Smallest flies you use

[Malcolm]

I find the small flies which have been posted here fascinating and admire the skill with which they are tied but I wondered what sizes of flies are the smallest we use in an average season. I suspect it may vary by location. For myself I virtually never go below an 18 although I've got a small emergency selection of flies down to about 22 which almost never see the end of my cast.

[Pearly Invicta]

I have a box of tiny spiders and emergers that Hans tied for me. The size 28 and 30 machair spiders get a couple of outings a year- usually in a flat calm or for very fussy feeders. They've saved the odd blank.

[dseabass]

generally 12 -14    ----but av got a few wee tiny bits of cul-canard (fluff ) tied-wrapped on some 18s  which i use sometimes when its very calm  

[sandyborthwick]

Won some Hans Micro Klinks last year, what a revelation. the smallest flies are just great. The sizes are below 18s by a fair way - more akin to catching my minnows :lol: but the sport is great. Had a ten inch monster and I thought I was going to lose the fly. I've had some amazing fun with them on a little stream and even on the loch in a flat calm with the midges eating me alive.

Sandy B.O.

[scotfly]

The majority of my fishing is normally 16 - 20's, with a few 22 - 26's occasionally

[Clan Ford]

In the past, on the WoL, I frequently used down to size 28 as the fish were feeding on wee terrestrial dross.  Never come across a stream where I've had to fish so small since, generally use 16 and 18's.

Norm

[The General]

Ok ok so just what size of leader are youz guyz with the great eyes using to get these dots on to the water.  I personally cannot see any kind of natural presentation if anything above a pound is used on 20's and above


Davie

[nant_fisher]

Smallest I would normally use are size 14's. Most of my fishing is done on lochs which don't have excellent hatches of anything so more often than not it's standard wets I use. If I was fishing on rivers I'd probably try something smaller.

Cheers

Robbie

[haresear]

An 18 or 20 is as small as I feel comfortable with, but I did land a very hard fighting good sized fish around 2lb on one of Hans' micro flies, so maybe I should try them more regularly than I do.

Alex

[.D.]

I'll go down to a 22 or 24 frequently, and a 26 rarely on the river. Usually for little smuts (using dry or wet flies).

But I'd estimate about 70% of the time I use flies in the size 12-16 range. If I'm using a dry fly for combing the water  a 14 is about as small as I go :shock:.

Cheers,

.D.