillwaters: 9-10ft 5 or 6 weight rod offers better casting distance Line: Floating line for most situations; occasionally an intermediate sinking line for deeper stillwater presentations Leader Setup: River Setup: 9 to 12ft tapered leader ending in 4X-5X tippet (5X for clearer water, 4X for slightly coloured conditions) Stillwater Setup: 12 to 15ft leader to allow the fly to sink naturally without line influence Tippet Material: Fluorocarbon for subsurface work provides less visibility and sinks better than monofilament River Techniques Upstream Cast and Swing Cast upstream at a 45-degree angle Allow the fly to sink slightly as it drifts downstream Control slack line to maintain contact with the fly As the fly passes your position, let it swing across the current The take often comes at the beginning of the swing Across and Down Cast directly across or slightly downstream Mend line as needed to control the drift Let the fly swing through the target area After the swing completes, let the fly hang for a moment before recasting Vary the retrieval speed with small strips or twitches to imitate struggling emergers Pocket Water Presentation Cast to the head of small pockets where feeding fish hold Use a shorter line for better control Allow minimal drag-free drift before the swing begins Watch for subtle takes as the fly drops into the pocket Stillwater Techniques Figure-of-8 Retrieve Cast to likely feeding areas and let the fly sink to desired depth (count down) Begin a slow figure-8 retrieve with your line hand Vary the speed to find what triggers strikes Incorporate occasional pauses to mimic struggling insects Wind Drift Method Position with the wind at your back Cast and allow the wind to naturally move your fly across the water Add minimal tension to your line to stay in contact Subtle rod tip movements can impart lifelike action to the flymph Static Presentation Cast to a suspected feeding area and let the flymph sink Keep a direct line to the fly but with minimal tension Allow natural water movements to animate the fly Watch for line movement indicating a take Particularly effective during sparse hatches or when fish are rising subtly The most important aspect of fishing a flymph is maintaining proper line control while allowing the fly to move naturally in the water. Because takes can be subtle, especially in stillwaters, staying alert and maintaining contact with your fly without creating unnatural movement is essential to success.   Tight lines & have a great weekend.

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The Leisenring & Hindy Effect - The Ascending Flymph

Time Is Precious, Use It Wisely - The Evening Rise

When Reality Bites ... I vividly remember a vision I had 12 years ago ... I seemed to have found my calling - and it wasn't in the IT industry - it was spending time on the riverbank, with a fly rod in my hand. What if I could turn my passion into a business? - That way I could indulge my passion for fly fishing as and when I wanted - and call it work!   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 Evening Rise fly selection. This email is all about the Evening Rise, a time which any 'time-pressed' angler should aim to fish. In this email, we are launching our Evening Rise Selection - a selection of 12 flies, 3 of each of the most productive 'evening' patterns. All the patterns are tied using the very best quality materials on AHREX FW503 hooks - the best dry fly hooks there are.   My dream was endless days by pristine rivers, casually testing our own products while the sun dappled through the trees. I'd cast lazily from dawn to dusk, my office would be a riverbank, and my meetings would be with trout - hopefully! Fast-forward to reality: Both Jack and I are usually elbow-deep in packaging materials, squinting at website analytics, and watching the perfect fishing day dissolve into emails about hook makes and sizes. This is especially true as the season progresses and we become steadily busier. The closest I get to "casting" most days is lobbing the packing waste into the recycling bin! My drive to and from the office takes me alongside my local river - the Yorkshire Derwent - where I often catch the odd glimpse of rising fish as I am passing. Last year I found that the best way to indulge my passion - whilst also balancing a work and family life - was to grab just a few hours on the way home, usually after 6pm.  Catching that brief window when the world seems to slow down, the fish emerge, and I can remember why I started this madness in the first place - don't get me wrong, I really love what we're building here at Barbless Flies, but it's always good to reflect, and where better than on the riverbank during an evening rise. The Evening Rise The evening rise is when trout seem to lose their inhibitions and begin feeding with the enthusiasm of teenagers at a freshly stocked fridge. It's as if they've been attending underwater finishing school all day, practicing proper etiquette and selective feeding, only to throw it all away as twilight approaches. The river comes alive during these golden hours. The water's surface transforms from a peaceful mirror into what can only be described as a "fish riot" with rings appearing everywhere as the insects end their life and the fish start to break the surface. The brevity of the evening rise really concentrates the mind. There's no time for overthinking or changing flies seventeen times. It's fishing distilled to its purest form: observe - cast - connect - repeat. For the whole of last season I was experimenting with different flies on my evening sessions, I finally settled on the perfect selection - specific to the Evening Rise ... and here they are: NEW for 2025 - The "Evening Rise" Selection The Barbless Evening Rise Selection is a selection of 4 styles of commonly used flies - which seem to produce results after 6pm. It's not about perfectly imitating exactly what's on the water (as there are lots of different insects), it’s more about how the fly sits on, and in, the water - presenting the correct silhouette. For only £20.00, we are supplying 4 different styles of flies which are perfect for the 'evening rise' - In total there are 12 flies supplied in our eco-friendly packaging. These flies will work on evenings throughout the year, but work especially well both before and after the main mayfly hatch. All of the flies included within this selection are tied on the best dry fly hooks in the business - AHREX FW503 (see the individual fly descriptions below for more details). Looking back through my own River Almanac notes, by far the most successful pattern for the evenings was our size 18 Mini Sherry Spinner - It just seemed to give a great silhouette the fish just loved - especially when fished in any slack water: Our Barbless Evening Rise Selection is now available as a selection of 12 flies (3 each of 4 specialist 'evening' patterns): The Evening Banker - A midge version of this popular klinkhamer style fly - these work especially well in the evenings. These have been tied with a contrasting grey Z-Lon post, which has exceptional buoyancy and sits just right on the water. Our selection contains 3 of these, all tied on a size 18 AHREX FW503 barbless hook. The Hot-Spot Palmer - A style of pattern which comes into its own in the evening. They are tied with a palmered style body which presents the fly perfectly on the surface film, just as a spent natural would appear. This version includes a black body and chartreuse hot-spot head. Our selection contains 3 of these, all tied on a size 14 AHREX FW503 barbless hook. The Mini Sherry Spinner - Another classic spent/spinner imitation. Tied on a size 18 AHREX FW503 barbless hook with a stripped peacock herl body and Z-Lon flat/spent wings. Our selection contains 3 of these. The Bumble Palmer - This is a style of pattern which is often overlooked, they come into their own in the evening. They are tied with a palmered style body which presents the fly perfectly on the surface film. This version includes a contrasting brown and yellow body. Our selection contains 3 of these, all tied on a size 14 AHREX FW503 barbless hook. Our Evening Rise Selection contains 12 flies in total and we are making them available to you today for only £20.00 - click any button or image in this email to see the selection of flies in much more detail. As always we offer FREE Delivery on all orders for delivery within the UK.   *** We only have 40 of these selections available, so if you would like one you will need to be quick! *** Each of the flies included in our NEW for 2025 selection can also be bought individually for only £1.90 each, using these links: The Evening Banker The Hot-Spot Palmer The Mini Sherry Spinner The Bumble Palmer *** Go on, you know you want to! ***           This section is for all anglers whose calendar looks like a game of Tetris gone wrong, and want to get a little time away to embrace the evening rise. It's proof that in fly fishing, as in life, sometimes the most magical moments come in the smallest packages of time. Just remember to pack a torch — you may need it to get back to your car! The Evening Rise: Equipment choices simplify during the evening rise. Rather than carrying an extensive arsenal for every contingency, evening rise fishing often requires just a handful of proven patterns matching the hatches likely to occur. - our Evening Rise Selection is perfect. This streamlined approach removes decision paralysis and lets you focus on the fishing itself. A small box of appropriate flies (see above), a single rod, and minimal gear means less preparation time and more fishing time. The fish themselves often display less caution during the evening rise, making them more forgiving of imperfect presentations. This forgiveness doesn't make the fishing easy - technical challenges remain - but it does make it more accessible across skill levels. For the angler with limited practice time, this margin for error means more satisfaction within your time-constrained fishing windows. If your fishing time is precious and limited, make the evening rise your priority. Plan your fishing not by days available but by evenings possible. A strategic approach targeting these golden hours will yield more satisfaction than scattered full days when conditions might prove challenging. Even if you can only fish once or twice a month, choosing evenings strategically puts quality fishing within reach of even the busiest schedules. As darkness finally claims the river and the last rings of rising trout fade from the surface, and you make your way home, be pleased that you've participated in one of fly fishing's most hallowed rituals, connecting to waters and traditions that have remained unchanged, despite our rushed modern lives. In the evening rise, even the busiest angler finds what we all ultimately seek on the water - not just fish, but moments of perfect alignment with the natural world and ourselves. I know it sounds a little fanciful, but fishing the evening rise really is food for the soul. Easter Deliveries Please Note: As it's the Easter Bank Holiday this weekend, If you do require your flies in time for any fishing forays over the weekend, please select the 1st Class Tracked option at the checkout - it's only an extra £2.50, but you will receive your flies on time! Royal Mail will be collecting from us as normal this Thursday (17th April), we will then not have another collection from Royal Mail until Tuesday 22nd April. Tight lines & make the most of your evenings!

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Time Is Precious, Use It Wisely - The Evening Rise

What do Coco Chanel, Henry Ford & Barbless Flies Have In Common?

Was Henry Ford Fly A Fly Angler? I like to think that at some point in his life Henry saw the light and picked up a fly rod! He is famously known for his quote: "Any customer can have a car painted in any colour that they want, so long as it is black," When I was starting out on my fly odyssey, I didn't know the names of the insects which were hiding under rocks and flying around my head. There are days when knowing your sedge from your spinner makes all the difference ... When matching the hatch perfectly is what turns tentative refusals into takes. We believe in that - we sell flies for that & I fish that way too But, there are also days when knowing every Latin name still doesn’t help! What do you do then ... you reach for the fly fishing equivalent of Coco Chanel's "little black dress". 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 "It's Just Black" Selection. This email is all about which flies to use when you've no clue what's happening! In this email, we are launching our NEW for 2025 "It's Just Black" Selection - a selection of 15 flies, 3 of each of five black fly bankers - they're all 'buggy' fish-catching patterns! All the patterns are tied using the very best quality materials on AHREX hooks - the best hooks there are. The "Little Black Dress" Syndrome Definition: A piece of clothing that can be worn in any situation and still looks like it belongs. The fly fishing world has its own "little black dress" equivalent, these are flies which don't look out of place in any scenario. We all love to follow the rules and "match the hatch" wherever we can. But ... There are also days when none of that matters. When trout are feeding mysteriously, sporadically - or not at all! That's when you need a backup plan that will (hopefully) outperform the main one. When the most effective thing you can tie on… is something small(ish) - and black.   But Why Black? It's simple really - Black is Versatile - Simple - Confident It creates contrast. It silhouettes cleanly. It works when everything else gets ignored. Flies stand out in low light and glare Matches nothing exactly, suggests everything vaguely Equally useful for both seasoned and newer anglers Designed for efficiency — not guesswork These are not the flies you reach for instead of matching the hatch. They're the ones you reach for when the hatch isn’t making any sense. Get the flies that work when the rules don't ... NEW for 2025 - The "It's Just Black" Selection The Barbless "It's Just Black" Selection is a selection of 5 styles of commonly used 'black' flies - which seem to produce results when nothing else does! These are for:  Match-the-hatch anglers who’ve learned that not everything can be matched  Minimalists who like one fly to do multiple jobs  Realists who know that conditions aren’t always textbook This isn’t about rejecting expertise. It’s about acknowledging the moments when expertise takes a back seat to instinct. For only £22.50, we are supplying 5 different styles of 'black' dry flies - In total there are 15 flies supplied in our eco-friendly packaging. These flies are great all year round, but work especially well for those tricky days when nothing else seems to work. All of the flies included within this selection are tied on the best hooks in the business - AHREX (see the individual fly descriptions below for more details). Our Barbless "It's Just Black" Selection is now available as a selection of 15 flies (3 each of 5 predominantly black patterns): The Black Dun - A classic version of this popular black gnat/midge fly. These have been tied with upright wings, which makes it ultra-realistic and helps it sit just right on the water - it also makes it really easy to see! The Black Griffith's Gnat - One of the best flies (and many anglers only fly) used in the late spring and summer months. Great in warm still conditions on rivers with a low flow, spooky fish and low levels. The Black Sedge - The smaller sedge/caddis usually do not create much surface action early in the season. But on a day with some sunshine to warm up the surface you will encounter small sedges/caddis everywhere. The Black Emerger - A fly put together by Niklas Dahlin. Designed with inspiration from a fly one of his friends created, the `Hairdresser´s Midge`. Tied to mimic the emerging midge with a slim body and white poly-yarn wing. The Black Head Palmer - Try fishing this Black Head Palmer as an emerger with no fly dressing first. It will float for the first few casts and then it will slowly sink under the surface, this allows you to see which method works best and which the fish are interested in on that specific day. Our "It's Just Black" Selection contains 15 flies in total and we are making them available to you today for only £22.50 (that's a 20% saving on buying the flies individually) - click any button or image in this email to see the selection of flies in more detail. As always we offer FREE Delivery on all orders for delivery within the UK. *** We only have 40 of these selections available, so if you would like one you will need to be quick! ***  Each of the Black flies included in our NEW for 2025 selection can also be bought individually for only £1.90 each, using these links: The Black Emerger The Black Griffith's Gnat The Black Sedge The Black Dun The Black Head Palmer *** Go on, you know you want to! *** Perfect Stillwater Patterns ... Daddy Dinkhamers ... We had a fantastic response to our email with our 'Almost' Barbless Daddies - thank you to everyone who helped us clear our shelves. There are still a few of the offending patterns remaining, if you want to grab your bargain flies today, click on any of the options below: Individuals - only £1.60 each Pack of 6 - only £9.50 Pack of 12 - only £17.50 F i l l  Y o u r  B o o t s ... Tight lines & make the most of this nice weather!

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What do Coco Chanel, Henry Ford & Barbless Flies Have In Common?

The Fly Fishing Equivalent of 'The Little Black Dress'

Was Henry Ford Fly A Fly Angler? I like to think that at some point in his life Henry saw the light and picked up a fly rod! He is famously known for his quote: "Any customer can have a car painted in any colour that they want, so long as it is black," When I was starting out on my fly odyssey, I didn't know the names of the insects which were hiding under rocks and flying around my head. There are days when knowing your sedge from your spinner makes all the difference ... When matching the hatch perfectly is what turns tentative refusals into takes. We believe in that - we sell flies for that & I fish that way too But, there are also days when knowing every Latin name still doesn’t help! What do you do then ... you reach for the fly fishing equivalent of Coco Chanel's "little black dress". 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 "It's Just Black" Selection. This email is all about which flies to use when you've no clue what's happening! In this email, we are launching our NEW for 2025 "It's Just Black" Selection - a selection of 15 flies, 3 of each of five black fly bankers - they're all 'buggy' fish-catching patterns! All the patterns are tied using the very best quality materials on AHREX hooks - the best hooks there are. The "Little Black Dress" Syndrome Definition: A piece of clothing that can be worn in any situation and still looks like it belongs. The fly fishing world has its own "little black dress" equivalent, these are flies which don't look out of place in any scenario. We all love to follow the rules and "match the hatch" wherever we can. But ... There are also days when none of that matters. When trout are feeding mysteriously, sporadically - or not at all! That's when you need a backup plan that will (hopefully) outperform the main one. When the most effective thing you can tie on… is something small(ish) - and black. But Why Black? It's simple really - Black is Versatile - Simple - Confident It creates contrast. It silhouettes cleanly. It works when everything else gets ignored. Flies stand out in low light and glare Matches nothing exactly, suggests everything vaguely Equally useful for both seasoned and newer anglers Designed for efficiency — not guesswork These are not the flies you reach for instead of matching the hatch. They're the ones you reach for when the hatch isn’t making any sense. Get the flies that work when the rules don't ... NEW for 2025 - The "It's Just Black" Selection The Barbless "It's Just Black" Selection is a selection of 5 styles of commonly used 'black' flies - which seem to produce results when nothing else does! These are for:  Match-the-hatch anglers who’ve learned that not everything can be matched  Minimalists who like one fly to do multiple jobs  Realists who know that conditions aren’t always textbook This isn’t about rejecting expertise. It’s about acknowledging the moments when expertise takes a back seat to instinct. For only £22.50, we are supplying 5 different styles of 'black' dry flies - In total there are 15 flies supplied in our eco-friendly packaging. These flies are great all year round, but work especially well for those tricky days when nothing else seems to work. All of the flies included within this selection are tied on the best hooks in the business - AHREX (see the individual fly descriptions below for more details). Our Barbless "It's Just Black" Selection is now available as a selection of 15 flies (3 each of 5 predominantly black patterns): The Black Dun - A classic version of this popular black gnat/midge fly. These have been tied with upright wings, which makes it ultra-realistic and helps it sit just right on the water - it also makes it really easy to see! The Black Griffith's Gnat - One of the best flies (and many anglers only fly) used in the late spring and summer months. Great in warm still conditions on rivers with a low flow, spooky fish and low levels. The Black Sedge - The smaller sedge/caddis usually do not create much surface action early in the season. But on a day with some sunshine to warm up the surface you will encounter small sedges/caddis everywhere. The Black Emerger - A fly put together by Niklas Dahlin. Designed with inspiration from a fly one of his friends created, the `Hairdresser´s Midge`. Tied to mimic the emerging midge with a slim body and white poly-yarn wing. The Black Head Palmer - Try fishing this Black Head Palmer as an emerger with no fly dressing first. It will float for the first few casts and then it will slowly sink under the surface, this allows you to see which method works best and which the fish are interested in on that specific day. Our "It's Just Black" Selection contains 15 flies in total and we are making them available to you today for only £22.50 (that's a 20% saving on buying the flies individually) - click any button or image in this email to see the selection of flies in more detail. As always we offer FREE Delivery on all orders for delivery within the UK. *** We only have 40 of these selections available, so if you would like one you will need to be quick! ***  Each of the Black flies included in our NEW for 2025 selection can also be bought individually for only £1.90 each, using these links: The Black Emerger The Black Griffith's Gnat The Black Sedge The Black Dun The Black Head Palmer *** Go on, you know you want to! *** Perfect Stillwater Patterns ... Daddy Dinkhamers ... We had a fantastic response to our email with our 'Almost' Barbless Daddies - thank you to everyone who helped us clear our shelves. There are still a few of the offending patterns remaining, if you want to grab your bargain flies today, click on any of the options below: Individuals - only £1.60 each Pack of 6 - only £9.50 Pack of 12 - only £17.50 F i l l  Y o u r  B o o t s ... Tight lines & make the most of this nice weather! 

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The Fly Fishing Equivalent of 'The Little Black Dress'

Bosnian Maj Nymphs - Our 'Secret' Spring Nymphs

Our 'man in Bosnia' has been 'on the tools' once again - with some more very tempting nymphs - specifically tied for success in April and early May - when our water is just that little bit cooler. We try to plan all of our specialist fly selections at least 3 to 4 months in advance, when asked what we were planning for April, we wanted to do something a little different, so I asked him to surprise us and tie something which he would use himself, for trout in the earlier parts of the season when the rivers are still colder. His reply was "I will tie you some secret patterns, which are the first nymphs I try on any river here in April and May" - which had me intrigued, we had no images to go on, and because I trust his judgement I said, "go for it". The first time I saw these was when they were delivered to us on Friday - to say I was impressed is an understatement! Check out these Bosnian bad boys ... Our Bosnian Maj Nymph Selection contains 12 nymphs (4 different patterns, 3 of each in a size 14).  As we've only got 40 of these Bosnian Maj Nymph Selections available, we'll get straight down to the offer: Buy a selection of Bosnian Maj Tungsten Nymphs today for only £24; or Include one of Jeff Jones's stunning hand-made Oak fly boxes for an additional £36 - bringing the total for the fly selection including one of Jeff's stunning Oak fly boxes, to only £60. To view or buy our Bosnian Secret Nymph Selection, just click on any image or button contained within this email. Keep reading for more info and detailed images of the nymphs - you'll be glad you did ... I asked 'our man in Bosnia' to give me a little info about these nymph, here's what he said: "These nymphs are tied on an AHREX FW541 Curved Nymph barbless hooks in size 14, designed for excellent hook penetration and durability. The fly is weighted with a 3.5 mm copper tungsten bead, ensuring it sinks quickly to the desired depth. Veevus Stomach thread is used as a base for the body, providing a strong foundation and smooth surface for the segmentation. Over the thread, is wrapped Troutline Tapered Synthetic Quills (size M) to create a realistic, segmented abdomen. Four different colour of quills have been used: Light Olive, Olive, Red & Yellow. These specific quills create a variation in shade and contrast, making the fly more attractive in different water conditions. The thorax is covered with Veevus Flat Braid in black, adding a slight sheen and additional contrast to the fly. To create a natural, lifelike appearance, the legs are made from Hare’s Mask dubbing, which gives the fly a buggy, slightly spiky profile that enhances movement in the water. To enhance durability and add a natural 'wet look', both the body and the thorax (flat braid) are coated with Raidzap UV Resin and cured under a UV light. This not only protects the fly from wear but also gives it a slightly translucent finish, mimicking the natural sheen of natural insects. With its realistic segmentation, natural buggy appearance, UV-coated durability, and weighted design, this nymph is perfect for targeting trout in both fast and slow-moving water. The combination of synthetic and natural materials ensures durability while maintaining an enticing, lifelike look underwater." So what nymphs are best for tempting those early season trout? Usually, trout look to nymphs when feeding in the early season/colder water. These nymphs have been tied to fish as deep as possible, with 3.5mm copper-coloured tungsten beads - to keep your nymph where it needs to be, on the bottom. They are all tied on the best barbless nymph hook available on the market today - the AHREX FW541 Curved Nymph - perfect for all your early season nymphs. Our Bosnian Maj Nymph Selection contains three each of these 'Bosnian Bad Boys': Light Olive Maj Nymph - Size 14 AHREX FW541 - weight 0.37g Olive Maj Nymph - Size 14 AHREX FW541 - weight 0.37g Red Maj Nymph - Size 14 AHREX FW541 - weight 0.37g Yellow Maj Nymph - Size 14 AHREX FW541 - weight 0.37g Early season nymph fishing is more about finding the fish, so it's important to keep on the move and only pass your nymphs through a lane a couple of times - if there's a fish there they will usually take it straight away. Top Tip: if you are fishing in coloured water, use the Red Maj nymph. Coloured water usually means that the river is running higher than usual, this nymph is designed to stand out in coloured water and trigger a more inquisitive response. Generally, the water levels at this time of year are average to high, so he's added a 3.5mm tungsten bead to the superb AHREX FW541 Curved Nymph hook for that little bit of extra weight. Our selection of 'secret' Maj Nymphs includes 4 different patterns, with 3 each of the following Bosnian 'Bad Boys': Light Olive Maj Nymph - Size 14 AHREX FW541 - weight 0.37g Olive Maj Nymph - Size 14 AHREX FW541 - weight 0.37g Red Maj Nymph - Size 14 AHREX FW541 - weight 0.37g Yellow Maj Nymph - Size 14 AHREX FW541 - weight 0.37g These specialist early season nymphs are all tied on size 14 AHREX FW541 Curved Nymph barbless hooks. Please Remember: We've only 40 of these selections available, so if you want a set, you will need to be quick - Our Bosnian flies always sell out within a few hours of being released! Go on, treat yourself - you know you want to - at £24 for these selections, these will not hang around for long! Fishing in 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. Manage your expectations – You’ve probably been waiting for the first trip of the season for a while, and if you’re anything like me, thinking of nothing else but those first few (very rusty) casts! Don’t go expecting to ‘bag up’, once the season opens the water is generally still very cold and the fish less actively feeding. River choice is a key factor at this time, if you're lucky enough to have a choice of river, it’s always best to target the smaller streams where possible, you will stand a much better chance of success. It’s also best to time your trips to when you are more likely to see active fish in front of you – between 11am and 2pm. So, now is the time to act accordingly, have a nice and leisurely breakfast - a Full English is my preferred option - at a local cafe – got to support those local businesses. Arrive at the river for around 10:30 and get set up – always keeping an eye on the water for any movement. Early Season Watercraft – Searching for those early season fish is where watercraft comes into play more than at any other time of the year. Watercraft is the art of looking, listening and watching the water (and the environment around you) and then decoding the signals to give you an indication of what is happening, then using tactics based on what you see. A typical example of this is seeing a Wagtail on the riverbanks, these birds are notorious for arriving on the river just before an Olive hatch starts, if you see one – tie on an Olive emerger and wait! Early Season watercraft is far too big a subject to go into detail here. If you would like to read more there are a couple of fantastic books I would highly recommend - as we wrote them! FLY Series: Early Season River Fishing £9.99 FLY Series: Watercraft (How To Read Water) £9.99   Finally, Even though we are forecast for some nicer weather over the next few days, don’t let any bad weather put you off, so long as the water is fishable, ignore the conditions – some of my best early-season days have been when there’s a gale blowing and it’s about to rain. Tight lines & have a great day.

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Bosnian Maj Nymphs - Our 'Secret' Spring Nymphs

'Almost' Barbless Flies - A Little Bit Of A Cock-Up

An Little Bit Of A Cock-Up! There are times in life where you have to make do with the hand you have been dealt!  In the life of Barbless Flies, this is one of those times ... it's nothing serious, but we thought we'd look on the bright side and have a little fun with it. For one day only - we're renaming our business to 'Almost' Barbless Flies - you will see why if you keep on reading ... As you are receiving this email, you will be well aware that we only sell flies which are exclusively tied on manufactured barbless hooks - hence our company name! We always pride ourselves on our timely information regarding flies and techniques, and on the logistics around ordering flies - we have to, as we are only a small family business and we cannot have fly patterns sitting on the shelves for too long. That is why, when we receive a fly delivery from our artisan tyers, we eagerly look forward to opening it up and photographing the contents. On this occasion - there was a slight issue ... One particular pattern - the Daddy Dinkhamer - was tied on an AHREX FW500 Barbed hook with the barb's crushed down in a vice. Not good ... So - for one day only - we are now called 'Almost' Barbless Flies and in this email we would like to get the offending stock out of the door before our regular barbless flies start getting any ideas! Here are the offending flies - as you can see, it's hardly noticeable (and if we didn't tell you, you'd probably never know), but they are not officially 'barbless': As the weather is starting to warm up a little the main techniques employed on both Rivers and Stillwaters at this time of year are those which help you search the water to find where the fish actually are, the main one being the Klink 'n' Dink method (aka The Duo or New Zealand Style). This Daddy Dinkhamer is the perfect 'klink' to your 'Dink' - especially in the early-season when bigger nymphs are used. If you read to the very end of this email there's a handy hint's and tips section on how to perfect your Klink 'n' Dink presentation. Our 'Almost' Barbless Daddy Pattern Daddy Longlegs patterns are usually tied on size 10 or 12 barbless hooks with a slender hackle, this allows them to create a wake on the surface when retrieved - again another trigger point the fish home into (especially on Stillwaters at any time of year). Early last year, just as the trout season was opening, I was sent a NEW Daddy Long Legs pattern to try - apparently, it had been cleaning up on the reservoirs and smaller stillwaters in the previous year, but I wanted to give it a go on a river, to see if it would be equally successful. It was ... This new pattern is a crossover between one of our most popular flies, the Dinkhamer, and a Daddy Longlegs ... introducing our Daddy Dinkhamer: I was finding that in even the worst of conditions, this fly - teamed up with a standard Hare's Ear nymph (or a NEW Caddis Nymph - which we are releasing next week) tied to the dropper ring on the fly was tempting fish from all stretches of my local river - even the ones I would regularly walk past assuming that they were devoid of fish! I was also finding that the fish were taking the 'daddy' pattern around 20% of the time, which was a little odd, as I was using these in April when there were no Crane Flies present!   These patterns really came into their own from August onwards, I was hooked on this pattern, and I knew that we must get stock of them for 2025 as they make a great searching pattern in the early stages of the season, as well as their regular success once we get into August. We've just received them from our 'artisan' fly supplier and the tyings are superb, except for the 'cock up' with the hooks (see above)! They have all been tied on the highest quality AHREX FW501 FW500 size 10 crushed-barb hooks and use a 9mm Hi-Viz orange foam post - capable of suspending even the heaviest of nymphs. To give you the best possible value on these patterns - and to stop our regular barbless patterns getting any ideas - we've decided to offer these Daddy Dinkhamers at a vastly reduced price (20% to 30% discount - the more you buy, the more you save): Individually - for only £1.65 each (usually £2.05 each) a 20% discount Pack of 6 - for £9.50 (usually £12.30) a 24% discount Pack of 12 - for £17.50 (usually £24.60 ) a 30% discount If you would like more than 12 - please contact me for the best prices! Click on any image or button above to view this stunning fly in more detail and choose your pack quantity - the discounts have already been applied - if you also have a discount code with us, you can apply your code to get an even better deal! *** We do have quite a few of these and we're expecting them to sell out very quickly (especially at this price), so if you would like some you will need to be quick. Why not stock up for the year, as we will not have them at this price ever again! ***   Please Note: The standard and quality of these Daddies is superb and they will hold up a 4mm tungsten beaded nymph easily - perfect for those early (or late) season forays! *** Go on, you know you want to! *** On the subject of the Klink 'n' Dink technique ... A week or so ago, we noticed a massive jump in hits (and sales) on our Feathersmith website. On further investigation, we discovered that those nice people across at Fly Fishing & Fly Tying magazine had kindly uploaded a video review of a couple of our kits - The Klink 'n' Dink kit being one of them: We've based our Klink 'n' Dink kit around a really successful fly fishing technique which is used all around the world as a method to catch fish when you cannot see any rising, the Klink n Dink (or Duo or New Zealand Style). Essentially it's a way of fishing both a dry fly and a nymph at the same time, allowing you to search all areas of the water - to find the fish! To fish this method requires a specific dry fly - one with a tippet ring tied into the tail, this allows you to suspend a nymph under the fly without compromising the hook point on the dry fly, even when using barbless hooks Our Feathersmith Klink 'n' Dink kit is suitable for: Target Species: Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout & GraylingWater Types: Rivers & StillwatersLocation: All UKTying Difficulty:   Klinkhamer - Intermediate (full video step-by-step instructions provided)   Red-Neck PTN - Easy (full video step-by-step instructions provided) Our Klink n Dink kit contains enough materials and hooks to tie 40 flies: For the Klinkhamer: Hooks: AHREX FW525 hooks (10 each of sizes 10 & 12) Thread: Semperfli White Nano Silk Dubbing: Peacock Dubbing Mix Post: Z-Lon White & Orange Hackle: Grizzly Grey Body: Pheasant Tails Tippet Ring: 2.0mm Tippet Ring Fixing: Fire Line Black 0.30 Pre-Tied Sample Klinkhamer For the Red-Neck Pheasant Tail Nymph: Hooks: AHREX FW501 hooks (10 each of sizes 16 & 18) Thread: Semperfli Black Nano Silk & Feathersmith Red 8/0 Dubbing: Peacock Dubbing Mix Tungsten Beads: 2.0mm & 2.5mm Nickel Colour Body: Pheasant Tails Body Rib: Gold Wire #34 Pre-Tied Sample Red-Neck Pheasant Tail Nymph   Contained inside each kit is a leaflet which will direct you to a secret page on our website where all the technique information and step-by-step tying videos can be accessed. This method is the best way to search a water when there are no obvious signs of fish activity, its especially successful in the early parts of the river season. Essentially it is a way of fishing a dry fly and a nymph at the same time. When using this method I always use a ‘Dinkhamer’ fly, this is a klinkhamer style fly which has a small tippet ring tied into its tail. The tippet ring on the dry fly allows you to tie your nymph to it and fish using the klink ‘n’ dink method (a bit of a sticking point normally when using barbless hooks, as usually the tippet is tied to the bend of the hook). You can use the same rod, line and leader as you would when fishing a dry fly. Typical Leader Setup Tie the Dinkhamer to your leader as you would for any normal dry fly setupTie a length of tippet to the tippet ring - I generally use 1.5 x the depth I want the nymph to fish at.Tie your nymph to the other end of the tippet. On a River: Cast upstream and fish it just as you would a dry fly. Watch the Dinkhamer for any signs of a take on the nymph - or the Dinkhamer itself. Always try to fish in the seams of two different speeds of water, this is usually where the fish will be, just in the slower water. On a Stillwater: Start to cover the water using the fan cast method and fish this setup just as you would a dry fly. Watch the Dinkhamer for any signs of a take on the nymph - or the Dinkhamer itself. Please Note: When fishing big and bushy patterns (like the Daddy Dinkhamers), use a slightly heavier/stiffer tippet than you would normally use - it will reduce the amount of twist in the leader as these flies are fairly big and wind-resistant.   Tight lines & enjoy your early season (I know I will)!

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'Almost' Barbless Flies - A Little Bit Of A Cock-Up

Perdigon Jigs: Your Early-Season Secret - Nygren's Secret Nymphs

An Inglespañol Creation This is quite a long email, so you may want to grab a brew before you start reading it! We pride ourselves on our communication - 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. 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). This email is all about the Perdigon nymph, a fly pattern specifically designed to sink fast, and catch fish - especially in the early stages of the season! These flies are all tied on one of the best jig hooks available (the Hanak H450BL). In this email, we are launching our Clear-Water & Coloured-Water Perdigon patterns, all available in sizes 14 & 16 (and 20's if you want to stock up on some stunning micro Summer nymphs). 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: As you may imagine, I get through loads of pencils (if you're a pencil geek - I love using 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 - an hour of my life I will never get back, thanks to YouTube - 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 style of fly this email is concerned with - it is the product of a Spanish guys imagination, José Carlos Rodríguez - he took inspiration from a Catalan nymph devised by José María Cros and a micro-nymph tied by the renowned French angler Pascal Cognard. It is of course one of the most successful early-season nymphs when the water is a little higher than usual and flowing faster, The 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 using them as I do when I reach for my Blackwings!  We've loads of info on the Perdigon below and I've also included a section at the very end of this email on how to get the best presentation in the early stages of the season when fishing with perdigon style flies. 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 them to you - our fantastic email community - today. These flies have been specifically tied for fishing in the water levels and flows we experience through the early season 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 - to make it a really simple choice, we've taken the hard work away from you and pre-divided them by the type of water you usually fish - how good are we to you!: Clear-Water Perdigon Jig Selection £36.00 £45.00 Coloured-Water Perdigon Jig Selection £36.00 £45.00                                   Nygren's Ultimate Perdigon Jig Selection £99.50 £130.00   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 £36 for each selection of 20.  Our Ultimate Perdigon Jig Selection includes all 40 flies (i.e. both the Clear-Water & Coloured-Water Selections) and one of Jeff Jones's beautiful wooden fly boxes, and is £99.50 - a 30% discount on buying individually, but I hope you will agree that the quality is outstanding.  We only have 30 of each of these three selections for sale - they will never be produced in large numbers due to the time taken to tie/make each fly. 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 pretty quick off the mark!   Here are a few more images to really tempt you:   Go on, you know you want to! Fancy Something A Little Smaller ... Nygren's Micro Hot-Spot Perdigon Jig Selection £36.00 £45.00 As you can see from above, we're pretty geeky when it comes to our nymphs! Here's the specification for the size 20 Perdigon Jigs: Size 20: Weight - 0.07g Hook Length - 8mm Hook Gape - 3.6mm Bead - 2.5mm Slotted Tungsten 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 Copper Gold Light Pink Metallic Blue Metallic Green Metallic Orange Peacock Pearl Rainbow Our Micro Perdigon Jig Selection contains 2 each of the above colour variations (a total of 20 Micro Perdigons) all for the very reasonable price of £36 - which includes FREE delivery to anywhere within the UK.. Go on, you know you want to! 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. 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.          

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Perdigon Jigs: Your Early-Season Secret - Nygren's Secret Nymphs

An Inglespañol Creation - By José Carlos Rodríguez

An Inglespañol Creation This is quite a long email, so you may want to grab a brew before you start reading it! We pride ourselves on our communication - 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. 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). This email is all about the Perdigon nymph, a fly pattern specifically designed to sink fast, and catch fish - especially in the early stages of the season! These flies are all tied on one of the best jig hooks available (the Hanak H450BL). In this email, we are launching our Clear-Water & Coloured-Water Perdigon patterns, all available in sizes 14 & 16 (and 20's if you want to stock up on some stunning micro Summer nymphs). 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: As you may imagine, I get through loads of pencils (if you're a pencil geek - I love using 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 - an hour of my life I will never get back, thanks to YouTube - 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 style of fly this email is concerned with - it is the product of a Spanish guys imagination, José Carlos Rodríguez - he took inspiration from a Catalan nymph devised by José María Cros and a micro-nymph tied by the renowned French angler Pascal Cognard. It is of course one of the most successful early-season nymphs when the water is a little higher than usual and flowing faster, The 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 using them as I do when I reach for my Blackwings!  We've loads of info on the Perdigon below and I've also included a section at the very end of this email on how to get the best presentation in the early stages of the season when fishing with perdigon style flies.  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 them to you - our fantastic email community - today. These flies have been specifically tied for fishing in the water levels and flows we experience through the early season 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 - to make it a really simple choice, we've taken the hard work away from you and pre-divided them by the type of water you usually fish - how good are we to you!: Clear-Water Perdigon Jig Selection £36.00 £45.00  Coloured-Water Perdigon Jig Selection £36.00 £45.00  Nygren's Ultimate Perdigon Jig Selection £99.50 £130.00                           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 £36 for each selection of 20. Our Ultimate Perdigon Jig Selection includes all 40 flies (i.e. both the Clear-Water & Coloured-Water Selections) and one of Jeff Jones's beautiful wooden fly boxes, and is £99.50 - a 30% discount on buying individually, but I hope you will agree that the quality is outstanding.  We only have 30 of each of these three selections for sale - they will never be produced in large numbers due to the time taken to tie/make each fly. *** 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 pretty quick off the mark!   Here are a few more images to really tempt you:   Go on, you know you want to! Fancy Something A Little Smaller ...   Nygren's Micro Hot-Spot Perdigon Jig Selection £36.00 £45.00 As you can see from above, we're pretty geeky when it comes to our nymphs! Here's the specification for the size 20 Perdigon Jigs: Size 20: Weight - 0.07g Hook Length - 8mm Hook Gape - 3.6mm Bead - 2.5mm Slotted Tungsten 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 Copper Gold Light Pink Metallic Blue Metallic Green Metallic Orange Peacock Pearl Rainbow Our Micro Perdigon Jig Selection contains 2 each of the above colour variations (a total of 20 Micro Perdigons) all for the very reasonable price of £36 - which includes FREE delivery to anywhere within the UK..  Go on, you know you want to!   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. 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.

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An Inglespañol Creation - By José Carlos Rodríguez

Tracing blue lines on a map to reveal hidden treasure!

Chasing Blue Lines On A Map   Morning. If you're anything like me (which I assume you are if you're reading this), then we've all opened a local map to trace the blue lines - for some reason I always find myself doing this in March - it must be due to the fact that here in Yorkshire the rivers don't usually open until the 1st April, and I can't wait! Have you ever noticed how the anticipation of an approaching fishing season often outshines the actual fishing? There you are, organising your fly box for the fifteenth time, studying river maps like they're ancient scrolls revealing hidden treasure ('chasing blue lines'), and telling your significant other "just five more minutes" as you tie just one more fly ...   I firmly believe that it's the anticipation of the first cast that keeps us all coming back - that moment when every pool potentially holds the fish of a lifetime and your back and/or knees haven't started complaining yet. If we're completely honest, our anticipation doesn't include cold fingers, surprise downpours, or those existential moments when you're standing, thigh-deep, wondering if fish are just an elaborate hoax perpetuated by fly rod manufacturers! Whilst we can't guarantee the fish will cooperate when the season does open - if we could, our sport would be called 'catching', rather than 'fishing' - we can ensure you're equipped with the perfect arsenal of flies. Which brings me to our completely redesigned and Brand NEW for 2025 Dry Fly Selection ...   When we first launched Barbless Flies - all the way back in 2014 - we started with just two selections of flies - a set of nymphs and a set of dries. Our initial aim was to put together separate universal selections of dry flies and nymphs which you could take to any water (be it River or Stillwater) in the UK, and be confident of catching a fish - no matter what time of day, or year. As the weather starts to (hopefully) warm up and the river season opens, 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 original Dry Fly Selection had not really changed at all since we first launched it all those years ago. Until now ... I'm absolutely delighted to tell you that we've completely redesigned our best-selling Dry Fly Selection for 2025. We've curated the NEW for 2025 Dry Selection with the best quality flies available - all tied using the highest quality materials, and on the very best hooks - AHREX. Which other fly retailers actually tell you which hooks they use? There's a reason they don't tell you. The one thing which hasn't changed in our selection is it still adheres to our original ethos - 'dry flies which you can take anywhere (at any time of day or year) and they will work' - with the added benefit that the flies are now all tied on AHREX's ultra-premium barbless hooks. Please Note: Our new Dry Selection features patterns that are so meticulously crafted, you'll want to frame them rather than tie them to your leader. Although, between you and me, they work much better in water than behind glass. Our NEW for 2025 Dry Fly Selection contains five patterns. Four of which variations you will find in virtually every anglers fly box: Elk-Hair Caddis - Al Troth´s legendary Caddis fly. The Elk Hair Caddis is one of the most well known and lethal Caddis patterns. You will generally find two kinds of flies to mimic the adult flies - high and low floaters, this fly is a high floater that will dance around on the surface. Give this fly some movement occasionally. We are supplying three Elk-Hair Caddis, all tied on an AHREX FW503 size 14's in our Dry Selection. Olive Emerger - An excellent emerger pattern, with a Z-Lon wing. This pattern is ideal to imitate the change from nymph to dun. We are supplying three Emerging Olives, all tied on an AHREX FW503 size 16's in our Dry Selection. Caddis Upright - A stage in the Caddis lifecycle which is often overlooked. Fish this fly free drifting. We are supplying three Caddis Upright's, all tied on an AHREX FW503 size 14's in our Dry Selection. Early Dun - This fly is a great generic imitation of the various Olive's which are commonly found in all rivers throughout the UK in the Spring and Summer months. We are supplying three Early Dun's, all tied on an AHREX FW503 size 16's in our Dry Selection. The fifth pattern in our selection is a little special, it's slightly underwhelmingly called - The Emerging Caddis: This fly is a very versatile pattern, great fished as a single dry fly on a dead drift or just tweaked a little to give a bit of movement. It sits right in the meniscus and is great when fished in a morning or early evening. We are supplying three Emerging Caddis, all tied on an AHREX FW503 size 16's in our Dry Selection. Our NEW for 2025 Dry Selection is now available as a selection of 15 flies (5 different patterns - see above - 3 of each). We are supplying all of these for only £22 - shipped FREE of charge to anywhere in the UK and supplied in our eco-friendly packaging. Just click on any image or button in this email to view the flies in more detail.    Go on, treat yourself for the beginning of the river season. These are the best quality flies available on the market today!   Other Dry Flies To Consider ...   Specialist Dry Selection only £20.00 The barbless Specialist Dry Fly Selection. To complement our NEW for 2025 Dry Fly Selection we have added this specialist selection of dry flies. These are designs which, over the last few years have proved themselves in the fish catching stakes. Some are generic patterns which represent numerous flies, all can be used in the Spring and Summer months to catch those most wary fish. These flies are all great imitations (all tied on barbless hooks - of course!). In total, there are 16 flies supplied in our eco-friendly packaging. All of these flies are tied using barbless hooks, in sizes 14 and 18 using the highest quality materials. 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. Why not give this Top Tip a go and 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/Jimi Hendrix/[insert favourite guitarist here] and twang the elastic band a few times with your free hand. This will shed all of the excess water from your fly! As a special treat, for today only, for each NEW for 2025 Dry Selection ordered we will include a 'special Fly Fishing' Elastic Band for FREE - they're not really that special they only cost us £1 for 50 and you can use them for purposes other than fly fishing! Tight lines & have a great opening day of the river season (whenever yours opens).                                                          

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Tracing blue lines on a map to reveal hidden treasure!

Crafted for Your Waters: A Fly Concierge Service

Morning, I caught up with Jeff Jones (fly box maker extraordinaire) just before the recent BFFI, where he informed me that he was retiring - if you've never seen one of Jeff's hand-made oak fly boxes before, you're in for a real treat. If you've been a part of our email community for any length of time, you will no doubt remember that we did a range of really nice Mayflies in one of Jeff's boxes - they sold out within hours! On chatting with Jeff, he offered us the very last of his small fly box stock - which we gladly snapped up: Just as our conversation was ending, Jeff also mentioned that he had a really nice, but quite large, fly box - if we could do something with it. Too right we could ... fast forward a couple of weeks ... and Jeff's fly boxes arrived with us last week & they are stunning! We knew exactly what to do with his regular 'pocket sized' boxes - see our Fly Concierge Service further below - but, it took us a while to figure out what we do with the 'big one'. We've created a 'one off' and called it The Barbless Flies Vault: We've only one of these - and we're going to sell it - but it's not cheap! This mega fly box from Jeff is hand-made from oak and measures: 42cm Wide x 26cm Deep x 5cm High It's also stuffed full of dozens and dozens of our best flies - both Artisan and Bosnian. In total there are 500+ flies contained within the box (48 different patterns, with roughly 10 of each pattern - in all the right sizes). The fly patterns included cover the whole trout river season. Here's just a few of the 48 fly patterns which are included: March Browns Iron Blues Blue-Winged Olives Hawthorns Daddy Long-Legs Tungsten Nymphs Perdigons Bosnian Mayflies Regular Mayflies Beetles Shrimps Hi-Viz Klinkhamers Stoneflies We've only one of these - and we're going to sell it - but it aint' cheap! Our Barbless Flies Vault is on sale for the princely sum of - £750 - yes, you did read that right - s e v e n  h u n d r e d  a n d  f i f t y  p o u n d s  The Barbless Flies Vault contains 500+ of our premium barbless river flies (valued at over £800 themselves) and Jeff's stunning Oak compartment fly box (valued at £120) - when you look at it like that, £750 is a bit of a bargain! Full Disclosure: Jack and I originally only put this together to see what it would look like, with no intention of actually selling it. But, as the saying goes "you never know who's reading this", so if you fancy it, as a bit of a 'Brucie Bonus' I will even hand-deliver the Barbless Flies Vault to you - so long as you are within an hour's drive of Scarborough!   On the subject of Jeff's more pocket-friendly fly boxes ...   My recent long-form article over on our "The Fly Fishing EDGE" subscription platform about Fly Box Organisation seems to have struck a bit of a chord with lots of you - judging by the emails I've received over the last few weeks, all centred around two subjects: Saying what an easy way it is to organise your flies, whilst taking much less to the water; and Asking if we could make them available to buy through Barbless Flies The real difficulty with making the seasonal fly boxes available to buy is that rivers across the country have different fly life at different times of the year. This set me thinking, and re-ignited the idea of: Just like a Concierge at a hotel, there is no reason why we can't provide a personal service and curate sets of flies specific to you and the rivers you fish - all we need to know is which part of the country you fish in and we can do the rest. We have over 2,000 different patterns in the warehouse, so the flies themselves aren't an issue! So we are going to do exactly that ... We are starting with seasonal fly boxes for Spring & Summer - just like the ones I use myself. We did something very similar for a very good customer a few weeks back, he called me on the day he received his curated fly selection, his exact words were: "I just had to give you a call. The flies you sent me are fantastic, which is usual for you, but the box is out of this world (and I work with wood every day). I can honestly say that opening that box reminded me of just how I felt on Christmas morning as a kid." Thanks Philip, I love taking phone calls like that. Each one of Jeff's oak boxes will contain a minimum of 40 of our best quality flies, along with the box of flies you will also receive a document explaining which flies are in each box and information on how to get the best from each of the patterns. Here's how the process will work: You place your order for the seasonal curated fly selection through our website - you can click on any image or button contained within this email to view the seasonal selections (we are starting with Spring & Summer). Once you receive your order confirmation email, reply to it giving me the following details: your name, your order number and the location of any specific rivers you fish. You can also include any extra information which you think is necessary, i.e. if there are any specific restrictions on your water. I will do the research into the flies for your particular area and season. I will then personally put the full fly selection together and ship them to you. As you can probably imagine, this personal service does come at a little bit of a cost, £97.50 to be exact, but for that you receive: A minimum of 40 of our best quality flies presented in one of Jeff Jones's oak fly boxes (these easily fit in wader or vest pockets); and A document outlining the fly box's content and detailed information on each pattern included - all tailored to you and your river. Please Note: Due to the unique aspect of this product, it's not something we can just pre-make, pluck off the shelf and ship the same day as you order (like we usually do), there will be a couple of days delay in shipping these to you as each is curated and tailored to your individual area/river/season.   Please Also Note: I believe this is outstanding value when you consider the flies alone would be around £75 and the box £45, plus you receive a detailed run down of the fly patterns contained within your personally curated selection - and, I have to spend quite a bit of time researching the best flies for the job! If our Concierge service proves popular, we will extend it out to other selections, but to get us going we are concentrating on just seasonal boxes for Spring & Summer. If you have any questions etc on our Concierge Service please get in touch with me and I will help where I can.   Tight lines.                                              

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Crafted for Your Waters: A Fly Concierge Service

Early Access: Our NEW Feathersmith Signature Series Kits - only £20!

Morning. Before I start with this email - it's a 'fly tying' one, which I know some of you are not interested in - if that's you, please feel free to delete it immediately! If that's not you and you've even the remotest interest in 'rolling your own', then please - read on McDuff ... As a valued member of our email community, I wanted to release our NEW 'Signature Series' Fly Tying Kits to you first. We knew we were onto a winner after our successful soft-launch of the kits at the BFFI a few weeks ago. But first ... If you are a subscriber to the Fly Fishing & Fly Tying magazine, you may have seen our kits reviewed by Magnus Angus as a part of their 'On The Bench' feature in their April edition (which I received yesterday):   * Yes, we are going to frame it for all to see! Magnus's review was completely independent (and I've taken note of his - and others - comments about the background music which accompanies our videos!) It's always great to get some industry recognition with anything we do, so Jack and were feeling pretty chipper this morning  Now, back to our Signature Series Kits ... This series of kits came about from numerous conversations I've had since Feathersmith's inception - mainly centred around a few different points: Customers wanted kits that were a little different to what they would usually tie; and They also wanted the price to be lower with fewer flies So, we put our thinking caps on and came up with our NEW 'Signature Series' - essentially, these are all patterns which are real fish catchers and by playing about with the packaging - and supplied materials - we've brought them in at the right price point, with just the right amount of flies - each of our Signature Series of kits are priced at only £20, you can find out more details of the patterns included below. To bring the price down, while still offering outstanding value, we've had to use a little bit of lateral thinking - for example, each kit only makes use of standard black thread (which everyone already has), so we've not included it as a part of the kit. Please Note: As always, with any of our Feathersmith kits: Contained inside is also a link which will direct you to a secret page on our website where all the tying videos, fly history etc (including all of 'our man in Bosnia's' Fly tying tutorial series) can be accessed. One other comment which we've taken note of was that customers wanted a way of keeping their materials fresh (out of the way of any bugs which may eat the natural feathers/dubbings etc), so, all of our Signature Series kits are supplied in re-sealable bags - to keep your materials in the best possible condition. Enough of the pre-amble, let me introduce you to the kits themselves. We're starting our Signature Series lineup with three separate kits: The Quill Gordon The V-Rib Tungsten Nymph; and The Blue-Winged Olive Details of each kit can be found by either clicking the link below it, or on the image itself. The Quill Gordon     This first in our 'Signature Series' of kits celebrates a classic Catskill style pattern - The Quill Gordon. This pattern is perfect for targeting Spring and Summer Trout and is especially successful on the slower glides when Olive are hatching.   The V-Rib Tungsten Nymph     This second in our 'Signature Series' of kits celebrates a fly which catches fish in virtually ever water it enters - The V-Rib Tungsten Nymph. This pattern is a bit of a hybrid, in that it perfectly imitates those sub-surface hatches, but with a rubber-legged twist. It is a perfect pattern to use in the early (and late) season, just before we start to see the more regular fly hatches.   The Blue-Winged Olive     This third in our 'Signature Series' of kits celebrates a fly which is a staple on virtually every water in the UK - The Blue-Winged Olive. This pattern is a development of the popular 'spent' variant, which is especially successful when fished during (and after) the fabled 'evening rise' - and also really productive when fished first thing in a morning.   Try Our Other Feathersmith Kits! We've now built up quite a range of Feathersmith kits. We have you covered for the most successful flies no matter what waters you are fishing. Take a look at these two kits below. The Klink 'n' Dink is perfect for the early river season when searching the water for those elusive fish, whilst our Woolly Bugger kit is an ideal starter kit which produces a perfect fly for stillwater lure fishing and streamers on a river: *** Go on, you know you want to. Our Boxed Feathersmith kits are perfect to while away the hours whilst your waiting for the season to start, and at less than £1/fly they also offer great value *** Some More Nice Words About Our Kits!     But, I've Never Tied A Fly Before!   Don't worry, we've got you covered ... We know that our Feathersmith kits appeal to both the beginner and more experienced fly tyers, and since launching our first kits we've had quite a few enquiries asking if we could provide a 'basic set of skills' course to help those of you just starting out on this fantastic hobby. Kenan Haseta is a professional fly tyer and keen fly angler, he's a regular visitor to the Ribnik to test out his creations, he's also 'our man in Bosnia' and has been tying stunning 'one-off' creations for us for the last few years, his tying skills are second to none. We've asked Kenan a few times if he would share his experience and skills in video format - he's pretty shy and always wanted to be behind, rather than in front, of the camera. So we twisted his arm a little and he's agreed: Kenan has created a set of 'basic skills' videos for us, with detailed explanations of all the tools, vices, hooks, materials and how to dress a hook. Kenan's 'Fly Tying for Beginners' video series is available for FREE to everyone.   In the meantime, tight threads and have fun out there - our normal 'pre-tied' fly service will resume next week!                                          

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Early Access: Our NEW Feathersmith Signature Series Kits - only £20!

Want to get in touch or visit us?

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