Why Small Flies?
If you look at the insects that drift in a stream or if you examine the contents of a trout’s stomach, you’ll find plenty of small bugs. A size 12 Hares Ear looks pretty awkward when compared to much of what trout actually eat. The food chain teems with small insects. This is particularly true in the fall, when all the large insects except October Caddis have emerged. You’d be hard pressed to find anything larger than size 18 drifting in the current. The other reason small flies work is that most anglers don’t use them. On high-pressure waters, a trout that follows and rejects a husky size 14 imitation will inhale a size 20 without hesitation. Trout on premier Western tailwaters and spring creeks such as the Green, San Juan, or Silver Creek have learned that it is much safer to focus on small prey items. The other good thing about small flies is that they expand your menu of imitations. With a selection of size 18-22 flies you can mimic whitefish eggs, blue-winged olives, small saddle-
