smaller hooks. The tendency among bass fishermen, however, is toward smaller and better hooks.
There is a wonderful variety in the sizes of trout flies. For wet fly fishing sizes 4 and 6 are considered large; 8 and 10 medium; 12 and 14 small and " tinies," or very small, run all the way to 22 which are no larger than an anaemic mosquito. Local conditions should govern the selection of sizes of flies. In some waters the trout show a marked preference for certain sizes and many expert anglers claim that a variety of sizes is more important than a multitude of patterns. My own experience inclines me toward the same belief and in late years I have carried with me more size 6 than ever as I have found that the trout favor a large fly more often than the general run of anglers seem to believe. Unless local anglers advise otherwise the novice would not be far out of the right track if he would proportion his sizes on the following basis, taking a dozen flies as a standard: size 6, 2; size 8, 4; size 10, 4; size 12, 1; size 14 or 16, 1. Smaller flies are used for dry fly fishing, number 12 being the standard in most American waters.
