What tiny fly do you tie??

[Steeltrap]

You know.....when those trout are coming up and not quite breaking the surface, and they are feeding on something tiny!!

What tiny fly do you tie up to attempt to get their attention!!

Thanks!

 

[dryflyguy]

First thing I try when I find trout rising to teensy flies, is a #22 BWO parachute.
Even though it's not quite small enough to match midges, I've found that the fish will often take it.
And I can still see it fairly well.

If they refuse it, then I'll start going smaller with more traditional midge patterns.

However, during the warmer months of the year, I'll try a terrestrial first in those situations.
Midging fish will often take them too.

Like to try to get them to take something larger first.

 

[Bamboozle]

I tie many tiny flies from miniscule dry midges and midge pupa down to size 32 on Tiemco 518, Daiichi 1110 and the curved shank Tiemco 2488.

One tiny fly I would never be without is a minuscule midge pupa I tie with a gold or silver lined tiny glass seed beadhead, an Ice Dub thorax and a wire bodied abdomen.

I tie them on both the Daiichi 1110 or the Tiemco 2488 down to about a size 26 in gold, copper, red, insect green and a gold & green wire bodied versions.

I’ll fish them on 7X or 8X anywhere from 6” to 16” below a tiny blob of Orvis Strike putty about the size of a peppercorn. The super small indicator casts fine even at the end of fine tippet and proves a slight splat that helps to identify the spot where the fly lands so I can follow it.

When I see sippers or fish taking just below the surface when I don’t detect a hatch, I tie one on. I can’t tell you how many fish I have caught on these dinky flies over the years when the fish seem to want nothing else I throw at them.

The best colors for me depends on the stream, but copper & red, followed by gold have accounted for the most fish followed by insect green & the gold & green combo.

It’s a fun way to fish for me and hook-ups aren’t a problem if you lift the rod gently to set the hook.

 

[maxima12]

I tie a lot of 20, 22, 24. Never does the box seem to fill up full. Fish these flies with success needs a smooth presentation leader. You can't buy them in the store.

Leader is the most overlooked by all that want to go small.

 

[JeffK]

Depends. One of my go to flies isn't that tiny - a size 18 rusty spinner tied with a grizzly full hackle collar. Cut a vee on the underside to ride flush but keep the top round so you can see it. Works more often than it should.

However, fishing in winter limestoners there are usually fish feeding under the surface that can get frustrating. Often I change up, catch one fish and think I have the solution, only to be skunked until I find the next "solution". Top Secret Midge or a Zebra midge with a silver seed bead and touch of CDC wing bud do as well as most. Misc variations of Al's Rat do OK and parasol flies work sometimes. Even tiny starling soft hackles and a midge emerger with a snowshoe hare wing facing forward so the fly hangs vertically and a sparse orange synthetic shuck work sometimes, sometimes with a little movement. Midge emergers are wiggly little guys.

I don't go below 24 hooks, but tie smaller flies than normal when needed.

For midges under the surface I can usually dredge up a few fish, but rarely have a banner day. However, that gives me something to keep working on. I stopped midge fishing a few years ago but in the last year I started fishing the Little Lehigh and Saucon more - so I have been forced to go tiny. Upped my game and have had fun doing it, but frustrating days when I have to work hard for every fish are still common.

 

[Dave_W]

dryflyguy wrote:
First thing I try when I find trout rising to teensy flies, is a #22 BWO parachute.
Even though it's not quite small enough to match midges, I've found that the fish will often take it.
And I can still see it fairly well.

If they refuse it, then I'll start going smaller with more traditional midge patterns.

However, during the warmer months of the year, I'll try a terrestrial first in those situations.
Midging fish will often take them too.

Like to try to get them to take something larger first.

This is good advice from DFG (as usual). ^

 

[Dave_W]

Bamboozle wrote:
I tie many tiny flies from miniscule dry midges and midge pupa down to size 32 on Tiemco 518, Daiichi 1110 and the curved shank Tiemco 2488.

One tiny fly I would never be without is a minuscule midge pupa I tie with a gold or silver lined tiny glass seed beadhead, an Ice Dub thorax and a wire bodied abdomen.

I tie them on both the Daiichi 1110 or the Tiemco 2488 down to about a size 26 in gold, copper, red, insect green and a gold & green wire bodied versions.

I’ll fish them on 7X or 8X anywhere from 6” to 16” below a tiny blob of Orvis Strike putty about the size of a peppercorn. The super small indicator casts fine even at the end of fine tippet and proves a slight splat that helps to identify the spot where the fly lands so I can follow it.

When I see sippers or fish taking just below the surface when I don’t detect a hatch, I tie one on. I can’t tell you how many fish I have caught on these dinky flies over the years when the fish seem to want nothing else I throw at them.

The best colors for me depends on the stream, but copper & red, followed by gold have accounted for the most fish followed by insect green & the gold & green combo.

It’s a fun way to fish for me and hook-ups aren’t a problem if you lift the rod gently to set the hook.

More good advice from Bamboozle (as usual). ^

DFG's advice to try to get them to eat something larger or a terrestrial mirrors my experience as well.

Bam's point about small midge patterns is also worth highlighting, especially this time of year.

 

[just_jon]

#26 Peg’s midge.

 

[Steeltrap]

Thanks Gents. My 65YO eyes and fingers can tie down to a size 22. Anything smaller and I end up spending bench time on frustration.

I'll tie up the aforementioned patterns and purchase some 7X tippet and have at it when these feeding events occur.

 

[Bamboozle]

Steeltrap wrote:
Thanks Gents. My 65YO eyes and fingers can tie down to a size 22. Anything smaller and I end up spending bench time on frustration.

Fingers aside, regardless of age the best thing I ever did for my tying was buy a couple Optivisors in different strengths.

A head loop allows me to tie as small as I want or make the neatest flies in any size I have ever tied, even when I had 20-year-old eyes.

A head loop also doesn’t get in the way when you are wrapping materials like a magnifier on a lamp or base does and you can use it for other stuff.

If ya ain’t using one, you owe it to yourself to try one.

 

[Bamboozle]

Steeltrap:

Another thing, if you try whipping up some of the wired bodied midges I described, here is a chart I made with the smallest brands of colored coated wire out there for fly tying or crafting (Artistic):



FWIW - I use the 34 & 38 gauge sizes for the really small stuff.

Good luck & good fishing!

 

[maxima12]

Again, most will never tie 22, 24 and 26, you don;t have it in your fingers! You may have the hackle but not the ability!

Big fingers, with a surgeon's touch. No shake, eyes with glasses, since i wore the eye out on small, Thousands been tied, without a following,

There is a whole stable of small fly tyers. Can't remember the Dr, in Lock haven Pa. not at this time.

He liked the 24 and 26. Can not think of his name but see him clear in vision. Lock Haven brought in a new Doctor from south, a southern speaking fellow with a wife of blonde hair. i think a heart doctor. Big news at that time for Lock Haven hospital.

I knew the operator of the Hosipital, a heavy set gent, i will remember some day, I think his first name was Al!

Speth might have been the last name. What i remembered most of Lock Haven, was the Pete's-----Smart Shop. Snowiss ans Snowiss, Mike Williamsom, with that fancy signature, "told him , one time, i do not accept, you did not dot the !, Best of all, going back to handshakes and eye contact-----His father! Cool raspy voice, comedian, i loved to see everyday Henry, Rote, gave me a tip for my children. Bobby, you know, Farrington! Then also Lenny a Italain store Operator of Caprio's Meat Market with a grown up child. Charlie Caprio. Assante's, Little Italy, Barberry Coast, Clinto Hotel, Anastos, Texas Resturant.

Cross the Bridge to To an Italian Resturant that moved to Bald Eagle St.

This is just a sample of one year of life, Lucky i still am going unto 66 years of life! Hammermill with the look but the axe! How about that Tom Mcmasters and that Jim that had the bowling alley! Uncle Joe,s woodshed on the hill, Ice cream place----- long gone!

My wishes-------I love Lock Haven Pa.------trust me-----wonderful good people------business, a good employer, several 100------good place to call home! Lot of distribution, lot;s of hard workers!

Check out that distribution hub on roadways.

Maxima12 i love Lock Haven, i can not forget, Charles Grieb, i will never forget your friendship!

John Fave

 

[Steeltrap]

Oh...I've been using the headband zoom lenses for several years now. I can't tie without them!!

Anything smaller than a size 22 and I'll just buy them. Better to struggle tying 'em on at the stream (yes...I have drop down zoomers for that too!) than struggle tying 'em at the vice!

One more question: When you wrap peacock, do you first put down some adhesive to provide better longevity of the fragile peacock?

it's an additional step I do when I have a "longer wrap" of peacock. But for small ones such as a soft hackle, I don't use any adhesive.

 

[Bamboozle]

Steeltrap wrote:
One more question: When you wrap peacock, do you first put down some adhesive to provide better longevity of the fragile peacock?

it's an additional step I do when I have a "longer wrap" of peacock. But for small ones such as a soft hackle, I don't use any adhesive.

When you tie in peacock herl, after tying it in make a loop of thread and a couple of wraps to secure the loop at the tie in point.

Cut one end of the loop so it ends up being just a length of thread (tag) secured to the hook.

Grab the herl strand(s) and the thread tag with hackle pliers or an EZ-hook and twist it somewhat tightly.

The thread twisted with the herl will help secure the herl and even if it breaks once wound on the hook, it won’t unravel.

A couple of other things:

I typically use two or three strands of herl because one invariably breaks when winding IF it doesn’t make the herl area too bulky.

If I want the LOOK of peacock herl on a really small fly where wrapping small with the real stuff can be a challenge, I use Peacock or Peacock Black Ice Dub instead.

Ice Dub can be twist dubbed really thin if you use a tacky wax and dub lightly or you can put it in a dubbing loop for a more scraggily appearance.

Good luck!!

 

[Steeltrap]

Thank you!

 

[JerryC]

I use a midge pattern I came up with. Tied mostly on a size 20 TMC 2488. At one time, I could tie down to a size 32. The size 20's work and I still have about a dozen left in my midge box. The problem now is tying them on my tippet.
As far as wrapping peacock herl, what I do is make a small loop with the thread before I tie in the herl. Once the herl is tied in I pull it through the loop and twist them together. It's pretty durable.

 

[JeffK]

I'm lucky, I can still tie tiny flies, albeit with magnifiers.

The problem is at the stream. I think it takes me 30 minutes to change flies. Not only are the flies tiny, but I can barely see the 6X and 7X tippets!
However, I have started to fish limestoners more after a 25 year lay-off. Tricos in the summer and midges in the winter provide decent action when many other streams are tough. Love it when I can go back to the freestone streams and fish a size 10 March Brown.

 

[just_jon]

I pre-rig the small stuff on sewing needle threaders.

 

[Steeltrap]

I tied up a few 18's and 22's. Came out good for me. Last year a F. Orange bead head was my most successful fly. I have a few of those Orvis "pre-rig" fly boxes. They save a bunch of time on the stream when you wanna do a quick change.