In message 200909191912368930-dplacourse@aolcom, David LaCourse
writes
On 2009-09-19 15:52:39 -0400, Todd said:

Bill Grey wrote:
In message , Todd writes
Bill Grey wrote:

While you guys are still chewing the fat, I went fishing yesterday
only the second time this year. It was to a small put and take
fishery fishing for stocked Rainbow trout.
Fishing with a stiff NE wind blowing from behind me, I managed to
bag 4 Rainbows the largest was just over 4 lbs and the total bag
weighed 15 lbs.
They were caught on a small (by our standards Montana nymph.)
Awesome! What size and style of hook did you use?
I'm not sure - it was a fly that's been in my box for a few years.
Probably size 12 . I'm not sure how this relates to your idea of hook
sizes.
We tend to tie flies on larger hooks when fishing for stocked
Rainbows.
Actually, hook and shank. My "theory" is that a trout will stray
farther from his feeding lie based on the food value of what he is
chasing. In other words, if the fly is bigger, you don't have to be
such a good shot. If the fly is smaller, say a midge, you have to
hit the trout on the nose to get him to eat it. My "theory".

Nonsense. When I nymph on my home waters in Maine, I usually use
nymphs in the 18 - 24 range, and I am VERY successful with wild salmon
and brook trout. There is one caddis pupua I use that is a size 16,
but that is as large as I would go. Rarely have I seen anyone using
something as large as a size 12 except if they are mimicing a dry March
Brown or a stonefly. Roll over some rocks at the stream you fish and
look at how small the nymphs are. Most are smaller than 16s. My
theory is give them something small they've never seen. I have about 5
personally invented flies, none of them larger than 18, and they all work.

I sight fished a big rainbow on the Big Horn one time. I used big
flies, small flies, and very tiny flies. I was determined to catch
this fish. I watched him move aside to avoid the fly. *Finally* I put
on something that he wanted - a size 20 tied by a friend, and the big
rainbow took it. There was nothing different in the drift - he just
wanted that particular lure.

The same thing happened in Labrador with one of my grandsons, only this
time it was a dry fly. We both saw the fish finning in an eddy and
drifted dry flies past it. It ignored every fly - two from my grandson
and two from me, all size 16. We must have each made four or five
casts with each fly. I gave my grandson a size 18 black Goddard Caddis
on the first cast, we saw the fish move up and away to take the lure.
It was a five pound brook trout.

Dave



In an attempt to clarify, even justify, the hook size I used, let me
refer you to:-

http://www.jannsnetcraft.com/Content...zing_chart.pdf

then on page 5 see size 10 Sproat hook. That seems to compare well with
my fly.

It must be remembered that my fly is a lure not a representation of a
natural. I'm not sue if there is difference in classification of hook
sizes between the USA and the UK ?
--
Bill Grey