Larger Flies

[robbie514]

How often do you exceed size 10 flies for trout?

 

[shakey]

just about every time i fish.

 

[David]

Not often, but when conditions dictate... Also depends on what type of flies you are asking about. For dry flies, the typical "match the hatch" rules apply. If it is a really big bug (some drakes, among others, can be bigger than a 10) I will put on a fly that matches the size, shape, and color of the real bug.
Similar for nymphing... a common "big" one would be when giant stoneflies are active.
For prospecting (fishing when then there isn't a hatch and I am just trying to locate where the fish are) I will sometimes put on a streamer that is much bigger than a 10.

 

[TYoung]

It depends on the type of flies that you are referring to. If you are talking about dry flies or nymphs, then my answer would be rarely. But, if you were referring to streamers, then me answer would be often.

 

[Chaz]

If there's no hatch and trout won't take a dry I go deep with big flies. I use big flies a lot, mostly when others would be nymphing, I'm using big flies, they cause less injry then really small stuff.

 

[fishngun]

Most streamers I fish are 3-8 inches long. I'm not lookin for numbers or small fish though.

 

[mike_richardson]

This winter found me catching trout on larger nymphs. size 6-10. I typically never go above 14 with my nymphs.

 

[dc410]

My favorite hook to tie a wooly bugger on is a size 8 - 4 XL streamer hook. I think this is a really good size for trout. Lately have been tying most of them with dumbbell eyes (Clouser style) and dredging the bottom. Have caught lots of trout on them this past year. I hardly ever fish an unweighted bugger anymore.

 

[Fishidiot]

robbie514 wrote:
How often do you exceed size 10 flies for trout?

Not very often except (as others have said) with streamers. I suppose I catch the overwhelming proportion of trout on dries, nymphs, wets, etc.....in #14-#18 sizes.

However, I fish mostly in the south central on small creeks and limestoners for trout. We don't have many hatches of bigger sized insects in this part of the state.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

This past Saturday, I used a size 10 HE to get down deep and it actually produced well. Only fly that was producing for me, actually. I usually keep a few HE and PT in size 10 in my box for such occassions.

 

[PatrickC]

Brown trout...99% of the time.

 

[Sylvaneous]

Not very often. I used to make fancy extended bodies for things like big early march browns and Isonychias on Penns where they can be huge, but I quit. For those big flies, I find I can get overall better performance casting, riding, hooking, durability, time, all that, by sticking to standard ties on just 12 and 10, 2XL hooks. I use those almost exclusively on Penns. On other waters, a shank size 10 or 12 will work for those bugs. Except for the big brown & green drakes, there are no bugs I tie dries for that exceed that size.

For golden stones, I use a sz. 8 tiemco 200R for the nymph. I don't fish those all that often. I gave some to a former student and he knocked-em dead on Brokenstraw and uses them a lot up there.

JBeary

 

[GreenWeenie]

All the time. Big flies rule.

 

[attackone]

all the time, i like fishing 6-10 alot, normally have a size 6-8 stone and a size 18-22 nymph of some sort

 

[mario66pens]

Almost always with a streamer.

 

[jdaddy]

9.18% of the time. I tend to fish late in the season and end up fishing size 20 or smaller bugs.

 

[wbranch]

If we are talking about dry flies then the answer is very seldom. Twice a year one when the very large GD are on the main stem and also when BD or big stones emerge on the EB I'll put on a #8 all other times #10 - #22 and most of the time #14 - #18.

Now if we are talking streamers then the answer is all the time. I never use a streamer smaller than a #6 and usually am throwing a #2 or #4. I go as big as #1/0 for trout.