2wheels1rod

The Curious Case of the Cornish Consumables

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

Shuttlecocks At The Ready - Our CdC Emerger Selection

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

British Made Furled Leaders - from Deepest Darkest Cornwall

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

Dry Flies Which Work Everywhere - The Specialist Dry Fly Selection

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

A-lure-ing Early Season Fish

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

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

The Deer Hair Emerger is a classic early-season pattern (for both rivers and stillwaters) across the whole of the UK. Made popular by Bob Wyatt in his classic book 'Trout Hunting - The Pursuit of Happiness' - do grab a copy if you ever see one for sale: In this book Bob describes fly patterns that have a ‘prey image’ - something in the design of the pattern that allows the fly to be picked out among others, rather than ignored – such as its silhouette or size. The Classic pattern Bob is renowned for is the Wyatt's Deer Hair Emerger: As you can see the patterns is quite 'rough and ready' - by design. The key to this style of fly is in the rough body and the deer hair used - it has to be hair from the winter coat of the animal as this is more buoyant due to the increased amount of air contained within each strand (each strand of deer hair is hollow and is a great insulator). The key to fishing this style of pattern is how you treat the fly when dry - just apply a little floatant to the tips of the deer har. This will cock the fly to sit correctly in the water, you need the fly to sit so you can only see the tips of the deer hair on the water surface. For more tips on fishing emerger style flies, please check out the end of this email - we've added a section on how to fish this style of fly. We asked our guy who tie for us to come up with some classic Deer Hair Emerger style patterns. Patterns which I've used with success in the past. We've curated this Deer Hair Emerger Selection based on the flies which: We've found are the most popular on our site; and Ones which I use myself on my local river To this end, we have created our Deer Hair Emerger Selection which contains four variations of the classic pattern - Original, Black, White & March Brown: Our Deer Hair Emergers are now available as a selection of 16 flies (4 different patterns - see above, 2 each of sizes 14 & 16). We are supplying all of these for only £20. All are supplied in our eco-friendly packaging. Just click on any image or button in this email to view the flies in more detail. Just a gentle reminder that all our products are shipped FREE OF CHARGE to anywhere Early Season Conditions Fishing in the early part of the season (March and April) can be very challenging, depending on which part of the British Isles you are located. Generally, the further South and West you are the better the fishing will be at this time of year – the North and Scotland always seem to lag a couple or three weeks behind the South of the British Isles as far as hatches and river fish activity go. Dry Fly Leader Setup for Emergers Firstly, when setting up your leader for fishing emergers, do not use fluorocarbon tippet, as this will sink and drag your fly under with it, use a thin supple mono (there are plenty to choose from such as Stroft & Orvis SuperStrong Plus etc). When building your leader, take note of the river size, if you are fishing a small overgrown stream, it's going to be difficult in most places to cast a 14ft leader, so try cutting back a 9' 6X leader by a few feet, and replacing what you cut off with your chosen tippet. All it means is you will need to wade very carefully in order to not spook any fish. Early Season = Slower Water When fishing in the early season the fish will not be really active, so target the deeper slacker water either to the side or below any riffles. As you will be fishing with an 'emerger style' fly which is not very visible you may struggle to see it (or it will sink) when in very turbulent water - in this case use the 'double dry' technique: The Double Dry This technique is the same setup as the duo, but instead of using a dry fly and a nymph - use two dry flies, one larger and more visible; and one small, the trailing fly should be the smaller one. How to rig: Tie the larger more visible dry fly to the end of your tippet. Tie a separate length of tippet (usually around 2ft long) to the eye of the larger dry fly. To the end of this tippet, tie in your smaller fly. Remember: When casting a rig such as this it is better to use a slow/medium rod and a wide casting arc - a fast rod will cause the loops to be too tight and will cause you no end of tangles. A slower rod (glass is ideal for this style) will allow you to cast a heavier dry rig with a wide loop at short distances. Tight lines.

The Early Seasons Most Successful Flies - Small Tungsten Nymphs

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

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

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

Ask Yourself - What Would Batman Do?

We'll keep this one short - but if you're a stillwater angler, you will want to have some of these in your box, especially at this time of year ... The Zonker is a fly which has always amused me, it reminds me of the Batman TV series from the 1960s - hence the below image. Essentially a Zonker is a lure which is tied with a strip of fur and imitates another fish. Zonkers are streamer flies on hooks sized 4 to 12, characterized by having a strip of fur (rabbit, squirrel or mink) tied on as the wing, with a shiny body and prominent eyes. The fur strip will pulsate with the current mimicking the action of fins, with shiny sides representing the reflective sides of a baitfish. We've taken the original Zonker pattern, minimised it and now have them available for you to show the fish ... The patterns in our Micro Zonker selection are tied on size 14's and 16's. The fur strip pulsates with the current and movement of the water, mimicking the action of a small fish. We tried to think a little 'out of the box' with these and have taken the popular colours and minimised them. These flies are suitable for both stillwaters and rivers and make excellent patterns to use are the weather starts to warm a little and the fish are more active. Our new Micro Zonker Selection contains 16 lures in total, 4 patterns - 2 of each in sizes 14 & 16. The patterns included in our Micro Zonker Selection are: White Cat Micro Zonker 2 each of size 14 - Lenght 6cm 2 each of size 16 - Length 5cm Black Micro Zonker 2 each of size 14 - Lenght 3.5cm 2 each of size 16 - Length 3cm Pink Micro Zonker 2 each of size 14 - Lenght 3.5cm 2 each of size 16 - Length 3cm Orange Micro Zonker 2 each of size 14 - Lenght 3.5cm 2 each of size 16 - Length 3cm Our Barbless Micro Zonker Selection, containing 16 flies is available only as a selection for £24, which includes free delivery. We have 30 of these selections available, so if you would like one you will need to be quick! Tight lines & have fun.

FLY: The Series - Launching Today

Grab a brew, I hope you will enjoy this ... It All Started With A ZX80 ... When I was young, I was a bit of an odd child - I was very much into reading, quite analytical and had a real thirst for knowledge. So much so, that I vividly remember when I was 10 my dad brought home a computer that you had to make yourself (a Sinclair ZX80 for those of you who are interested). I remember helping my dad make the kit, this started me on my journey of programming the thing. Bear in mind this was 1980 and home computers had never been seen before, and the only way you could learn was to type in the program from pages in a magazine - you soon learned to touch type and debug code as the programs were sometimes over 30 pages long. I used to spend hours typing the code in, only to find out that there was a mistake - sometimes mine, but usually the code was printed wrong in the magazine. So being that type of child I used to write in to tell them, and then provide them with the correct code to print in the next issue - I'm sure I was a right pain in the a**e. As you can imagine, this love of learning led to a love of books - one which I still follow now - even though I've left my life in IT behind, the fly fishing world has opened up a new joy as far as learning goes. Like A Kid In A Sweet Shop The love of fly fishing knowledge led me to one wet and cold day in October last year, stood in that fantastic second-hand book shop - Barter Books in Alnwick: This bookshop is legendary, as far as book shops go, in that they have books on virtually every subject imaginable - and their fly fishing section is not too shabby. It was whilst wandering around this old railway station full of second-hand books, that I came across what was one of my passions when I was younger - the Observer's Series of Books. I used to love the way that it was a small book (which I could afford) and contained lots of information only related to a single, sometimes niche, subject. They also appealed to the collector in me, in that there were around 100 printed which looked great on a shelf! For those of you who are uninitiated in the series that is Observer's, it was a series of small, pocket-sized books (for pocket money) published from 1943 to 2003. Aimed at children, but covering a wide variety of subjects, such as hobbies, art, history and wildlife - there was even one on fly fishing. Stood there - taking in what Barters had to offer - it struck me, how come there's nothing like this available now - pocket-sized books, for pocket-money prices which take a niche subject and dive deep into it. So, while we had some time on our hands over Winter, it's always a quiet time for us, we've done it ourselves: We're super proud to present to you the 1st in a series of pocket-sized books at pocket-money prices - only £8.99: Grab yourt Copy Now - €8.99 We've taken a subject within Fly Fishing - in the case of the 1st in the series - "Early Season River Fishing" - donned our budgie smugglers and done a deep dive into it: The first in a series of collectable books on the various aspects of fly fishing. Each book takes a 'deep dive' into a niche aspect of fly fishing. Grab yourt Copy Now - €8.99 This book, written by us and co-published by FlyFishMedia, contains a detailed analysis of how to approach fly fishing rivers in the early season (March & April). Book Details: Number of Pages - 78Format - A6 (10.5cm x 14.8cm) In this book, you will discover how to identify the species of insects which are commonly found in UK rivers between March and mid-May. How to then imitate them with the most common fly patterns. This book also discusses the type of conditions you can expect to face and the various tips, tricks and techniques used the fish them. This book also includes leader configurations that use multi-fly rigs to get the best from the early season conditions. Please Note: This is a physical book, printed in English. Grab yourt Copy Now - €8.99 As we've no idea how well these will go, we've only had a limited run of 100 printed (we can do more at fairly short notice), so if you would like one of the first editions, grab yours now. We hope you enjoy reading (and collecting them) as much as we have researching and putting them together. P.S. We are hoping to release quite a few of these this year - roughly one every eight weeks - the next one is all about Mayfly fishing.

Get That Perfect Presentation, Even with Longer Leaders and Smaller Flies

Not too long to wait ... As the opening of the new trout season draws ever closer, my thoughts turn away from Grayling and are redirected towards those beautiful wild trout of the Yorkshire Derwent - and the 'tackle tart' within me reaches for the glossy catalogues which drop through the letterbox on a daily bases, in the hunt for even more gear to hide from my wife - you'd be amazed at how many order we deliver to work addresses! If I were to select just one item of equipment that I think has rekindled my passion for fishing our local small streams, it’s the use of a silk line - I’ve found nothing better for presenting small flies on long light leaders, and it really does put the ‘art’ back into casting. I started on my own silk route early last year and it has completely changed the way I feel about fly fishing. Don't get me wrong, I still love plumbing the depths with nymphs for Grayling, but when it comes to small streams and even smaller flies I instinctively reach for my silk line - the presentation is so much better, and it just makes me feel much happier! They are also very simple to care for (see below). Don't think that to get the best out of a silk line you need a cane rod - just try one on a medium action carbon rod - or better still a glass rod - there really is nothing better. I'm sure that at some point in your fly fishing odyssey you have contemplated using a silk line, if so: Read on McDuff ... What better way to prepare for the upcoming season than with a silk line, especially when said line is made right here in the UK, Sheffield to be precise, by a guy called Ian. These silk lines have been designed and made with a 'fine tip' which effectively means they have a very thin 'built-in' furled leader, so you just attach a level piece of tippet to the end. Ok, so why should I use a silk line then? We're glad you asked: They have no memory - completely limp There's no stretch - improved hookups They are denser than plastic fly lines and therefore much thinner, and thinner lines mean much less wind resistance They float better than plastic fly lines - they float on the water surface, not in it making roll casts and mending line much easier You get 3 lines in one; When fully greased it's a floating Line, grease everything except the tip and you have a midge-tip line, don't grease it and you have an intermediate/sinking line They can last a lifetime - so long as they are cared for and stored correctly a silk line can last a lifetime - and indeed will get better with age We've just received a parcel here @ Barbless Flies HQ - direct from Ian in Sheffield and it's full of silk fly lines - we've now got these stunning full-length silk lines in the most popular weights (DT3, DT4 and DT5) and colours (Light Straw, Burgandy & Black). Each of our Silk lines are sent in a handy box (to keep them in when not on the reel), a pot of floatant grease, a microfibre cloth (to clean/help dry them) and full line care instructions. These lines are made in the UK (in Sheffield, Yorkshire to be precise), by Ian Moxon and are great value for money, these fully finished lines are now available for immediate delivery, only £99.99 - which for a silk line is great value. For Today Only: As an added incentive, if you order a silk line today, we will even send it to you 1st Class at no extra cost tomorrow. We can't say fairer than that. *** We've only 3 or 4 of each weight of line - and no more stock arriving until June, so if you would like one, you will need to be quick *** Please Note: We do realise that silk lines may be very new to some of you, and you will have some questions. Please either reply to this email, or give me a call on 0330 66 00 587 and I will answer them as best I can. A Message from Iam Moxon (the maker) about traditionally made Silk Fly Lines: “My new silk fly lines are usually a bit stiff and a bit rough to start with (and that is normal for a properly made silk fly line). The line will become softer and more supple over the course of the first half dozen fishing trips and nothing should be done to try and accelerate that process. Before each fishing trip apply a thin layer of line grease. After your fishing trip pull the line off your reel in loose coils into a cardboard box to dry (or put onto a line dryer if you have one). Never grease a wet silk fly line as that will trap the moisture inside and prompt rot. Occasionally a silk line will become sticky/tacky for no apparent reason (usually due to old line grease/residue) and if that happens wipe the line down with white spirit." "All my line are made from unbleached raw natural reeled silk (reeled silk is the best grade of silk followed by spun silk and then bourette). The raw silk goes through the following processes - skein washing (to remove the serracin, also known as degumming), dying if applicable, bobbin winding (various deniers), braiding (tapers are constructed by braiding), loose ends trimmed and burnt, vacuum impregnation with traditional varnish (essentially linseed oil and natural resins - various coats), polishing, leader loops added, weighed and measured and finally coiled up." "Because my lines are constructed in the old tradition way, there my be some very small lumps / bumps and small cosmetic marks. However, each line has been inspected inch by inch (by me) and no lines go out which won't cast well and catch fish. As with any maker's traditional silk fly lines, they always become softer and smoother over the course of the first half-dozen fishing trips and nothing should be done to try and accelerate that break-in process. All those lines have very fine tapered tips and my own micro braided leader loops attached." "With care your silk fly line should last your whole lifetime." Ian Moxon; 2023 They're Flying Out Of The Door ... We've just had to reprint our 2023 River Fly Anglers Almanac, so if you've thought about buying one over the last few days and saw they were out of stock - they're not now. We've just received more and they are looking for new owners, they're really easy to look after, just turn a page every now and then and they're happy: Our 2023 River Almanac is the ideal distraction to while away the hours until the river season starts wherever you are. *** Go on, you know you want to ***

Ian Moxon Silk Fly Lines - made in Sheffield, UK

As the opening of the new trout season draws ever closer, my thoughts turnaway from Grayling and are redirected towards those beautiful wild trout of theYorkshire Derwent - and the 'tackle tart' within me reaches for the glossycatalogues which drop through the door on a daily bases, in the hunt foreven more gear to hide from my wife!

Innovative Scuds

The Bacchus Bug Selection

Barbless. Clothing