FLYMPH FORUM

crazy4oldcars wrote:That's amazing! I have never even seen a #32 hook in person.
There may have been one there, but I didn't see it. lol

I have tied and fished with #22 and caught bluegill and baby bass. I was worried about the fine wire hooks straightening out, but they buried up to the bend, which meant a straight pull.
The only issue I have had with the small sizes is getting them out of the fish. It is difficult to get under them to push them free. I tore the hackle off of a couple of them trying to release the fish.

Kirk

I was catching trout on #22 emergers a couple of years ago and also noted that the hooks bury right up to the bend also. It's tough to get them out with a hemostat even when the barbs are punched down.

Strange how some fly fishers have a problem with an aspect of the sport and others don't. I have never had a problem removing tiny hooks, and I use barbed. Last Sunday I was fishing a local tailwater and I started with a size 18 Soft Hackle (PMD), and a size 18 RS2 variation. I had to dial down to a size 24 in both patterns to catch a substantial amount of trout. I didn't have an issue then or any time before removing micro hooks . Hook types I use are scud, dry and curved (200R). None pose a problem, for me.

I have to agree with a previous poster. I have never seen a size 32 hook in person. I would like to give tying one a shot. I doubt I would share the results with the public though.

OMG!!!

Good lord. A great little tie. Put it somewhere special, or you'll never find it again!

Chris,
I am assuming your fingertip is about the size of a postage stamp....just kidding friend! Your tying is simply amazing and I am in awe of it! I have been dallying with Stewarts spiders lately and yours is impressive! I don't think I own any hooks that small!
Dougsden

DUBBN wrote:Strange how some fly fishers have a problem with an aspect of the sport and others don't. I have never had a problem removing tiny hooks, and I use barbed. Last Sunday I was fishing a local tailwater and I started with a size 18 Soft Hackle (PMD), and a size 18 RS2 variation.

Bit off topic, but I feel you have answered the question here Dub, barbed hooks.
In my opinion, barbed hooks do not penetrate as deep as barbless, therefore in smaller sizes they tend to not embed themselves past the bend as some barbless/crushed barbs can and are easier to remove.
I know it is not what everyone wants to hear, advocating barbed hooks in this day and age- but I feel they still have a place.

Well, I didn't catch anything on the North Country Spider, but I did catch a small smallmouth and a bluegill on a size 32 Stewart Spider (easier to tie, but not as photogenic).



For removing the tiny hooks, I like the Dr. Slick Spring Creek Clamps, which are curved and the jaws taper to a very sharp point (shown here with a Tiemco #32 and a dime for scale).



My hackle pliers are cheapo ($2.25) English Hackle Pliers (the middle ones in the following photograph. The key I've found is a light touch, and these are the easiest I've found to change from right hand to left hand as you wind (index finger of one hand in the "spring hole" to index finger of the other and to the "long hole."



I tie all my flies (even size 6) with a magnifying glass, but for these really small flies, I found that the "Flip Focals" that fit on a baseball cap brim are even better for tying. Also, without them I find it hard to thread a 6X tippet through the eye of a #16 hook. With them, a 10X tippet through a #32 hook is easy. Can't recommend them highly enough.

Well done!

Wayneb