Tiny Fly's

[Sonny Edmonds 0]

Fiddeling around with some tiny hooks that arrived today I tied a #22 hook up.

Now I am wondering if a trout would even see the darned thing!

I dought my old eyes could even tye it on a leader.

I just wanted to try it. Two elk hairs, some peacock herl, and a little olive thread.

Looks too small to catch much more than a minnow.

You guys tye tiny fly's for the fun of it? Or do you actually fish with them?

Just curious.

[Arkansas Mike 0]

Hey, Sonny. You'd be surprised. I've caught some nice trout on #20 scuds and emergers. And yes, they are fun to tie.

 

 

[Sonny Edmonds 0]

Thanks, Mike.

Yes, it is fun. The challenge lies in doing it.

I enjoyed tying it but when done I thought will it hold long enough to land one?

I have 39 more of them from 18 to 22 to play with.

Skeeters, I guess I'll make skeeters with them.

 

Kinda hard for an old fart with big hands... :wheelchair:

[flytire 0]

small flies = big fish

[utyer 0]

Sonny,

 

There are a lot of us that tie flies that small with every intention of catching big trout on them. I have caught plenty of 20" fish on size 20 or smaller. There are a lot of midges, and some mayflies that are that small. Trout can see them, and will feed on them.

 

Search for a griffith gnat. Tie some up.

[flykid 0]

The smallest I've fished so far is a 22 griffith's gnat for bluegill. But the smallest fly I've seriously fished is a 16 or 18 sulphur. Caught some decent fish on them too.

[Ridleyffo 0]

To get the big wary wild browns from the only wild stream in the Philly area consitently requires flys #20 and smaller. I use alot of midge patterns down to #24s with 7x tippet and get fish 20"-22".

 

The summer trico hatch on a local tailwater is pretty intense again requiring real small flies. I've seen the locals fishing to #28s on this tailwater due to fishing pressure and the selectiveness of the trout there.

 

If tying them to the tippet is hard they have these threader boxes that I saw some guy use that seemed pretty effective. (Pretty pricey too)

[Pelhament 0]

Have you ever heard of the 20/20, 22/22, 24/24 club??? 20" fish on size 20, 22" on a size 22, etc.

[JRG 0]

Fished the trinity a few years back.... only thing that was really productive were size #22 pheasant tails.... caught lots of fish on them but nothing huge but it was fun nonetheless.

[mouse6196 0]

Just the other day I caught a 22" Brown on a size 22 fly. I would say that 90% of my nymphs and dry flies are on size 16 - 22. I couldn't agree more that small flies = big fish. remember those fish get big by not falling for our larger imitations. Check the bugs on the river and compare sizes. For instance, the BWO nymphs in my favorite stream are about the size of a 26 hook. So even when I tie them on a 22, I'm at a disadvantage. Also, once in a while I'll use my "stomach sucker" (I call it) to check what is in the trouts stomach. Most of the time they feed on insects that are so small that they just can't be tied.

 

My advice is...give it a try. You may surprise yourself.

[flyfshn76 0]

Those small flys do catch big fish and are def fun to tie and fish with. Of course with the smaller hooks you can't bulldog the fish but I have yet to break a hook. A group of us that fish a local stream have a club called the 10-20-30 club. You become a member when you catch a fish on 10x tippet with the fish being 20 inches on a size 30 or smaller hook. If you get a chance pick up the book "midge magic" by ed koch. There is a chapter called elk river 32's, in the chapter it shows some flys that are size 32. One of the gentlemen is mentioned in the chapter is Dave Breitmeir. He is a guide on the Elk River here in WV and is a great friend of mine. Probably one of the best midge fisherman that I have ever seen. Get the book you won't be dissapointed.

[smallieFanatic 0]

You should ask Jeff (Futzer) about the subject, I hear that he uses 32's.

 

 

 

 

Jan

[Sonny Edmonds 0]

Wow!

Thanks everybody!

OK, going down in size then, message received loud and clear.

 

Note to self: Look for a very portable microscope for stream side tying on of fly's to tippet's.

 

Meanwhile.... back to the vise.

 

Thank You!

[jared sartini 0]

Those small flys do catch big fish and are def fun to tie and fish with. Of course with the smaller hooks you can't bulldog the fish but I have yet to break a hook. A group of us that fish a local stream have a club called the 10-20-30 club. You become a member when you catch a fish on 10x tippet with the fish being 20 inches on a size 30 or smaller hook. If you get a chance pick up the book "midge magic" by ed koch. There is a chapter called elk river 32's, in the chapter it shows some flys that are size 32. One of the gentlemen is mentioned in the chapter is Dave Breitmeir. He is a guide on the Elk River here in WV and is a great friend of mine. Probably one of the best midge fisherman that I have ever seen. Get the book you won't be dissapointed.

 

10X tippet? Where you can you get this stuff? The smallest i've seen for sale was 8X. And Sonny, My dad always says to me about any fly smaller than a 16, "You need a dang microscope to even see those things!".

[djinco 0]

Fiddeling around with some tiny hooks that arrived today I tied a #22 hook up.

Now I am wondering if a trout would even see the darned thing!

I dought my old eyes could even tye it on a leader.

I just wanted to try it. Two elk hairs, some peacock herl, and a little olive thread.

Looks too small to catch much more than a minnow.

You guys tye tiny fly's for the fun of it? Or do you actually fish with them?

Just curious.

 

 

It's not the large fly that matters. You can catch any size trout you want. What will matter is the tippit. Don't underestimate the 20-22 size flies. That's all I use.

 

Of course don't underestimate the brookies either. I am an ultralight fly fisher (<3 wt) and the brookies are fun on a light rod.

 

Cheers, Doug in Colorado