Smallest flies.

[Daryk Campbell Sr]

Curious about what are the smallest flies you have seen, or tied.   I have been playing and here are a few I've tied for microfishing.  

 

The bare hook is a size 14 fly tying hook.  

 

I dipped this in Flyagra.  Seems to get it off the bottom and create a suspending fly.   

 

Just toying around with ideas and trials.  

 

[BilletHead]

    I have done some 20s. Small enough for me.  I have learned that you can get away with making a size 20 fly on a 18 or even 16 hook and the fish do not seem to care. they seem to key in on the fly and ignore the hook. Note this is on nymphs and bead head thread flies. You probably are not going to float an oversized hook.

[Gavin]

I've tied a few on 28's and caught fish with them. The old gold Mustad no eye 32's are the smallest I own. They are decorations on custom fly rods that Tom Hargrove wrapped for me. I might have some 32's from TMC, but there way bigger than the old Mustad 28 dry fly hook.

[tjm]

In the '70s-80s back east, and  in still water for trout I used a lot of #20, #22 & #24. Tippet then was 8X- 1/2# test and 7X-3/4# test  as I recall.  That's why I only used those tiny flies in still water. In fact I still have some of those old flies in a box that I show the guys that tell me #14s are small. I still tie one or two #20 on occasion, but I rarely use anything smaller than #16 these days and my tippet is usually 5X= 5# test for trout and 8# test Trilene  for anything else. 

The real problem with tying smaller than #20 (or #18)  is in getting materials that fit right.   The problem with fishing them is the smallest tippet still pushes the fly around. 

On 6/30/2022 at 5:55 PM, BilletHead said:

I have learned that you can get away with making a size 20 fly on a 18 or even 16 hook and the fish do not seem to care.

In the winter at RRSP I've seen quite a few #18 dry flies tied on #22 hooks. "what are you using?" "#22 blue healer" "oh, wow, I've never seen one just like that, work good?" "yeah, I caught umpteen on it in just a few minutes"

But you are right I used to tie a lot of smaller wet flies on bigger hooks and the trout didn't care Using a wide gape hook is almost the same thing and easier to float.

[fishinwrench]

I went through a tiny winter midge and Trico kick years ago (24-28-32) fished on 7x & 8x.

 I did have some success on the Current and in the trout parks, and I guess it was kinda fun, but thankfully I got over it because that's just kinda rediculous.   

I still carry some celery drys in 22, but seldom fish them. And basically draw the line at #20 and don't even own 8x tippet material anymore. 

[Foghorn]

Probably 15 years or so ago ,I was fishing at Roaring River. Came upon one of the older guys I used to fish with at Bennett but hadn't seen him in years. We talked old times and big fish and then he says' Hey, you still tying those little jigs and if you are I want to trade you some flies for them". I would have given him my flies but was interested to see what he was offering. He dug in his fly box and came out with some #18-20 tan nymphs. He used the smallest lead wire and tan embroidery floss and finished the head with a dark brown thread wrap. Since then , I've caught a lot of trout on this pattern. Tore them up on the San Juan ,Taney and the trout parks. You have to pick your spots to fish it effectively as it doesn't have much for a fish to hone in on in fast or in the riffles. Think it's kind of like trying to sneak an M&M by me.

[Johnsfolly]

18 hours ago, Daryk Campbell Sr said:

Curious about what are the smallest flies you have seen, or tied.   I have been playing and here are a few I've tied for microfishing.  

 

The bare hook is a size 14 fly tying hook.  

 

I dipped this in Flyagra.  Seems to get it off the bottom and create a suspending fly.   

 

Just toying around with ideas and trials.  

 

Looks like tanago hooks. Can't wait to see what you catch with those😉

[kjackson]

Smallest fly I've seen tied was a #28 Royal Coachman.  Hard to believe it was possible, but Rex Gerlach was the expert. He was the Daiwa PR guy for a while and also a writer with at least one book to his credit.  As I recall, he brought the fly to an AFTMA/ICAST show back in the day.  

Right now, I'm looking at some of the small hooks in my stash and thinking about unloading them...old eyes don't see well enough to tie anything on a #28, much less an #18.

[netboy]

I have a friend that I fish with who is a very good fly tier. He showed me his collection of small nymphs and dries he used on the San Juan River in NM. 

He ties them down to a size 32. I had to use a magnifying glass to see the workmanship and it was amazingly accurate.

[Daryk Campbell Sr]

On 7/1/2022 at 12:35 PM, Johnsfolly said:

Looks like tanago hooks. Can't wait to see what you catch with those😉

Yes sir.  Got them from a BUM.  Found a neat little display tank.  

Success,  but this guy demolished my fly.