A previous thread prompts me to write this.
At the Catskill Fly Fishing Center & Museum, there’s a spot that has a Lee Wulff display. Aside from his tying desk with his tools and materials there are quite a few flies. All of which were tied by Wulff sans vise. However, as interesting as what was on the desk, one of the most intriguing items was on the wall. It was a plaque for a special club. It is for members of the 16-16 Club. The description (pretty sure this is correct) reads something like ‘membership limited to those fly fishers who’ve caught a 16 pound salmon on a size 16 or smaller fly’. I think there may be a few photos accompanying the information. This feat is so difficult that the list of club members, as of the date of the last entry, was but a handful. If you ever visit the Museum, take a look at Wulff’s area, as well as the other great stuff there.
Actually, … it’s 20-20 (#20 or smaller fly on a 20 or + lb salmon).
In reality, the list is soo short because connecting isn’t enough, … you had to capture the salmon. Back then, of course, salmon were kept. Since we went to C&R, no one has done it (or even tried).
For those who care to try, … here’s a trick, Lee did it on the #23 here using a dry fly on a riffle hitch. 8)
Mostly I have heard of a 20/20 club for trout fishers. A 20 inch trout on a size 20 fly. A more realistic goal. Then it goes up. The 22/22 club etc. Often ‘river guides’ seem to fill most of the ranks.
I think I might be in a 18/18 club (if there was one), as I don’t fish anything smaller anymore. :lol:
Often ‘river guides’ seem to fill most of the ranks.
I always wondered about that, then a few situations add to my understanding.
This past summer, on 4 occasions, clients were too pooped out to keep casting to some likely prospects (on the #48, same place same presentation where I kept telling you “another 3 feet” ).
They’d spool up and wade out asking me to give it a try. Of course, seeing as the salmon had seen mostly the same flies all day, we’d go to extremes. I can’t cast 110 feet, so the best way is to add about 12 feet of leader, move to a smaller fly and give it a whirl.
Interestingly, it worked 4/4 this year. I haven’t connected on anything smaller than a #16 yet, but there is always next season
We’re bracing for another storm here. I hope all is well out in the Far West.
I am in the 16/16 club. Also in the 20/20 club for trout. Of course I wasnt fishing for salmon, I was fishing for steelhead, on a 16 caddis poopah, have caught alot of salmon on that. Some Nice bright ones too.
I caught a 16" rainbow on a fly smaller than #16 a couple years ago on the Fall River in northern California. That river is often fished with very small flies (a size 16 fly is considered large by most folks I know that fly fish there). 18’s, 20’s, 22’s are common fly sizes.
I met one guide that suggested using size 16 Copper Johns and I’ve had decent luck there following his advice but the other guides and non-guides I’ve fished with there all suggest 18’s and smaller.
That 16" rainbow was my personal best for a couple years. I finally topped it this Summer with an 18 1/2" largemouth bass, beat that in early November with a 21" Eagle Lake Trout, and beat that late November with a 25" wild steelhead on the Rogue River in Oregon.
But the 16" was the only one of those caught on a small enough fly to count in this thread:
I would be one of those in the 16-16 club for salmon and Brown trout. I caught both in a single day last year when I was doing very good with a size 16 Bead Head Wooly bugger like fly (rabbit hair tail, Ostrich herl (braided) body w/dry fly quality hackle, and after catching several Salmon many of which were easily in that size range, I then caught two browns in a row, one that would easily top 16 pounds. That fly and another I tie and fish alot caught most of my Salmon that year.
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