Semperfli Nano Silk 18/0 In a class of its own

Above photo: A TMC 212Y #20 hairwing caddis emerger, the Nano Silk is the game changer!

I often write about products that truly deliver. Semperfli's Nano Silk 18/0 Thread is no exception. Semperfli smashed the thread category when they introduced the Nano Silk thread series back in 2014; it truly revolutionized micropattern fly tying. A thread so strong and thin that it can easily pull off size 32 flies in a pinch. So tying after 35-plus years for me proved frustrating at times, primarily because of the limitations of both hooks and thread sizes. 

When ED Engle's book Tying Small Flies was released in 2004 by Stackpole Books, it was a game-changer for us tiny dry fly guys. There was a lot of outstanding information on both tying and fishing tiny flies inside this 231-page book. There is even a section completely dedicated to size 32 fly patterns. Unfortunately, Nano Silk was not around in 2004. So it was a bit of a slugfest on the thread front. 

Above photo: A #22 Biot Wing Adult Caddis

21 years after Ed's book was released, the ritual of a tiny tier is truly in its heyday. The nature of materials has synergized in the fly tying category, and the creative possibilities have become infinite. With the evolution of GSP technology and a much wider range of hook options, 2026 is a great time to be a tyer! Nano Silk is basically gel-spun polyethylene, or GSP thread; it lays flat but can be twisted in a few seconds if need be. It takes dubbing moderately well, dulls the crap out of your scissors, but it is truly a blessing when it comes to small flies. Nano Silk is 8x stronger than conventional nylon equivalents. Now I am a big fan of Veevus 16/0 threads, but I break off very frequently when tying small flies. Honestly, I can't tell you the last time I yeeted a spool of Nano Silk. Just doesn't happen. 

I don't often endorse products, but when one changes our creative limitations drastically, I would be doing my readers a disservice if I didn't heap accolades on Semperfli's Nano Silk.

Thanks for letting me share ~Clint Bova

www.cjbovarods.com