I'm just getting started in fly tying and I can't seem to find out how to choose the right hooks! I have so flies I want to try and imitate but I have no idea what size hook they are. Is there any way to simply measure a hook and determine what hook size it is? If not, how on earth do I know what hook to get for certain flies? I would love some resources I could refer to in the future. Thanks so much for your help!
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by taywadd251
flyguy
Loc: Lake Onalaska, Sunfish Capitol of the World!
FS Digest wrote:
I'm just getting started in fly tying and I can't seem to find out how to choose the right hooks! I have so flies I want to try and imitate but I have no idea what size hook they are. Is there any way to simply measure a hook and determine what hook size it is? If not, how on earth do I know what hook to get for certain flies? I would love some resources I could refer to in the future. Thanks so much for your help!
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by taywadd251
Welcome to the Forum, taywadd. I'm a little confused about what you are trying to do. Fly recipes will have the hook size to use, if you are trying to duplicate a fly that you are looking at, forget it, find a recipe. If you google "hook sizes for flies" they will tell you what size hook it is. Good Luck.
You listen to flyguy. Starting out you need to follow the recipe. Once you've been at it a while, you can start trying to do imitations without directions. Then again, don't let any of us tell you what you can and can't do. You want to, just jump right in there and start measuring them hooks. There may even be a guide out there like you're talkin about. I've never seen one.
That’s the beauty of fly tying. Hook size depends on target fish. Trout - small is best, panfish couple sizes bigger, bass bigger yet, pike bigger still. What your doing is trying to match sizes to give you the best chance to catch the target fish your going after.
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