Green drake, range of sizes?

[turkey]

I know that the size of green drakes varies from stream to stream. I'd like to tie some patterns but I'm not sure what sizes to include. I've seen everything recommended from standard size 10 all the way up to size 4 3x long. Thats a pretty wide range.

Right now the biggest hooks I have are 10s and my hackle is on the small side for that.

Any thoughts? Order bigger hooks and hackle (if I can find it), tie some extended bodies, sell my vise and just buy some drakes at Fly Fishers Paradise? Any advice from the board would be much appreciated. Thanks as always.

 

[Heritage-Angler]

Hi Turkey - My records show the GD's as being from 20 to 30 mm in body length. Males smaller, females bigger.

If you use a Mustad 79580 in like a size 10 or 12, you'll be in the ballpark, and the smaller hook gap will allow you to use the hackle you've got. Use 2 feathers for the hackle like the recipe on FFP's website shows, and you should be OK.

I tie the exact same pattern as you up to a sz 6, 2XL dry fly hook. A few years ago, I was lucky to find a pack of Whiting 100's in size 6, so that's what I use for the big ones. My grizzly cape covers the rest.

H.A.

 

[dryflyguy]

Jeff -

Their sizes will vary from stream to stream, as will the color.

For the drakes that hatch on the north central freestone steams - like kettle and pine creek - I tie them on a regular length #10 hook.
They also seem to have a little greener cast up there.

For the limestone streams, I tie them on #10 and even #8 2X long hooks. And they seem to have more yellowish cast there. That yellow calf hair wing works very well.

If you don't want to get larger hackle - you can also tie them in a comparadun style, using yellow or green dyed deer hair for the wing

 

[turkey]

thank you guys for the responses. great advice.

 

[Chaz]

So HA you're saying from about 3/4 to 1 1/4 inches long? that's nota 10 or 12. All of the green drakes I've ever seen have been at least a #8.
For the OP, they are usually much slimmer than what you tied.

 

[Heritage-Angler]

Chaz wrote:
So HA you're saying from about 3/4 to 1 1/4 inches long? that's nota 10 or 12. All of the green drakes I've ever seen have been at least a #8.

Yup. They're 20 to 30 mm in body length. A size 10 Mustad 79588 is a 4XL streamer hook, and much longer than a size 8 dry fly hook like a Mustad 94840.

The extra weight of the streamer hook is offset by the smaller hook gap, compared to a larger dry fly hook. Less metal.

On Penns, the drakes are big. The size 6 2XL hook I often use is on the smaller side. Some of my GDs are tied on a size 10 6XL Tiemco 300 streamer hook - that's a big one.

 

[turkey]

I was graciously given a box of 9672s and bought a lesser grade half griz cape with big hackles. Size 6 3xl with doubled up hackle should float. Of course since i bought materials the drakes will be done, Penns will be blown or both.

 

[shakey]

i am having a little trouble figuring abdomen color.i have been using olive or peacock thorax and olive hackle,with a long PT tail.

but,most pictures i see have different color abdomens.some show light yellow,some creamy,some like hares ear,yet i see green too.

help would be appreciated

 

[Heritage-Angler]

Hi shakey - There's a lot of different shades you'll find the green drakes in.

If I had to choose two, I'd pick Hareline Pale Yellow #8 for the limestoners, and Fly-Rite Pale Olive #41 for the freestone streams. They're about as close as I can come without blending my own. If I could only use one, it'd be the Fly-Rite #41.

I wouldn't sweat the exact color too much - of the primary triggers (size, shape, behavior, color), color is usually last on the list in importance. YMMV....