Welcome to Troutflies UK

Troutflies UK

Fishing Flies and Tying Products

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Quality fishing flies

Same day dispatch on orders placed before 3pm

Free UK Postage

Check out our ebay shop for

- Hundreds of fishing flies and accessories

- Fly tying materials

- Tackle

DESCRIPTION

The conehead flies are fast sinking lures, available in 6 colours they are a great still water fly perfect for deep waters

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Troutflies UK are a leading supplier of fly tying tools and materials as well as supplying a full range of trout flies from the traditional to the more modern creations. As a family run business with years of experience in fishing and retail we are here to provide a service and price range in quality flies which has been missing for far too long. All our flies are made by our own team of tyers, exclusively for us, the quality is outstanding with absolutely NO imports from China!

All our orders are dispatched the same working day if in before 3pm from our family run shop in Morecambe, UK. We use Royal Mail and tracking numbers are uploaded to eBay for your convenience, please allow 1-7 working days for delivery in the UK, 20 working days for International Delivery. If your order has not arrived within this time please do get in touch so we can claim from Royal Mail.

We accept all major credit and debit cards, PayPal and PayPal credit through eBay.

Customers have the right to cancel an order within 14 days of placing the order, or within 14 days of receipt of the goods (whichever is the longer). Customers cancelling their orders will have their payment refunded in full - minus shipping costs - within seven days of the company's receipt of the returned goods. In the event that you receive a faulty or incorrect product please contact us within 30 days of receipt of the goods to arrange a return for exchange or refund.

What Are Fry Flies? Fry flies are streamer patterns that imitate small fish - the juvenile stages of various fish species including trout, salmon, perch, and other baitfish. They're designed to trigger the predatory instincts of larger trout.

Key Characteristics:

Small Fish Profile: Realistic minnow/small fish silhouette
Mobile Materials: Marabou, rabbit strips, or synthetic materials for lifelike movement
Flash Elements: Often include tinsel, crystal flash, or holographic materials
Weighted Heads: Bead heads or lead wire to get them swimming properly
Natural Colors: Silver, gold, olive, brown, white combinations

What They Imitate:

Trout Fry: Young trout (particularly effective during spawning seasons)
Salmon Parr: Juvenile salmon
Perch Fry: Young perch and other coarse fish
Minnows: Various small baitfish species
Sticklebacks: Small spiny fish found in many waters

When to Use Them:

Post-Spawning: After trout have spawned and are feeding aggressively
Stillwater: Particularly effective on lakes and reservoirs
Autumn/Winter: When trout are feeding on fry before winter
Overcast Days: Low light conditions are often ideal
Deep Water: When targeting fish holding in deeper areas

Fishing Techniques:

Strip Retrieve: Vary speeds from slow to fast erratic strips
Stop-and-Go: Strip, pause, strip - mimics injured fry
Figure-8 Retrieve: Steady retrieve that keeps fly moving
Sink and Draw: Let it sink, then draw it up through water column
Trolling: Excellent for boat fishing on large waters

Seasonal Effectiveness:

Autumn: Peak time when trout are feeding heavily on fry
Winter: Still effective in deeper water during milder periods
Spring: Good as fish become more active after winter
Post-Spawn: Excellent after trout spawning when they're hungry

Why They're So Effective:

High Protein: Fry represent substantial, high-energy meals
Predatory Response: Triggers aggressive feeding behavior in large trout
Natural Food Source: Fry are abundant in many waters
Size Selective: Often attracts larger, more mature fish

Color Selection:

Silver/White: Classic baitfish colors
Olive/Brown: Natural, subtle combinations
Gold/Yellow: High visibility attractors
Black: Effective in low light or stained water
Pink/Orange: Surprising attractors that often work

Pro Tips:

Vary Your Retrieve: Keep changing until you find what works
Fish the Margins: Fry often stay close to cover
Target Drop-offs: Areas where big fish ambush prey
Use Sinking Lines: Get down to where the big fish are
Be Ready: Takes can be explosive when fish hit fry patterns

Water Types:

Stillwater: Absolutely deadly on lakes and reservoirs
Large Rivers: Effective in deeper pools and slower sections
Tailwaters: Great below dams where baitfish are present
Reservoirs: Perfect for targeting both stocked and wild fish

Fry flies are honestly "big fish" patterns - they're particularly effective when you're targeting larger, more predatory trout that have switched from feeding on insects to feeding on other fish. The combination of realistic profile and aggressive retrieve often triggers spectacular takes!

Tadpole flies are absolutely fantastic patterns that can be incredibly effective, especially during certain times of the year! These unique flies imitate the larval stage of frogs and toads, and they can trigger some explosive strikes from hungry trout and other fish.

What are Tadpole Flies?

Tadpole flies are specialized patterns designed to imitate young frogs and toads in their aquatic larval stage. They're characterized by their distinctive large head and long, thin tail - exactly like real tadpoles swimming in the water.

What Makes Tadpole Flies Effective:

1. Seasonal Timing:

Spring emergence - when tadpoles are most active
Shallow water activity - tadpoles swim near surface
Natural food source - fish actively feed on them
High protein content - valuable meal for growing fish

2. Unique Profile:

Different from typical flies - stands out to fish
Easy target - tadpoles are slow-moving prey
Size variety - from tiny to substantial meals
Vulnerable prey - triggers predatory instincts
Best Fishing Techniques:
Surface Presentations:
- Slow, steady retrieve - mimics tadpole swimming
- Occasional twitches - struggling or startled movement
- Long pauses - let fly sit motionless
- Figure-eight retrieve - gentle, continuous movement
Subsurface Fishing:
- Shallow water drifts - where tadpoles naturally swim
- Slow sinking - weighted patterns for deeper water
- Near weed beds - natural tadpole habitat
- Around structure - logs, rocks, vegetation
Specific Techniques:
- Cast to shallows - retrieve toward deeper water
- Fish margins - along banks and shorelines
- Slow presentations - tadpoles aren't fast swimmers
- Natural drift - let current move the fly
When to Use Tadpole Flies:
Prime Seasons:
Spring (March-June):
- Peak effectiveness - natural tadpole activity
- Shallow water warming - tadpoles become active
- Fish feeding heavily - post-spawn recovery
- High success rates - natural food source
Early Summer (June-July):
- Continued effectiveness - tadpoles still developing
- Warm water activity - increased fish metabolism
- Shallow water fishing - where tadpoles live
Best Conditions:
- Warm, calm days - when tadpoles are most active
- Shallow, weedy areas - natural habitat
- Still or slow-moving water - ponds, lake margins, slow rivers
- Clear to slightly murky water - fish can see the profile
Target Species:
Primary Targets:
- Large Trout - especially browns and rainbows
- Bass - both largemouth and smallmouth love tadpoles
- Pike - excellent for aggressive predators
- Panfish - bluegill, perch, and other species
Seasonal Feeding:
- Post-spawn fish - need high-protein meals
- Shallow water cruisers - fish patrolling margins
- Opportunistic feeders - fish taking easy prey
Water Types & Locations:
Ideal Waters:
- Ponds and small lakes - prime tadpole habitat
- Slow river sections - backwaters and eddies
- Beaver ponds - excellent natural environment
- Farm ponds - often loaded with tadpoles