Fly Fishing and Fly Tying have reviewed the Smith Creek products. “These are all made in New Zealand and all are tough, well made, wee gadgets.” See previous blog ( Fly Fishing Stocking Fillers ) for full details!
The Smith Creek
The Smith Creek Net Holster
The Smith Creek
Smith Creek Products are available from Fly Fishing Tackle Co UK
This range of Bamboo Fly Boxes will make a perfect gift at any time, they are made to a very high standard as you would expect from Turrall. The Selection Sets contain Turrall Flies, these flies are tied by Turralls own out workers using only the best materials, such as Metz Hackles and British Hooks.
If you think you need something else as a gift go to Fishing Gifts to see vast range of gifts for the fisherman or lady, or if you want something for a youngster see our previous post on Kids Fly Fishing Kits.
A series of fly selections presented in a handsome Classic pocket-sized fly box crafted from mellowed split cane. Slotted foam inserts securely hold trout and salmon flies. Brass hinged with magnetic closure this beautiful box is lightweight and floats.
136 x 105 x 30mm. Each one offers a balanced choice of essential flies to match seasonal hatches and regional requirements. 32 Flies unless marked. The selections are:-
Caddis/Sedge
Daddies (24 Flies)
Damsels
Dry Flies
Grayling
Irish Wet Flies
Mayflies (24 Flies)
Westcountry River Flies
Salmon Double (16 Flies)
Scottish Loch
Scottish River
Sea Trout (16 Flies)
Spring Hatch Match
Summer Hatch Match
Stillwater Essentials
Welsh Selection
Turrall Complete River Selection (100 flies)Turrall Complete Stillwater Selection (100 flies)
Complete fly selections containing 100 flies, presented in our mellow split cane Grande fly box.
Each one offers a balanced choice of essential flies for both river or stillwater fly fishing.
The Grande is a larger version of our Classic bamboo box for your complete fly collection. Holds approx 100 flies.
195 x 105 x 35mm.
Or if you prefer the Turrall Bamboo Fly Boxes on their own without flies.
The Grande. A larger version of our Classic bamboo box for your complete fly collection. Holds approx 100 flies. 195mm x 105mm x 35mm
The Turrall Bamboo Slimline Fly Box
The Classic. A handsome pocket-sized fly box crafted from mellowed split cane.
Slotted foam inserts securely hold trout and salmon flies. Brass hinged with magnetic closure. finished with a natural satin lacquer, this beautiful box is lightweight and floats – but is almost too nice to take fishing. 130mm x 100mm x 25mm.
The Slimline. A slimline version of our classic bamboo box. Offers the same slotted foam on one side, with magnetic closure and brass hinges. Perfect pocket-sized box which holds approx 5 dozen trout flies. 135mm X 95mm X 20mm.
Click here for Turrall Bamboo Fly Boxes for other fly boxes and fly selections click here and for anything else go to Fly Fishing Tackle Co UK.
In most years the rivers would be low and getting lower by now and I would be fishing midge and aphid patterns in small sizes, I would be fishing fine and far off using Varivas Yamame leaders, to these I would add a two to three foot tippet, giving me a leader of fifteen to eighteen feet. these leaders cast beautifully without having to have to much line outside the rod tip!
Varivas Yamame Tapered Leaders
Keiichero Iwai, Japan’s master of Yamame Trout fishing, developed these leaders with VARIVAS® as the ideal leaders for pursuing these fish in mountain steams with light tackle. It is easy enough to find lightweight rods and reels that can deliver on delicate presentation however, there was always a difficulty to find the hooks to tie tiny flies, tippet to connect them and leaders long enough and fine enough to present a tiny midge to the easily spooked Yamame. With this background, VARIVAS® brought together know-how and expertise to create what is probably the world’s most delicate dry fly presentation system.
Yamame Leader
Yamame Leaders were developed with presentation in mind – 14 feet long and available in 4X to 8X, they are ideal for use on chalk streams when presenting tiny flies to easily spooked fish. With 43% butt, gradual taper over 17% and long point of 40%, they are made of pure nylon so have low / no memory and are very supple.
Clear / Taper:- 43 : 17 : 40 (%).
This one is my favourite!
Varivas Flat-Butt Yamame Leader
Flat-Butt Leaders are the latest innovation in tapered leaders – with the sole aim of providing the fly-fisher with delicate presentation and ideal turn-over.
12 feet long and available in 4X 5X 6X and 7X, they are ideal for use with the dry flies used on our chalk streams. With 55% butt and a gradual taper over 28% with a relatively short point of 17%.
These unique leaders have a flat butt for additional suppleness and ease of knotting – the yellow-coloured butt and taper make these leaders highly visible to the fly-fisher while maintaining stealth with a clear point section. Produced from pure nylon, they are supple from butt to point and have no memory, making them ideal for delicate presentation.
Taper:- 55 : 28 : 17 (%)
Varivas Tapered Leaders
Varivas Tapered Leaders are the ultimate in knotless leaders for the discerning fly-fisher. They provide the ideal solution to specialist fly fishing situations. Some manufacturers produce tapered leaders as 15 foot stock then cut them into 6 foot, 7.5 foot, 9 foot or 12 foot lengths. Varivas however, takes a different approach by designing each different leader for its own specific application … giving the fly-fisher the optimal taper profile to best suit the situation, produced with its taper ratios always in proportion to leader length. ALL VARIVAS TAPERED LEADERS are “Resin Coated” and “Non-Stress Coated” to ensure low memory, abrasion and water resistance, and prolonged life for both fresh and salt water applications.
Varivas Standard
Camouflaged with a green butt section and a clear tip to aid stealth. Available in 7.7 foot, 9 foot and 12 foot lengths in 0X to 7X. With 40% butt and a gradual taper over 40% and 20% point. Ideal all rounder for stealth and river use.
Varivas All Purpose – Fluorocarbon
Sensitive, powerful and durable. Available in 9 foot, 12 foot and 15 foot lengths from 0X to 7X (depending on length). The 9 and 12 foot leaders have 45% butt and a gradual taper over 25% with a longish 30% point whereas, the 15 footers come with a 55% butt, tapering over 30% with a 15% point making them very suitable for deep lake situations.
Varivas Specialist Dry Fly
Available in 9 and 12 foot leaders in 4X to 7X weights. With 50% butt, 20% taper and 30% point this configuration provides a fine supple butt, super long point ideal for delicate presentation.
Varivas Underwater Nymph And Wet
Available in 7.5 and 9 foot leaders in 0X to 3X weights. With 20% butt, 30% taper and 50% point this configuration provides a short butt and long taper for rapid descent of wet fly or nymph.
Varivas Salmon / Light Seawater
Suitable for the heaviest fresh and salt water species such as salmon, sea trout, sea bass, stripers, tarpon and bonefish etc. Produced from clear material with a heavy diameter, long butt section to turn over the heaviest flies. Available in both 10 and 15 foot lengths to provide for the needs of spring and late season low water situations is offered in all weights between 20lb (-4X) and 6lb (3X). With 60% butt, 25% taper and 15% point this configuration provides a long, heavy duty power butt section to withstand aggressive action in tough conditions.
Varivas Lake Retrieve
The profile of these leaders has been developed specifically to get small flies to depth as quickly as possible by having a long point – with fine supple butt section in combination with the super long point are ideal for delicate presentation of buzzers and nymphs
14 ft Leader available in -2X to 5X with the taper ratio of 20% butt, 22% taper and 55% point
FREE Varivas Leader Wallet worth £8.00 if you buy 20 or more Varivas Leaders!
Varivas Leaders, Tippets and Fly Tying Hooks are all available from Fly Fishing Tackle Co UK
Now I know a lot of trout fishermen treat their reels as just somewhere to store the fly line, which in most cases is fine, but it’s the exception to the rule that makes investing in the best reel possible a wise decision. When playing a big fish, be it a salmon, seatrout or a large brown, on a small river, and due to the rain this year the fish are already well upstream, you need a reel that will stop them in their tracks with out breaking off, a reel that will pick up line quickly if they run towards you and reel that is light for its size, which is why I invested in a OPTi reel.
This is the one I chose although OPTi reels come in sizes from Creek to Big. Each model is optimized for specific fishing applications. Creek and DryFly, with a silky-smooth drag that handles the thinnest leader. The Runner, which is built on the same principles as its big brother Speedrunner, is the obvious choice for light double-hand rods or slightly heavier single-hand rods. Speedrunner features an inset handle andextra diameter for speedsters. Megaloop comes with dual braking plates anda super sturdy construction for tackling really big fish. The king of the hill is the OPTi Big. With an absolutely huge drag system it is designed to stop anything.
The OPTi reel will be your best and most beautiful friend for life!
• Designed in Sweden and built with specifically designed components crafted in Sweden.
• Housing and spool machined from one piece aircraft aluminium.
• Waterproof and salt tolerant.
• Components in stainless steel and anodised aluminium.
• Power Matrix Drag System. Axial function employing dual plates. New, unique braking material from Carbon Matrix precision machined to a tolerance of ± 0,02 mm. Extreme temperature and pressure tolerant.
• Simple, quick spool-change.
• Easy-grip progressive brake knob.
• V-shaped spool.
This is a truly elegant and traditional family of rods going back to the classic styles of casting and fishing. These handsome rods were designed with a lightweight medium action that is perfect for all types of trout fishing. The rods range in size from 2wt up to 6wt. Also included in the line are two 6 piece rods that fit in a briefcase and are built for the backpacker and traveller.
• 100% Toray Japanese Graphite (50 million modulus).
• Machined aluminium reel seat with rose dynawood insert.
• A grade Portuguese cork handles.
• Titanium Oxide stripping guides.
• Alignment dots and ferrule designations on all models.
• Cordura hard tube and Redington Warranty.
In conjunction with the Devon School of Flyfishing we are offering one hour free casting tuition from a top AAPGAI instructor at the Fox & Hounds Country Hotel, Eggesford, Devon for anyone who purchases a new Redington fly rod from this online shop, or our shop in Crediton. Terms and Conditions Apply.
For all the Redington Rods in stock visit Fly Fishing Tackle Co UK