Hook sizes and styles

[MiFlyTieGuy 0]

Hello fellow tiers, I hope you all had a good 4th! Let me start, I am 16 years old I live in Michigan and I have been tying since I have been 8 years old. But only just recently have I started fly fishing and tying trout flies, before it was all bass, bluegill, and crappie. I have been watching a lot of youtube videos almost all of Tim Cammisa's (2 times at least) along with the dry fly legend Jim Misiura, and various other tiers. Every Video I get stumped with the proportions because everything is so much bigger on camera, I have gotten better at that but the one thing that still gets me is what hooks to buy?!?!? I do a lot of fishing on the Muskegon river and the Rouge if any of you are familiar with those. From what I understand caddis are hatching right now, but don't quote me on that. This past weekend I used some of those wet fly caddis with partridge hackle if anyone could tell me the name of those that would be much appreciated. Over all I just want to catch fish and I need your guys help to help me decide all what hook sizes and styles I should buy for each kind of fly. If there is a website link that, or if you are the kind of guy who would take time to write out a chart I would be so unconditionally thankful, for you going above and beyond to help out a young helpless tier. I will link the Muskegon river hatch chart below. Thank you so much in advanced! I could not be more excited to be a part of this community of tiers!

- Edit - does anyone know where I can get good pricing on like an assortment of nymph hooks, with some caddis in there too? If not any websites cheaper or better than others? Again Thanks!

 

Muskegon River

Muskegon River Hatch Chart

 

Thanks again!

Greetings from Michigan

Mason D. Jager

[mikechell 0]

Welcome to the site, Mason. Great intro (Copy and paste to the "introduction" forum) with great info. I can't help you, however, with your hook question. Florida, where I live, there ain't no such thing as a trout ... 'cept the Speckled Sea Trout ... Which I think has no relation to actual trout species.

 

Sunfish and Large Mouth Bass ... so I use Eagle Claw size 6 through 10 for Sunfish ... sometime up to 2/0 for bass.

[rstaight 0]

First, welcome to the site. Always good to see the younger folk taking up the sport.

 

If you go to your local fly shop, Cabela's, or even Bass Pro they can help alot with your questions that will pop up during conversation.

 

As far as to what hook to use, the size and type of hook is normally at the very begining of the reciepe for the pattern you are tying. If it is more of a genric statement, the intended type of fly is on the label for the hook. Just beginning, trust what the experts and designers put on the labels, don't get caught up in all of the horse stuff.

 

But keep in mind that not all manufacturers hooks are exactly the same size. One brands size 10 maybe between a 10 and 12 of another manufacturer. But they are close enough because proportions are normally based on the hook you are tying on.

[MiFlyTieGuy 0]

Thanks! for responding, even though you live in florida.... It is great to know that next time I go down there and visit my family and or vacationing. Again it is so great to see people from all over the US come together and help each other out no matter who you are, where you are, or how old you are thank you!

[Dave G. 0]

Here is a cross reference chart between brands from Mustad to what ever other hook ( within reason): http://www.hookandhackleclub.org/doc/Mustad_Fly_Hook_Comparison_Chart.pdf

 

From the chart you provided ( which shows the common sizes of flies you want to tie, maybe someone will be along with more specifics), it looks like you main concentration on flies from now till the end of Aug and some into Sept, will be Caddis, Mahogany Dunns, Blue Wing Olives and Tricos. Many of those flies could be tied on the ending numbers 94840 in the Mustad line up of hooks. The caddis are generally a bit shorter than the various Mayfly series ( Mahogany Dunn and BWO being in the Mayfly family).

 

Emergers can go on a heavier hook and certainly nymphs and or Caddis pupa. I use both 3906 and 3906B hooks quite a bit. There are others too of course. But you could cross those off the Mustad chart. Those are straight hooks , for curved look at the 49S and go from there. You can kind of look down that hook chart and see what the differences are, just stick to the sizes in your river chart.

 

Someone may be along with more details !! Good Luck, and welcome to the forum !

 

S50-94840 Mustad = Daiichi 1170: http://www.cabelas.com/product/Mustad-Signature-Standard-Dry-Fly-Hooks-R/742588.uts

 

Another chart: http://www.buckeyeflyfishers.com/Articles/hook_xref/hookdaii.htm

 

I also use Mustad 9671 quite a bit.

[whatfly 0]

Looking at the chart, I'd say you would just need #14-16, and I'd get them in dry fly style (1XF or 1 extra fine) and nymph (1XH or 1 extra heavy). Looks like it would cover the majority of your hatches. As a rule, later in the season, smaller the hatches. Looks like you may want to go a bit smaller later in the season (#16-18 scud hook would be handy for BWO and midges), but this is a good start until then.

[flytire 0]

proportions are based on the hook you are tying on

 

 

example

 

 

use the hook as a guide

 

[Dave G. 0]

Looking at the chart, I'd say you would just need #14-16, and I'd get them in dry fly style (1XF or 1 extra fine) and nymph (1XH or 1 extra heavy). Looks like it would cover the majority of your hatches. As a rule, later in the season, smaller the hatches. Looks like you may want to go a bit smaller later in the season (#16-18 scud hook would be handy for BWO and midges), but this is a good start until then.

I agree and I think he could also use some 12's for some the Mahogany Dunns. Probably 12's and 14's for those.

[utyer 0]

Based on the hatch chart you provided, here is a PDF file that would give you some guidance on the proper hooks. I am using my favorite low cost hook, which is also the brand one that I use for most of my trout flies. Montana Fly Company (MFC) hooks can be found at Dream Drift flies. Other inexpensive lines of hooks are available,

 

A 50 dollar order from Dream Drift will ship free, and now the usual disclaimer: I have no interest in Dream Drift Flies, or Montana Fly Co. I receive no kickback from either company.

 

Hope this helps you get started. If you have any further questions, feel free to ask.

Hooks.pdf

[flytyer62 0]

If you have a local fly shop that deals with Wapsi they sell their bran hooks "lightning strike" in assortments they have a nymph, streamer, dry fly, emerger, and caddis assortments. they are about $24. It comes in a handy 10 compartment magnetic box with a full range of sizes in a couple of different styles. If I remember from the one's we used in our beginner class at the shop there are 15 of each size. there is also a handy cross reference card with it so you can match other brands. as for you tune if you have not check out tightlines fly tying lots a great videos by Matt Grobert, also, check out the weekly fly many different patterns buy some major names in the tying world.

 

steve

[MiFlyTieGuy 0]

If you have a local fly shop that deals with Wapsi they sell their bran hooks "lightning strike" in assortments they have a nymph, streamer, dry fly, emerger, and caddis assortments. they are about $24. It comes in a handy 10 compartment magnetic box with a full range of sizes in a couple of different styles. If I remember from the one's we used in our beginner class at the shop there are 15 of each size. there is also a handy cross reference card with it so you can match other brands. as for you tune if you have not check out tightlines fly tying lots a great videos by Matt Grobert, also, check out the weekly fly many different patterns buy some major names in the tying world.

 

steve

Yes tightlines is my absolute favorite his skill as a tier, how he explains things in such a detailed way. Also his voice is amazing!!! Its like the narrator from discovery channel.

Thanks for the Help Steve!

[MiFlyTieGuy 0]

Thank you so much everyone! I can not believe everything that I have learned from you guys today! I have up till this day tied mostly standard length 14,16,18,20 but I don't really understand the weight and size for different times and seasons. But again thank you so much everyone I am over joyed that people even responded.

Tight lines everyone!

[MiFlyTieGuy 0]

 

Looking at the chart, I'd say you would just need #14-16, and I'd get them in dry fly style (1XF or 1 extra fine) and nymph (1XH or 1 extra heavy). Looks like it would cover the majority of your hatches. As a rule, later in the season, smaller the hatches. Looks like you may want to go a bit smaller later in the season (#16-18 scud hook would be handy for BWO and midges), but this is a good start until then.

I agree and I think he could also use some 12's for some the Mahogany Dunns. Probably 12's and 14's for those.

 

Do you think that I would need a 1x long or even 2x long? Or just standard hook shank?

[utyer 0]

Most mayfly nymphs are tied on either a 1XL or a 2XL hook. The wire in these hooks is also a heavier wire than in a standard dry fly hook. Even if you ONLY tie dry flies, you will find times when a short shank (using and extended body,) is better. There will also be times when a longer shank than standard will be better. Tying very large flies like the Hexigenia and some eastern drakes, take a size 6 or even a size 4 hook to give you the proper length in a standard hook. Using a 2, 3, or 4 XL hook of a smaller size will give you the shank length you need and often a lighter wire hook.

 

I always have Standard, 1, 2, 3, and 4 XL hooks for dry flies. I also keep Standard 1, 2, 3, and 4XL hooks for nymphs and streamers. In addition to those, I usually have two or three different curved shank hooks. All these is sizes from 4 to 22. No all hook styles in every size but many I will have in 4 or 5 different styles and up to 6 different sizes. That's just for trout flies. I have other hooks that are for bass, and salt water uses. I usually have 2 or 3 thousand different hooks on hand at any given time. That is down from as many as 15,000 when I did a lot of custom orders. These days I only tie 1500 to 2500 flies a year.

[Saltybum 0]

Check out Allen Fly Fishing and barlowstackle.com for hooks etc.