Small and Strong
I have been having some success of late with very small shuttlecock type flies down to size 22 and 24. Very simple dressings and very effective during the evening caenis hatch. But they do have some downsides. Firstly the patterns in that size that I can find for fly tying are light weight dry fly hooks, and with 4lb line a moderate size rainbow will pull them straight with very little effort. You are contiually reshaping or replacing them as you fish. Secondly, the are a ****** to tie on, I find getting the line through the eye very difficult, especially as it gets late into the evening.
Last night I managed to land six fish on one single fly, two of which weighed six pounds apiece and fought me on the backing. The same fly had caught before, and at the end of the evening the fly was still in perfect shape and had not straightened or distorted in the slightest. I passed the fly on to a youngster and I am sure it is fit to catch some more.
The hook was a Drennan Carbon Specimen in a size 20, although due to the shortness of the shank the dressing would be about the same size as a fly tied on a 22. It has a straight eye which I found much easier to attach to the leader.
A really useful pattern for a very specific role that I found difficult to fill. Recommended.
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