It really depends upon the water I am fishing. With rivers, some of them produce really small bugs, like the Missouri River above Cascade, Montana. That river is usually fished with very small dries, BWO's, Caddis, PMD's all usually no bigger than a 16 but often in 18 and some in 20's. In contrast to that is the Clark Fork and several other western rivers in Montana where larger dries are often used, like 12's and 14's, but then again if the hatch is a smaller insect then you go to a smaller dry.

If I had to go with one main size I would say a size 16 would produce well on most rivers that I fish. That is unless the Skwala Stoneflies are out, then bring out the 12's and 10's. As for other stoneflies, Salmonflies are huge, Yellow Sallies are small.

As for lakes, again, depends upon the water, but 16's are almost always a good bet.

Larry ---sagefisher---