Tying small flies - suggestions please

[Ptinid]

I've started tying some small patterns (18 - 24) - isn't it funny how big an 18 becomes, and how horrendously massive a size 10 suddenly is - but I'm struggling a bit to find patterns that work well on these small hooks.

Now this is probably my own lack of expertise (basically, I'm crap!), but I also think that some flies are just not designed for small midge sized hooks.

So far I've ties a green f-fly (as a greenfly - it does work, honest!); a griffiths gnat, a sparkle gnat and a spent gnat. My attempts at teal blue & silver, and grouse & claret have been dismal failures.

What patterns can you recommend?

Thanks

[Wildfisher]

Small flees can work well. Getting small enough hackles is the main problem. I remember as a teenage  lad in the 60?s having  ?mastered? ( :lol:  ? believe that ye?ll  believe anythin? ) the dry fly during spring olive hatches, in April and May,  thinking I was a real  cool fishing dude, strutting along the bank with my home made rod and leaky waders, whistling ?Hey Jude?  and other Beatles songs, then ending up deflated and wondering why I seldom caught f-all on these warm summer evenings on our club water near Arbroath (Lunan).  Only by gong down to smaller than 20?s  did I catch fish, but this took a long time to figure out, having no mentor to help me. I found my most successful pattern was dirty white thread and a badger hackle. Simple as that. But as I say, getting tiny hackles was the real problem. There is no  point  tying 20?s with 16 size hackles, all you end up with is a size 16 fly on  size 20 hook!

[Ptinid]

Thanks Fred.

Yes, I'm lucky to have a couple of small Veniard capes that provide mice small hackles. But I often find that I'm clipping larger ones down (my grizle cock esp). That's OK for dries since the rigidity of the hackle helps it float, and the tips penetrate the meniscus, but useless for wets where movement is needed.

[rabbitangler]

Why not miss out the hackles? Use fine fur instead, like a hares ear? I know a guy who used to chop up hares ear very fine, put a tiny drop of superglue on a 28 and drop it onto the fur. Pull out the hook et voila a size 28 hares ear!!

Something else, what type of thread are you using? The finer the better.

Keep t(r)ying!!

Peter

[Ptinid]

Now that's a good idea. I'll give that a try. It's that 'out the box' stuff I'm not too brilliant at.

[Fishtales]

Half way down this page.

http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/advanced/part3.html

[Fishtales]

If you liked those, try these too.

http://www.sexyloops.com/flytying/northcountrywets1.shtml

http://www.barker287.freeserve.co.uk/fish/wharfly/wharfly.htm

[Hollandstreamer]

Hello Ptinid,

I ty lots of small flies using mostly CDC  feathers. This because they ty very easy and floting very well.
Look at google for the name of the Slovenien tyer Fratnik, his paterns are easy to ty and work well.
Herewith I send you some sites of some of my favoriet paterns, the CDC para emerger is my alltime favorite. If you want I can send some more pictures of my favoriets.

http://www.angeln.de/praxis/fliegenfischen/cdc-08-2001.htm
http://www.flueaesken.dk/Bindemonstre/Fratnik_CDC.htm
http://www.flyfisherman.com/ftb/hwcdc/index3.html

Cheers, Reinier

[Wildfisher]

Hi  there Reinier!  Good link thanks. Interesting that ?no hackle?   method  of tying is catching on. Using cdc / deer hair / poly-beads etc etc. I guess they all evolved as a simple alternative to Mr Klinkhammer?s  original ideas. Whatever, they certainly work.

[Ptinid]

Thanks Reinier,

These are good flies, I've been tying CDC midges for a while now, and they work well - especially on smooth water. I'll give the poly bead atry - had not thought of that for a small (size 22) hook. Perhaps attaching some of the 'bits' from a broken  poly box would give the right size.