Fly Fishing Forum banner

Question regarding flies

5K views 3 replies 3 participants last post by  Greg H 
#1 ·
Can you use small bass flies like 1/0 bass hooks for trout? or do I have to buy small trout hooks? Still learning, Thank you for your help
 
#2 ·
1/0 Bass hooks would work well for very large trout (over 3 lbs). For most trout fishing, flies range in size from No. 6 to No. 20, with most in the No. 8 to No. 16 range. The size of the fly is determined mostly by what the fish are likely feeding on. If the trout are feeding on insects and insect larvae, then smaller hooks, generally. If they are feeding on minnows, crayfish and other large prey, then larger hooks.

How large are the trout you typically encounter?
 
#4 ·
The size of the fly is determined mostly by what the fish are likely feeding on. If the trout are feeding on insects and insect larvae, then smaller hooks, generally.
Until a trout is over 12" it eats bugs. Over that size it eats bugs when plentiful and other items like small fish or crayfish. Large trout that mainly eat large items usually don't feed until dark (that's how they get large).

Most of what trout eat is 5/8 of an inch and brown. And in a normal current of 1ft/sec a trout will take something into its mouth every 6 seconds. So much of the time you could use size 12 or 14 as the largest - unless you are fishing a minnow imitation, in which case you will catch few but they will be larger.

I would suggest whenever you see bugs or any surface activity you use size 14 or 16 hooks either above or below the surface. On the Farmington (Conn.) at this time of year, on the Deerfield, and on the Grand in Ontario I would even go down to size 18.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top