Fly size vs. hook...

[jbomb]

Hi all:

Sometimes it feels like all the flies I tie are the same size, just on a larger or smaller hook. I'm really proud of this tie (red quill), but I wonder if the body is the right size. I guess the body should start about at the barb? (barb will be crushed). I find it hard to go any further back because the hook bend begins about there (mustad 94840). Think a longer body is something I should aim for? Any advice or critique is welcome. Thanks for taking a look.

 

[dryflyguy]

Ain't nothing wrong with that fly from what I can see. Proportions are good. You placed your wings at a third of the shank length back from the eye - which is exactly what I like to do also. To make a longer body, you would have had to place your wings closer to the eye - and risk crowding it, which you don't want to do.

Nice job!

 

[jbomb]

thanks dryflyguy!

 

[osprey]

J-bomb that fly is beautiful not a darn thing wrong that i can see. As for your size problem just let me say this , if you tie a larger or slightly larger dry fly on a hook that is a size or two too small , the fish don't care , and it will float longer cause if it was full weight of the hook (less metal weight to hold up) it would sink quicker. There is nothing wrong with going a little larger fly on a smaller hook. That's why they make x fine wire hooks. VERY NICE FLY

 

[lv2nymph]

The only critique I can think of is it's not in the water, very nice. Sorry, on the water.

 

[Heritage-Angler]

Very nice!

I'll take a dozen.

 

[jbomb]

Thanks everyone! i can't wait to fish it!

 

[FrequentTyer]

Jbomb, that is a very nice fly! You are right about using the barb as an index point. If you tie in your tailing material just opposite the barb it keeps the tails from ****ing down with the curve of the hook. The fly should be proportioned to the hook, and your proportions look dead on.

osprey wrote:if you tie a larger or slightly larger dry fly on a hook that is a size or two too small , the fish don't care , and it will float longer cause if it was full weight of the hook (less metal weight to hold up) it would sink quicker. There is nothing wrong with going a little larger fly on a smaller hook. That's why they make x fine wire hooks. VERY NICE FLY

I donlt understand what you wrote here Osprey. Maybe I'm just not thinking about this right, but I can't figure out how you would tie, for example, a #12 dry fly on a #16 hook. The body can only extend the length of the shaft, and that's one of the things that changes with hook size. You could tie a smaller fly on a larger hook, but unless you use an extended body I don't see how you could tie a larger fly on a smaller hook.
Mike.

 

[Chaz]

That looks better then the catskill ties I tie. The body starts at the bend of the hook and ends at the thorax, 2/3 of the distance toward the eye, then comes the wings and thorax, then the head. split the last 1/3 of the shank between the thorax and head. I think your proportions are fine. The hook size determines the size of the fly.