2wheels1rod

Cormorants You Will Welcome On Your Local Water

Micro Cormorants Something for you Stillwater (and river streamer) aficionados today! A twist on a well-known lure - The Cormorant. Cormorants are lures that are generally tied with a thin body and black marabou wing and have a huge following in the UK. The flies we have for you today are Micro Cormorants - called 'Micro' because they are tied on size 12 hooks (for weight), but the tying only covers half of the hook shank, it is in effect a small fly tied on a large hook - think of them as an upside-down Diawl Bach! At the end of this email we have included some tips on how to best fish these (and other lures). Read on McDuff ... View Our Micro Cormorant Selection The Cormorant fly/lure does not exactly imitate a specific insect, but rather it gives a general impression of a wide range of foodstuffs - insects, small fish & even snails. Micro Cormorants are a great point fly when fished using a very slow figure of eight retrieve on a floating line. Especially when the going get's tough and the fish are not responding to your normal tactics. This pattern is a great attractor/lure. Our Micro Cormorant Selection contains 12 flies in total, 4 each of the following patterns in size 12: Micro Quill Cormorant Micro Pearl Cormorant Micro Tango Cormorant These Micro Cormorants are available as a selection of 12 and are available now for only £18, including free delivery. We only have around 30 of these selections available, so if you would like one you will need to be quick! View Our Micro Cormorant Selection How To Fish Cormorants / Lures When fishing lures (and big flies) it's all about control and your connection with the fly. A shorter leader helps you keep better control of the fly and how it fishes. Start with a level piece of mono 4 to 6 feet long - when in doubt, go shorter. There are 2 main types of retrieve employed when lure fishing: the stripped retrieve and the swing (down and across on rivers). Just remember to keep in touch with the fly and try to impart some action into it as the fly moves in the current. On Stillwaters - You have a few options when fishing these Cormorants. You can treat them, and fish them, as you would an emerging buzzer - i.e. fishing static and just under the surface; or fish them as you would any other lure on your favourite stillwater - using short leaders with a short jerky retrieve. Rivers - High Water - When the rivers are running higher than normal or coloured, try running these flies through the back eddies. Keep out of the main flow, and think like a minnow! Also try dead drifting the Cormorant downstream, then retrieve it back (across the flow) with the odd twitch. Rivers - Low Light Conditions - With trout feeding more confidently in low light conditions, try a Cormorant after the evening rise has finished. You will be surprised and what you can catch (even in just a few inches of water). Concentrate on fishing the tails of pools and shallower riffles. It's also worthwhile pulling one through any flat water just as nightfall starts, again, trout feed more confidently after dusk.

The Right Flies, at Just the Right Time - The September Selection

It's September and this month is usually dominated by 3 hatches: Terrestrials - September is known for the Daddy-Long Legs, and Beetles - we've got you covered for those in this months selection. Sedges - Don't get to the river without any sedge patterns in September, it's one of the most popular flies encountered both at the beginning and end of the day. Iron Blues - The re-appearance of the Iron Blue, in the late season is a bonus for the fly angler. Olives - In its various forms, the most common up-winged fly on the rivers in September. To tie in with our Fly Anglers Almanac (which is still available to buy, click here), we are making available to you, each month, a selection of the flies - allowing you to 'match the hatch'. Ok I'm Convinced - Show Me The September Selection Our September Selection contains 26 flies (18 dries & 8 nymphs): Deadly Daddy - 1 x size 10 Glo Daddy - 1 x size 10 Willow Daddy - 1 x size 10 Griffiths's Sparkle Gnat - 2 x of size 14 Indicator Sedge Caddis - 2 x sizes 14 & 16 Iron Blue Dun - 1 x sizes 14 & 18 Iron Blue Emerger - 1 x sizes 14 & 18 Parachute Iron Blue - 1 x sizes 14 & 16 Olive Foam Klinkhammer - 1 x size 14 and 2 x size 18 Olive Quill Tungsten Nymph - 2 x size 18 Orange-Head Mary Tungsten Nymph - 2 x size 18 Snail Bomb - 2 x size 12 Black Bead Beetle - 2 x size 12 Our September Selection is in stock and available now for only £30 (that's over a 15% saving on buying them individually). As always we offer fast, free delivery to anywhere in the world Go on, fill your boots! Show Me The September Selection As you may be aware we used to provide a subscription service, called The River Box, which has now been discontinued due to the costs of the software to run it! We have decided to make a selection of flies from the book available each month - no need to signup for a subscription, just buy them as and when you want them. (for more detailed images and sizes of each fly, please visit our website by clicking on any image or button in the email) The September Selection This months selection includes one of the best terrestrial flies used in the autumn months. Great in warm/damp windy conditions. Fish often miss these when they rise, so you will have to time your reactions accordingly! The Deadly Daddy The Glo Daddy The Willow Daddy Show Me The September Selection When fishing Daddy Long Legs patterns it is important to try to imitate their entry to the water as naturally as possible, this is where those who cast with not too a delicate presentation come to the fore! - try the 'Splash & Twitch' technique, below. Tips On Fishing Terrestrial Patterns In the autumn afternoons, a Daddy pattern is an essential searching pattern, when fish are not rising. To search a river: From the bank, section the river into lanes about 3ft wide. Cast upstream and make 3 or 4 drifts in the nearest lane, repeat for each lane, working away from you. Step upstream and repeat the process. To search a Stillwater: From the bank, imagine a fan with 8 points laid out on the water. Cast to each point of the fan 3 or 4 times, and retrieve using the "Splash & Twitch" technique (see below). Move further along the bank and repeat the process. "Splash & Twitch" Technique With each of the searching methods mentioned above, why not give the "Splash & Twitch" technique a go. As Daddy Long Legs are a land-based insects, they are regularly blown onto the water, and they are not that elegant when they do! Don't worry about perfect presentation, it is often better for the fly to splash down on the water, Keep in touch with the drift as the water brings the fly back to you and give the fly a slight twitch every now and then. You will be amazed how often this inducement will bring up a fish! "Dry Nymph" Technique Most natural terrestrials start to sink after hitting the water. If your floating terrestrial pattern sinks midway through a drift, just fish it as you would a nymph. Some of the best fishing to be had on an autumn afternoon can be by fishing sunk beetles as you would a nymph on a long leader. Show Me The September Selection September Hatches To get you ready for fishing in September, we have reproduced our specific hatch cards for both Rivers and Stillwaters below:

The Ascending Nymph - A Flymph?

The 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. I came across the term 'flymph' when doing a bit of research on our Reverse Tied flies, and then a couple of days later it cropped up again on a Facebook post by a friend - who had tied some up and was having great success with them. So I contacted him to get the low-down on the pattern and what it is about them that makes them so successful. Thanks for the info and samples Philip - you're a star. If, like me, you'd never heard of such a fly before then Read on McDuff ... View Our Flymph Selection 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 undercolor of the tying silk when wet, utilizing soft hackle fibers 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 soft-hackled wet fly that is fished just under the surface - similar to what we know today as an emerger pattern. View Our Flymph Selection It seems that the way these nymphs are tied (and fished) is the key to their success. They are tied with quite thick bodies and soft hackles (very different to the traditional spider patterns we now know as North Country Spiders). 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 pockets) 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'. View Our Flymph Selection Our Flymph Selection contains 4 each of the following patterns in size 14: Large Dark Olive Flymph Pale Evening Dun Flymph Light Hare Dun Flymph Good Luck Chuck Flymph These flymphs are only available as a selection of 16 and are available now for only £20, including free delivery. We only have a few of these selections available, so if you would like one you will need to be quick! View Our Flymph Selection

Another Stunning Selection - Direct from Bosnia

Our guy in Bosnia has done it again, we asked him to tie us some patterns which would entice fish in unpredictable conditions (that was all the brief we gave him) and he's done the business yet again. Also, take a look at the end of this email for some 'Top Tips' on getting the most out of your Late Season Trout (and Grayling) fishing. On my local small stream, it's been quite hard fishing of late, especially with the recent changeable river levels, it's either really low or up around your waist and the colour of a decent pint of bitter! Even with the higher levels, I am still finding that the "go-to" tactic is to go small and imitative. Using a longer leader allows for a more gentle presentation, especially when combined with a longer lighter rod (my go-to rod for this situation is the wonderful Maxia MX 9' 2wt) employing this method I've caught in mornings and evenings, using these small emergers and indicator dries - even in the Theakston's IPA coloured water. Following along the lines of 'small and imitative' we have just received these stunning late-season dry flies from or man in Bosnia. These flies have been specifically tied for fishing in the (sometimes) challenging late-season river conditions. Take a look at them below: *Our selection does not include the fly box as shown in the above image - they are just arty shots of the various patterns! Show Me The Bosnian Summer Dry Fly Selection Our Bosnian Late Season Dry Fly Selection consists of 8 flies, 2 each of 4 separate patterns: CdC Emerger patterns: Hot-Spot Pheasant Tail CdC Emerger - Size 18 Last Light CdC Emerger - Size 18 Up-Winged CdC Dry Flies: Olive CdC Indicator - Size 18 Orange CdC Indicator - Size 18 We are supplying 2 of each of the above patterns, that's 8 flies in total for only £16. This premium Bosnian Late Season Dry fly selection is very limited (we only have 30 available) and once they are gone we will not have any more until next year. Just click on any image or button in this email to view details and buy your selection. If you would like one, you will need to be quick off the mark! Show Me The Bosnian Summer Dry Fly Selection Late August River Tactics Just recently i've been following these simple rules and it really has upped my success rate: DO NOT get into the water and wade, not unless you really have to - As the fish have less natural cover from predators, they are really spooky. Any disturbance in the water (or noise from your studded boots) will transfer its way to the fish. Use a longer leader - I generally use a longer and lighter leader, this will allow you to land the fly with a more delicate presentation - experiment with using a French Leader setup - they really come into their own at this time of year. Look for deep holes & behind any obstructions - If there is no surface activity these will be the places the fish are holding. Try experimenting with a Klink 'n' Dink setup (use a small beaded nymph - size 16 or smaller - we have a wide selection of these - as you may have guessed!). Take advantage of the Low Water If you are a keen Grayling angler, then now is the time to survey the river you fish. If you regularly fish the same stretch for Grayling, now is your best chance, whilst the river bed is exposed, to take a look and note where the contours, deep holes and drop-offs are, and spot the likely fish holding places. This information will come in really useful when the water levels rise again and when the Grayling season starts in anger.

The Last Knockings

The Last Knockings We are now careering towards the end of the river trout season, this generally heralds a burst of insect activity, just ready for the trout to start feeding up ready for spawning. This is the time to start using those slightly larger dry flies, especially the Adams. The Adams is a fly which should be in all river anglers boxes. This style of fly was originally tied by Leonard Halladay and named after his good friend Charles Adams (from “The History of Fly Fishing in Fifty Flies”, by Ian Whitelaw). No one is really sure which insects these flies imitate (a good guess would be an olive), but they really do work well. Generally tied in two different styles, the original and the parachute versions: Original - With a hackle running a third of the way down the hook shank. Parachute - With the hackle tied horizontally around a sighting post. The way in which both of these variants are tied ensures the fly floats high on the surface - and stays there with only a little floatant added! The Adams fly is one that should be in all river anglers fly boxes View Our Adams Selection Hi-Viz Parachute Adams Tied in the parachute style (with the hackle wrapped horizontally), with a yellow sighting post and is in the original colours. Our selection includes 2 of each in sizes 14 & 16. Adams Thorax Tied in the original style (with the hackle wrapped along a quarter of the hook), with a tall sighting post and is in the original colours. Our selection includes 2 of each in sizes 14 & 16. Parachute Adams Tied in the parachute style (with the hackle wrapped horizontally), with a white sighting post and is in the original colours. Our selection includes 2 of each in sizes 14 and 16. Also includes 2 each of the micro versions in sizes 20 and 24. View Our Adams Selection Our Adams Selection consists of 16 barbless Adams variants, comprising 4 different patterns (in 2 sizes). Our Adams flies are available as a selection for £18, or individually for £1.25 each. Fancy A Different Adams? If you're looking for a slightly different style of Adams fly, we've got you covered: Adams Dry £1.50 Buy Now Adams Dinkhamer £1.85 Buy Now Irresistible Adams £1.75 Buy Now *** Delivered Fast & Free to Anywhere in the World *** New Silk Fly Lines So, why would you 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. Each of the lines are made with extra-fine tips - it's like having a built-in furled leader. 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. View Our Silk Lines We've only got 1 of each of these - so grab your's while you can, to save you trawling through the lines on our site, here are the ones we currently have in stock and ready to ship (Weight/Colour/Length/Price): Level - Ivory - 12m - £34.99 DT3 - Orange/Buff - 25yds - £94.99 DT3/4 - Dark Red - 22m - £89.99 DT4 - Orange/Buff - 14m - £49.99 DT4 - Unfinished - 25yds - £49.99 DT4 - Orange/Buff - 25m - £94.99 DT4 - Buff - 26yds - £94.99 DT4 - Red/Buff - 26 to 28yds - £94.99 DT6 - Red - 30yds - £99.99 DT8 - Red - 32yds - £109.99 View Our Silk Lines Each of our Silk lines are shipped with a handy box (to keep them in when not on the reel), a pot of Mucilin (to grease them with), 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, from only £34.99 for the shorter level line up to £109.99 for the full-length DT8 - we've even got a half-line.

Summer Stillwaters = Barbless Buzzers - we love an alliteration

Barbless Buzzers Welcome to this weeks email, all about Buzzers. A Buzzer is basically an imitation of the pupa of a midge (chironomid), most people will already know midges! Midges are abundant in every Stillwater and are a staple diet of the trout which live there, therefore buzzers are sometimes the go-to fly for the Stillwater angler. We've also a few tips for you river addicts to help you get the most from low waters. Read on McDuff ... View Our Barbless Buzzer Selection How To Fish Buzzers Buzzer fishing on stillwaters is generally dependent upon the wind: When it's Still: Use a floating line, long leader and a team of three buzzers. Cast out and, before the flies start to sink, pull the line to straighten out the leader. Then pause (keeping in touch with the flies) and wait for the flies to drop, takes usually come with the buzzers on the drop. You should spot a take before you feel it, keep an eye on the fly line and leader for any abnormal movement. If the buzzers hit the bottom, just a few pulls on the fly line should bring them back to the surface, and you can start again by letting them sink. When it's Windy: Still use a floating line, but this time use a shorted leader. Check the direction of the wind and cast out across the wind (i.e. the wind is side-on to you) - always make sure the wind is to your left shoulder if you are right-handed (and the right shoulder if you are left-handed). Again, using a team of three buzzers, cast out and allow the buzzers to drift with the wind. You should not need to retrieve your line, as the wind will make sure your leader straightens up. Again, you will usually see the take before you feel it - just remember to strike in the opposite direction to the direction your flies are moving. Once at the end of your drift, lift the flies slowly from the water, it's surprising how many fish take your buzzers as you're about to re-cast! View Our Barbless Buzzer Selection These buzzer flies are great imitations and come in a variety of colours (all tied on barbless hooks - of course!). In total there are 24 buzzers supplied in our eco-friendly packaging. All of these flies are hand tied using barbless hooks, in sizes 12 and 16 using quality materials. Once again, we do not charge anything for delivery, to anywhere in the world. Buzzer patterns included in our selection are: Glass Black Buzzer Traffic Light Buzzer Blakestons Buzzer Superglue Buzzer Quill Olive Buzzer Bibio Buzzer Our Barbless Buzzer Selection contains 2 each of sizes 12 & 16 of all the above patterns, that's 24 buzzers in total. These flies are only available as a selection of 24 and are available now for only £24, including free delivery. We only have a few of these selections available, so if you would like one you will need to be quick! View Our Barbless Buzzer Selection If rivers are more your thing: Here's a few timely tips for upping your success on rivers this week: On my local beck, it's been quite hard fishing of late, especially with the low water levels we are seeing. Even with the low levels, I am still finding that the fish are playing hard to get, the go-to tactic is the Duo method using our Dinkhammer flies. Using this method I've caught in mornings, afternoons and evenings. I've been following these simple rules and it really has upped my success rate: DO NOT get into the water and wade, not unless you really have to - As the fish have less natural cover from predators, they are really spooky. Any disturbance in the water (or noise from your studded boots) will transfer its way to the fish. Use a longer leader - I generally use a longer and lighter leader, this will allow you to land the fly with a more delicate presentation - experiment with using a French Leader setup - they really come into their own at this time of year. Look for deep holes & behind any obstructions - If there is no surface activity these will be the places the fish are holding. Target these with a Duo/Klink n Dink setup (use a small beaded nymph - size 18 or smaller). Take advantage of the low water - If you regularly fish the same stretch, look at the riverbed and see what the contours are, and spot and likely fish holding places. This will be really useful information for when the water levels rise again.

Can't see what the trout are feeding on? - Try these

Summer Success = Small Dries I'm writing this after a few very wet days (I even considered starting to build an ark), but my local beck is already dropping to even lower than its usual summer level, and that's when to break out the small flies. During the warmer summer weather with low flows and even lower rivers, most of the fish during the day will head for cover. This will usually be in deep pockets, undercut banks and under their favourite overhanging trees/bushes. When they are hanging out under trees and bushes they are in the perfect spot for opportunistic meals which will either float past or drop from overhanging vegetation. This is when you should break out the small dry flies. We have a few things for you today, including a freebie for which you might be able to find a good home. Read on McDuff ... The Micro Dry Selection from Polish Quills View Our Micro Dry Selection These stunning Micro Dry Flies from Polish Quills are exquisite and so nicely tied they are amazing, so we thought we would create a small selection from them. We are supplying these flies in a selection of 10 flies including Ginger, Grey, Green, Olive & Yellow all in size 20. These flies are essentially very small emerger patterns with a CdC wing and dubbed coloured bodies. Being very small (some only measure 4mm long), they require fine tippet, we have checked them with tippet and can thread 7X (0.10mm) through them. You might be wise to rig these flies up on short lengths of tippet before you venture out fishing though! View Our Micro Dry Selection These are great dry flies for stealthy fishing on those low and slow rivers. These flies are only available as a selection of 10 and are available now for only £20, including free delivery. We only have 30 of these selections available, so if you would like one you will need to be quick! Leader Setup for Small Flies Firstly, when setting up your leader for fishing very small dry flies, 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. Which Cast To Use? Try a Bow & Arrow cast to get your fly into those tight spots: Hold the dry fly with your free hand (by the bend of the hook) Whilst trapping the fly line with your finger on the rod, force a bend into the rod Using the rod tip as a sight, point it to where you want the fly to land and release the fly Out she flies hopefully landing in your chosen spot. It may take a bit of practice to get the cast exactly right, so try it in a spot where you will not disturb any fish to get your accuracy first. Top Tips When Fishing Small Dry Flies Here's a few tips to help you when fishing with small dry flies, which we hope you find useful: Use the most flexible and limp tippet material you can find, often in 6X & 7X. If possible, do not use fluorocarbon, as this will sink and cause even more drag. Make the tippet length form about 30% of the total leader length. This can make the tippet pile up when presented, which may give you a few more seconds of drag free drift. The majority of the time you will lose sight of the dry fly once you have cast it. One option is to de-grease your leader, but leave the last foot near the fly, this should then allow you to see the leader and then track it to your fly. Another option to indicate where your fly is positioned, is to use a minute yarn sight indicator, place it about 3 feet up your leader. Alternatively, why not fish with 2 dry flies, about 18" apart. Use one with a visible sighting post in size 18 and then maybe a size 24 dry as a point fly. Straight Talking - An Introduction to River Fly Fishing If you, or someone you know, are just getting into our fantastic sport, then we have just the thing for you - and best of all, we're giving them away for FREE, until the end of this week: Over the last few months, we've received loads of calls asking how to get into river fly fishing, also asking what the different terms actually mean etc. So we've spent the last couple of months putting together this small ring-bound booklet to try and demystify all the language and give as much info as we can on how to get you started fly fishing rivers. It has 32 concise pages, all the info you need to get you started, from choosing equipment, setting it up and identifying where to fish. We've also included all of our monthly hatch diagrams. It's a 32-page ring-bound booklet (A6 in size), which we feel sure that you will find helpful - and we're giving it away for FREE to our loyal email community. Get your FREE copy here - Just add it to your basket As previously stated, we are giving our 'Intro to River Fly Fishing' booklet away for FREE, you don't even have to order anything from us (it would be nice if you did though!), just click the button above and add it to your basket, we will also ship it to you for free - so what have you got to loose!

The Solution to Summer Fishing - Go Small or Go Home

Lost & Found We've recently had a bit of a stock reshuffle (which included a stock take, that involved counting all our flies - not a task we were especially looking forward to). But every once in a while we strike gold - and that's what we have for you this week. In truth, these are flies which we'd forgotten we had and only found them during the reshuffle of our shelves. They are flies we originally bought last year but we didn't receive them until late, so we put them in a safe place, only to completely forget about them! So what do we have for you this week? Well, it's loads of very small nymphs - ideal for fishing the low and slow rivers and for those picky Stillwater trout - and, a handy guide on how to fish them at this time of year. Read on McDuff ... The Micro Nymph Selection View Our Micro Nymph Selection These stunning Micro Nymphs from Stan @ Gourmet Flies are exquisite and so nicely tied they are amazing, so we thought we would create a small selection from them. These were originally designed and developed on the streams of France. Once we saw them we thought they would be perfect nymphs for use in the summer over here. These Micro Nymphs are tiny imitations, with their segmented bodies made of thin, coloured wire, with bead heads, the whole fly has a very slim profile - and they look stunning! This selection includes the following four colour combinations: 2 x Dark Olive Body, Olive Bead - Size 20 2 x Purple Body, Black Bead - Size 16 2 x Purple Body, Gold Bead - Size 16 2 x Purple Body, Purple Bead = Size 16 A great fly for stealthy fishing on those low and slow rivers. These flies are only available as a selection of 8. These are available now for only £16, including free delivery. We only have 20 of these selections available, so if you would like one you will need to be quick! View Our Micro Nymph Selection Both of these flies below are fantastic at this time of year on both Rivers & Stillwaters - fill your boots! Beat The Anglers Curse Micro Caenis Nymph £2.00 View The Caenis Nymphs The 'Anglers Curse' or Caenis to give it its real name. Often the source of great frustration when the evening hatch is in full flight, but from the wisdom of the French (and Stan's vice) comes this Caenis nymph pattern. Small and black with micro beads, these nymphs are proven to work when most others don't. You just need to fish them slightly differently! Try these nymphs on a long leader fished just sub-surface. These are a great pattern for both rivers and stillwaters/reservoirs. For Rivers: Target the slow silty glides with these nymphs presented just under the surface, these are often taken on the drop so you need to keep in touch with the nymph as soon as it lands. For Stillwaters: Try one of these on a short dropper on a washing line rig - again fished high in the water. See our website for colour and hook size combinations View Our Micro Caenis Nymphs Best Micro Buzzers Barbless Micro Buzzers £2.00 View The Caenis Nymphs A Buzzer is basically an imitation of the pupa of a midge (chironomid), most people will already know midges! Midges are abundant in every Stillwater, and are a staple diet of the trout which live there, therefore buzzers are sometimes the "go-to" fly for the Stillwater angler. These buzzer flies are great imitations and are only available in a size 18. All of these flies are hand-tied using barbless hooks, in sizes 18 using quality materials. Once again, we do not charge anything for delivery, to anywhere in the world. View Our Barbless Micro Buzzers Fishing With Small Nymphs OK, I'm guessing you like the look of those small nymphs above, but why should you use them? Here's why: The majority of fly anglers don’t use them - because it's too difficult to tie them on (it's true). On pressured water when targeting educated fish, the trout generally ignore larger flies, while a micro nymph will generally fool it - after all, as far as an educated trout is concerned small = safe. Small nymphs are found in the water all year round and make up the majority of the trout's diet (especially in the summer months of low water and low flow rates). Small nymphs give you many more options to imitate the natural nymphs (just turn over a few of the larger stones in the river) and match the colours with the colour options we have here, you cannot go wrong. Logically, if a fish is feeding on small nymphs it needs more of them, therefore there's more chance of your fly being taken by a feeding trout! Here's how: Small nymphs work best in slower water - expending energy for such a small nymph in faster water is not worth the fishes effort. In lower flows and slow water, where possible fish from the bank, it's important not to disturb the water at all. Even really slow wading can send ripples upstream and spook fish. Small nymphs usually require small tippets, so to get the best presentation tie the nymph on with a loop knot to give it more movement - try using the Non-Slip Loop Knot. Keeping in contact with small nymphs can be a problem, most anglers use some sort of indicator. If your river allows it, try using a dry fly as an indicator aka The Duo. If you are still not sure about fishing smaller nymphs, try starting with a 2 nymph rig, with the Micro Nymph on the point and a larger nymph on a dropper above it - this will allow you to fish a small nymph at depth easily. View Our Micro Nymph Selection

Terrestrials: Break out the Beetles

Barbless Beetles As the summer continues, those of you who fish regularly will have noticed that the bank-side foliage just seems to get denser every time you visit the water. These are ideal conditions for all sorts of insects to thrive, from small leaf-eating insects to a hoard of beetles and ants. This is prime time for all terrestrial activity on both rivers and Stillwater. We have an updated Beetle selection and an old favourite for you this week): Beetle Selection - We've slightly updated our most popular beetles and included them all in one selection, these patterns will cover all imitations throughout the year. Parachute Beetle - this is a little bit of a hybrid Beetle imitation, it has inspiration from various other flies. Tied with a foam body (like most Beetle patterns), this fly also includes a white parachute indicator, a horizontal hackle and added flash in both the body and loops on each side. All of the above flies can be seen in more detailed images below, and there's also a handy guide to fishing beetle/terrestrial patterns. Read on McDuff ... The Barbless Beetle Selection Show Me The Beetle Selection Why not be ready for any Beetle, with our Beetle Selection. We have created this selection of Beetles that work equally well on both rivers and stillwaters. The patterns included in the selection are: Coch-y-Bonddu Beetle - The classic beetle pattern, also known as the field chafer. Hi-Viz Beetle - A great pattern that is easy to see on those bright sunny days. Tied with a bright pink post. Rubber-Leg Beetle - Another great pattern that is easy to see on those bright sunny days. Tied with a red foam post and rubber legs. Hi-Float Foam Beetle - A beetle designed to float high in the water due to its closed-cell foam body. Tied with a red wing case. Here we have a selection of 16 Beetles, four different patterns (as above) two each of sizes 14 & 18 (click on any image or link to view the flies in more detail). Our Beetle Selection is now available, priced at only £20, which includes fast, free delivery to anywhere in the world. Click on any image or button to view the flies in more detail. View Our Beetle Selection The Parachute Beetle Show Me The Parachute Beetle Pattern This pattern was originally a request from a customer, who asked if we could produce it commercially. Here's what he said about it once he'd tested them for us: "Managed to fish this beetle pattern a couple of times over the last 10 days - caught fish on each occasion! Its absolutely the best beetle pattern I’ve used - visible with the parachute and halo strips, buoyant and capable of attracting the most cautious fish. The size 18 is also good for anything ‘small and black’! Best fished under trees and bushes on windy days during the summer. One of my favourite patterns for otherwise slow days!", Peter R Our Parachute Beetle pattern is only available as an individual fly, these are priced at £1.25 each. We have them in various sizes (to imitate a whole raft of Beetles you may encounter whilst on the water) - sizes 14, 16 & 18. Go on you know you want to! View Our Parachute Beetle Pattern Top Tips When Fishing Terrestrial Patterns In the warmer summer afternoons, a beetle pattern is an essential searching pattern, when fish are not rising. To search a river: From the bank, section the river into lanes about 3ft wide. Cast upstream and make 3 or 4 drifts in the nearest lane, repeat for each lane, working away from you. Step upstream and repeat the process. To search a Stillwater: From the bank, imagine a fan with 8 points laid out on the water. Cast to each point of the fan 3 or 4 times, and retrieve using the "Splash & Twitch" technique (see below). Move further along the bank and repeat the process. "Splash & Twitch" Technique With each of the searching methods mentioned above, why not give the "Splash & Twitch" technique a go. As Beetles are a land-based insects, they are regularly blown (or drop from trees) onto the water, and they are not that elegant when they do! Don't worry about perfect presentation, it is often better for the fly to splash down on the water, Keep in touch with the drift as the water brings the fly back to you and give the fly a slight twitch every now and then. You will be amazed how often this inducement will bring up a fish! Don't forget to drift the beetle under any overhanging branches. "Dry Nymph" Technique Most natural terrestrials start to sink after hitting the water. If your floating terrestrial pattern sinks midway through a drift, just fish it as you would a nymph. Some of the best fishing to be had on a warm summers afternoon can be by fishing sunk beetles as you would a nymph on a long leader. View All Our Beetle Patterns Don't Forget the Beer Mats! Want to get your hands on a limited edition of our full set of beer mats - especially framed. All you need to do is place an order for over £30 during August for an entry - the more orders you place over £30, the more entries you will receive. We've 3 of these to give away on the 1st September.

The Right Flies, at Just the Right Time - The August Selection

It's August, and as well as our monthly selection of flies, we've also got a special offer for 3 lucky customers this August - see the end of this email for more details. August is usually dominated by 3 hatches: Olives - In its various forms, the most common up-winged fly on the rivers in August. Midges & Aphids - Often seen in clouds over a sunny part of the river, 'midge' is a generic name for a multitude of small insects. Aphids are in abundance during August, often falling from trees into the water. Beetles (Terrestrials) - The most abundant terrestrial insect found in August. Fish will wait under overhanging vegetation for beetles to drop off, especially when it's a little windy. Try the 'Splash & Twitch' technique - see below. To tie in with our Fly Anglers Almanac (which is still available to buy, click here), we are making available to you, each month, a selection of the flies - allowing you to 'match the hatch'. Ok I'm Convinced - Show Me The August Selection Our August Selection contains 28 flies: Black Foam Klinkhamer - 2 each of sizes 14 & 18 Griffith's Sparkle Gnat - 2 each of sizes 14 & 18 IOBO Humpy - 2 x of size 14 John Storey - 2 each of sizes 14 & 18 Olive Foam Klinkhamer - 2 each of sizes 14 & 18 Jingler - 2 each of sizes 14 & 18 Copper-Head Mary Nymph - 2 x size 18 Olive Quill Tungsten Nymph - 2 x size 18 Orange-Head Mary Tungsten Nymph - 2 x size 18 Our August Selection is in stock and available now for only £30 (that's just under a 10% saving on buying them individually). As always we offer fast, free delivery to anywhere in the world Go on, fill your boots! Show Me The August Selection As you may be aware we used to provide a subscription service, called The River Box, which has now been discontinued due to the costs of the software to run it! We have decided to make a selection of flies from the book available each month - no need to signup for a subscription, just buy them as and when you want them. (for more detailed images and sizes of each fly, please visit our website by clicking on any image or button in the email) The August Selection This months selection includes one of the best terrestrial flies used in the summer months. Great in warm windy conditions on rivers with a low flow, spooky fish. The Parachute Beetle Show Me The August Selection When fishing Beetle patterns it is important to try to imitate their entry to the water as naturally as possible, this is where those who cast with not too a delicate presentation come to the fore! - try the 'Splash & Twitch' technique, below. Tips On Fishing Terrestrial Patterns Tips On Fishing Terrestrial Patterns In the warmer summer afternoons, a beetle pattern is an essential searching pattern, when fish are not rising. To search a river: From the bank, section the river into lanes about 3ft wide. Cast upstream and make 3 or 4 drifts in the nearest lane, repeat for each lane, working away from you. Step upstream and repeat the process. To search a Stillwater: From the bank, imagine a fan with 8 points laid out on the water. Cast to each point of the fan 3 or 4 times, and retrieve using the "Splash & Twitch" technique (see below). Move further along the bank and repeat the process. "Splash & Twitch" Technique With each of the searching methods mentioned above, why not give the "Splash & Twitch" technique a go. As Beetles are a land-based insects, they are regularly blown (or drop from trees) onto the water, and they are not that elegant when they do! Don't worry about perfect presentation, it is often better for the fly to splash down on the water, Keep in touch with the drift as the water brings the fly back to you and give the fly a slight twitch every now and then. You will be amazed how often this inducement will bring up a fish! Don't forget to drift the beetle under any overhanging branches. "Dry Nymph" Technique Most natural terrestrials start to sink after hitting the water. If your floating terrestrial pattern sinks midway through a drift, just fish it as you would a nymph. Some of the best fishing to be had on a warm summers afternoon can be by fishing sunk beetles as you would a nymph on a long leader. Show Me The August Selection August Hatches To get you ready for fishing in August, we have reproduced our specific hatch cards for both Rivers and Stillwaters below: Show Me The August Selection August Giveaway Whilst chatting to our friendly picture framer (he has the business next door to us), he commented on our beer mats/coasters - he asked if he could have some to play about with - and this is the result: We love it - and it's now proudly hanging in the shop. We asked if he could make 3 more for us, to give away to our customer for the fantastic support you have given us over the past 18 months. All you need do to enter is place an order with us at any point from today (31st July) until midnight on the 31st of August for more than £30 - the more orders you place, the more entries you will have! We will put all of the qualifying entries into a 'flat cap' and draw out the three lucky winners on Wednesday 1st September. As this is a competition of sorts, there are always some rules, and here's ours: This competition will close at 23:59 on the 31st of August, any orders received after this time will not be considered. The competition will run from today (31st of July) until 23:59 on the 31st of August 2021. The judge's (i.e. Richard's) decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Each individual order placed which totals more than £30 will be classed as an entry. Barbless Flies is compliant with the data protection act. Our policy is such that we will not pass on your details to any third party without your prior consent. If you have any questions on any of the above, please email us: richard@barbless-flies.co.uk

Boutique Polish Quills

Boutique Dry Flies We've teamed up again with our favourite boutique fly shop (Polish Quills) to offer some of their signature flies, namely the Quill Hackle & Quillhammer. These flies are ideal for this time of year - i.e. low summer rivers. I do know there has been loads of rain in the south of the UK, but up here in the 'sunny' North we've hardly had any, and our rivers are still very low. If you don't know of Polish Quills, they specialise in tying flies which are successful on the San River in Poland. Fishing on the San they often use very sparse flies imitating all kinds of olives, ideally with an abdomen made of stripped peacock quills for segmentation. Polish Quills are masters at tying quill bodied flies, as you will see from the flies below ... Show me QuillHackle Flies The Quill Hackle is a high floating pattern for very picky trout and grayling, this fly is tied on a size 14 hook and stands high on the water thanks to the sparse, but spiky hackle. The body is made of stripped peacock quill and we are supplying these in 5 colour variations (Natural, Golden Olive, Rusty Brown, Olive & Ginger). Apply a gel floatant only to the hackle of these flies when straight out of the box, then refresh with a powdered floatant once used. Show me The Polish QuillHammer Pattern This is the quill bodied version of a Klinkhammer (tied on a size 14 hook), which comes in 5 basic colours (Natural, Orange, Yellow, Pink & Olive) with hi-vis posts. We recommend putting a gel floatant on the polypropylene before use to keep it floating and well visible (once wet, use a powdered floatant). This fly can be fished alone but often is used as an indicator when fishing "duo" or New Zealand style or klink-and-dink, if one prefers. You can find out more about the Klink n Dink method at the end of this email We are still running our '1 to use, 1 to lose & 1 to give away' promotion on all our flies - buy 3 or more and receive a 10% discount, buy 5 or more and receive a 15% discount. Each of the above flies (Quill Hackle & Quillhammer) are being sold individually for only £1.75 each (which includes free delivery). Just click on any image or button in this email to view details and buy your flies. Just One More Thing! Save these for 'flying ant day' - There’s no exact date every year, but 'flying ant day' usually happens at some point in July/August. Show Me the Polish Quills Ant Patterns It is thought to be when a spell of wet weather is followed closely by hot humid weather, and Queen ants take this as their cue to leave their nest - with the males following. We've managed to secure these ant patterns (probably the best you can buy, anywhere) from Polish Quills. You will not want to be without these if there are ever any ants in the air. Available now for only £1.75 each - all in a size 16 (very limited quantities). The Klink 'n' Dink/Duo/New Zealand Method This method is, without doubt, the best way to search water when there are no obvious signs of fish activity - a situation you regularly come across when fishing during the day in the height of summer. Essentially it is a way of fishing a dry fly and a nymph at the same time. You can use the same rod, line and leader as you would when fishing a dry fly. Here's a couple of rigs to get you started: Typical Leader Setup - Method 1 Using a 3-turn water knot (or Surgeons knot), tie in a length of tippet which is 1.5 times the depth you want to fish at to your leader, leaving a short dropper of around 3" (the dropper should be the piece which is pointing away from your fly line. Tie the dry fly to the dropper. Tie your nymph to the end of the tippet. Cast upstream and watch the dry fly for any signs of a take on the nymph - it will either bob under or stop. Typical Leader Setup - Method 2 To your existing tippet, tie in the dry fly. To the eye of the hook in your dry fly, tie in another section of tippet which is roughly 1.5 times the depth at which you want the nymph to fish at. Tie your nymph to the end of the tippet. Cast upstream and watch the dry fly for any signs of a take on the nymph - it will either bob under or stop. I usually prefer to opt for Method 2 of the above rigs. It's a little easier to tie, and does not tangle so much, but can be less sensitive. As a rule of thumb (and to keep your dry fly floating) always use a nymph which is at least 2 sizes smaller than the dry fly (if using a tungsten nymph try 4 sizes smaller - i.e. a size 18 nymph with a size 14 dry).

Reverse Tied Dry Flies

esreveR deiT seilF I had a thought last year which had been nagging at me for ages - I have loads of ideas, 99% of them are terrible! The original thought was - 'Is it possible to fish a fly with the hook point completely out of the water?', this, I thought, could be useful when targeting spooky fish. I did a little bit of research and found quite a few flies that fish 'point upwards'. About a month later - when I was walking the dog - it suddenly struck me that if a fly was tied backwards (i.e. the hackle was at the bend of the hook rather than at the eye) that would elevate the hook point out of the water. Five minutes later I was at the vice and tied a few up just to test them out - I pass the Yorkshire Derwent on the way to the shop. It was a lovely early spring morning and nothing was rising, but I tied one of my hastily tied reverse contraptions on and cast it out just to see how it sat in the water - to my surprise, a small wild brown took it immediately - "So the work then", I thought (or words to that effect)! Later that day I did a bit of googling and found a few references to some oddball flies tied in reverse, but nothing more than that - so here are, what we believe to be, the only commercially available flies tied in reverse, our Reverse Tied Dry Selection. Ok, so why should I use them? These flies are all tied with the hackle at the bend of the hook. We made sure that the tips of the hackle extend to just below the point of the hook, this means that the hook point should be just out of the water, as shown in the crudest of drawings below: We've no real evidence that this makes any difference at all, as we'd need to find a talking fish to get that! But from actual use on my local river, they do seem to be successful on the low water and with spooky fish - especially when teamed up with a longer leader. Grab a selection for yourself and give them a go! Our Reverse Tied Dry Selection contains 4 distinct patterns (we are supplying 2 of each pattern in 2 sizes, 14 & 18) - for a total of 16 flies in the selection. We are bringing these to you for only £20 - including fast, free delivery. *** We've only got 30 of these available, so if you would like a set, you will need to be quick! *** Please Note: Read right to the end of this email for a special email subscriber offer which is available for this weekend only! Here's a run down of the patterns which are included in the selection: The Single Badger Just like a Double Badger, but with a single hackle at the bend. One of the best flies (and many anglers only fly) used in the summer months. Great in warm still conditions on rivers with a low flow, spooky fish and low levels. TOP TIP: A size 14 well worn out Single Badger can be really effective during a Caenis hatch, it's thought to imitates a clump of Caenis flies which the trout will target. Reversed Kite The Reversed Kite's Imperial - The original was designed by Oliver Kite in the 1960s, this fly probably accounts for more fish due to its uncanny resemblance to the Large Dark Olive dun. Reversed Last Hope Dark Similar to the Single Badger, this fly is great in warm still conditions on rivers with a low flow, spooky fish and low levels. With a peacock herl body and small white hackle this fly is a great small gnat & caenis imitation Reversed Last Hope Light Our Reversed Last Hope Light, this fly is great in warm still conditions on rivers with a low flow, spooky fish and low levels. With a white thread body and small white hackle this fly is a great small caenis imitation.

Innovative Scuds

The Bacchus Bug Selection

Barbless. Clothing