Welcoming as it is, what does ‘thy’ do on a day where skies are full of cloud, Zeus has incontinence and Aeolus is doing his level best to blow away all that confronts him?

If I was any sort of flytyer (and I was once upon a Jackanory) I’d be replacing empty spaces within my fly boxes with the next big hatch… sadly I no longer tie them although I made a brave attempt that lasted the sum total of 3 flies some months back – I’ll have to just continue relieving my friends of theirs when they aren’t looking.

Instead I take one exceptionally good book, loads of leader materials in a whole mixture of flavours, shapes and sizes, mix them together and then formulate profiles on a cracking bit of computer code.

I’m talking leader construction as if you didn’t already know… tut!

My fascination with leaders stems from years of making and selling Furled Leaders way back when. Now it’s my flytying alternative, still as intricate, innovative and yet very rewarding… especially when knots hold and the darn thing turns over sweetly.

The book in question is Drag Free Drift by Joseph Kissane, my favourite of all the books I own. As for the leader materials, well they vary greatly depending on the leader I’m constructing and there’s too many to list – actually it’s secret. Finally the computer programme – Schweitzer’s superb LeaderCalc that comes with the book, or can be downloaded free over the wordly wisely webbly.

The office desk – when you’ve not got a shed it’s one of the few places a man can make a mess…

So if you’re eyesight is shot to bits and your fingers are as fat as sausages , have a go at Do-It-Yourself-Leaders, it’s the bit that gets the fly there don’t forget… here’s some tips