Having posted on Facebook recently an image of a #3 Barrio fly line I’d dyed, Andrew Parker got in touch and asked for a ‘How To’… this ones for you Andrew – hope it helps.

The exact process followed to secure the above colour in the fly line using Rit Dye – Dark Green No.35

1 – Wipe clean fly line area to be dyed with a minute amount of fairy liquid on a damp cloth.

2 – Run hot tap as hot as it’ll go – in my case circa 50 degrees centigrade, and fill bucket with 5ltrs.

3 – Empty sachet of Dye into bucket of water and stir until dissolved.

4 – Put required part of fly line to be dyed into bucket.

5 – Bring one kettle full of water to the boil and add to bucket, move fly line to one side whilst pouring.

6 – Using anything (Excluding your best cutlery or finger) gently agitate/stir the water around the fly line to be dyed until desired shade achieved, the change in colour happens quite quickly so don’t take your eyes of it for a moment.

7 – Once happy with shade remove it immediately and rinse the fly line in cold water.

8 – Finish by wiping with a cloth. (I didn’t treat afterwards)

I am still using this fly line regularly as you’ll see in recent blog post pictures, the coating is still perfect, it floats as it did when I bought it and is still bullet straight.

This method works for me every time and has done so on 6 other previous occasions with absolutely no issues… these include RIO, Wulff and Snowbee fly lines.

Choosing to follow this method is at your own risk. I’ll not be responsible for how your fly line ends up nor any burns you acquire whilst doing it ~ Best of luck then!

PS: I’ve not tried on any mono core fly lines, only braided ones.

Warren tentatively suspended above our section of the Wylye at the weekend, I am of course safely on the bank watching in anticipation (Ready with a camera for that YBF moment)… I pleaded old age being the excuse for my inept ability to leap up into branches and brave it’s instability.

What a complete calamity the day turned out to be… the scrapes, the scratches and the tearing of waders & shirts… oh yes! and a note to self for future reference: “When throwing rope attached to a clunking great piece of metal over an unwanted branch, don’t stand directly underneath it when pulling the other end ~ you plonker”

This I did and consequently split my head open as a result, ***kinell that really hurt – thankfully Warren came to the rescue with a first aid box full of wet wipes, eye patches and finger bandages.

Mind you, for all the pain we’d incurred the river looked exceptionally stunning once we’d finished.

The remainder of the week has been somewhat painful for other reasons… short term cabin fever almost set in as the high winds and heavy rain put pay to many planned days of guiding and teaching. I did however manage to get out onto a lake with Steve and his partner stripping damsels on sink tip lines which seemingly was to be the only way of getting in touch with a few of the lively residents.

Yesterday was back to the Wylye with Warren. Winds of 34mph and with not much hope of any fishing we went to check on how our previous cutting, lopping and churning of trees and vegetation had progressed. I’ve come to the conclusion that we’re both fiddlers… any misplaced twig, weed or surface debris has to be dealt with for fear of it looking unsightly, crikey! I’m not that tidy at home.

Having fiddled we spent time just observing the liquid beauty that is the river, some tiny Mayfly were hatching… so tiny we almost mistook them for Olives at one point. Never forgetting the rod, the occasional rise did call for a cast, and there were many… most of which saw nothing come to our imitation, all but one however which nailed a Grey Wulff placed tight under an overhanging branch…(Need to trim that branch when we get a chance – strewth)

A finely finned and fettled troot

With a break in the weather today it was great to get back out teaching on the river with Erica…

…her first time fly fishing, an occasional gust did little to dampen her enthusiasm or perseverance. With nothing rising we looked to a size 16 PTN to get amongst low lying trout in marginal cover. Numerous takes to the fly were reacted to with great speed but being as yet unaware of the need for the agility of bringing the hands, line and a flexing tip together as one, this unfortunately accounted for the loss of numerous fish before we managed to net this fine specimen… how’s that for a first?

Spurred on and with a few more missed takes… one in particular being a lunker of a fish that came to the fly twice before refusing all further attempts will forever haunt us… size mattering not, a few little feisty treats did succumb putting an end to what has been a superb day – well done Erica.

Looking forward to the next 2 hectic weeks… tomorrow is a day of admin and the sorting of some leader design stuff, then it’s off to host a corporate day with Vic Knight at Lenches lakes on Tuesday, followed by a trip up to Cumbria fishing and catching up with friends Tony Riley & Paul Procter… back down on Saturday for a day at the British Fly Fair International before then flying off to Spain for a week.

If you’re up at the Fly Fair this coming Saturday come and say hello, I’ll no doubt be lingering by the AAPGAI casting pool… Tight lines till then ~ Jim