So what is this stuff then? Well, it's a mouldable paste that you squash on to your leader as a replacement for split shot, for use with nymphs in deep holes and fast runs.

The main problem with using lead shot for getting your nymphs down to where the trout and grayling usually lie is that they, by design, have to be squashed onto the delicate nylon or fluoro tippet. If you're down below the 5lb breaking strain mark, this can have disastrous results for the leader. Even when fishing heavier breaking strains, a split shot bouncing down the riverbed and jamming between pebbles can soon wreck a leader. And of course this will always happen when you've hooked into a lifetime best grayling that is easily pushing 5lbs. That heart stopping" Ping" as the leader lets go and the grayling swims off with the last of your killer flies is usually a sign that the rod breaking over the knee will be the next event. So, to save you from having to buy a new rod, What about using some leader paste? Contained in a small and convenient tub no higher than a centimeter and by a little more than twice this wide, you have a perfect substitute for split shot. It also prevents you from sounding like a pair of walking maracas because the rattling from your split shot in a film case in a vest pocket is no longer there. You are rattle free.

So how do you use it then?
Well, peel off the lid, scoops some out with a fingernail as required and squeeze it around the leader where you need it and off you go. Even better, you can adjust the size of the ball used for varying depths. If there's anything worse than one split shot damaging your leader, it's two of the things!
So just make a bigger ball.

And that's the theory out of the way How does it actually work? Well, It's bloody useless. From the moment you scoop your first fingernail full it's sticks to anything and everything around. So I tried wet fingers. And it gets worse. A green slimy mess forms and then sticks to anything and everything around. I found that if you quickly roll it into a ball with the palms of your hands it minimises the mess.

Finally you get it on the leader (and your waders, vest, hands, rod, reel and anything else within a yard or two) and make a cast and... start all over again! It was gone after only one false cast. Ok, so I repeated the above and ended up looking like The Swamp Thing. This stuff was everywhere. Finally, after about five minutes I had what resembled ball #2 on the leader, I tried roll casting it. 'Plop' Hurray, it was finally in the water! I retrieved in the very slow flow of the river outside of my house and.. it was gone! Great!

I don't need to go on. It doesn't work. Stick with the split shot and nip it gently. At least you'll get some fishing done.

Mind you, if you use the stuff how it's supposed to be used - as leader degreasant, it works just fine :) It degreases the leader as well as leader degreaser can.

We just though we'd try something a little different