I’ve been looking for a curved caddis straight eye hook to tie Barr Emergers, and hooks for the graphic caddis, etc. Tiemco makes the only straight eye hooks as far as I can tell. I realize the hooks don’t have to be the exact ones he uses, but do you have any ideas or options?
Thanks
Take a look at DaiRiki 125 - straight eye emerger hook.
Kelly.
according to john barrs book, barr emergers are tied on tiemco 101 or 2487 (Chapter 10), micro emergers are tied on tiemco 101 (chapter 11) and graphic caddis are tied on tiemco 2499sp-bl (chapter 9)
the 101 and 2487 are readily available almost anywhere tiemco hooks are sold
you may have to do a GOOGLE searcch for the 2499sp-bl or give charlie craven a call. he should have them in stock.
the tfs2500 from “the fly shop” are equivalent to the 2499 and probably cheaper
Hey Normand: You’re post is corrrect those are hooks he uses. I’ve always been concerned that the gap on the 2487 is too small for consisten hook-ups. It’s been diffiuclt to find the 2488s. Those new 2499 SP BL are really nice hooks, but they’re expensive.
Thanks for your help. I’m gong to make a list out tonight for my winer tying.
where did you look??
$2.88 for the tfs 2500 sure beats the $7.70 tiemco price for 2499sp-bl!
http://store.theflyshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=7565
http://www.americanflyfishing.com/Fly+Tying/Hooks/Tiemco+TMC+2499SPBL.html
I also like the Dai-Rikki #125. This hook is ‘kirbed’ with the hook point offset slightly to the side. Really helped my hook up rate for small stuff, size 18 and smaller.
Previously I used Tiemco hooks that did not have an offset, I would sometimes pull a hook right out of a trouts mouth without hooking. This never happens with the Dai-Rikki hooks.
This could be a true light bulb moment for me! I did this very thing a dozen times this weekend. Got a nice hit and pulled the hook away from the fish on the set or didn’t get it set well and lost a couple of 15" brookies just out of reach with the net. I have been wondering what was giving me fits for the last 3 days! I know I’m not the most skilled fisher-person here by a long ways, but there were too many missed sets for it to me my ineptitude. Well, maybe not, but I refuse to believe it. 
I had noticed the point was offset or not in line with the shank of the hook on the Dai-Rikki hooks and thought it was strange. I will try some of my favorite nymphs on Dai-Rikkis instead of the usual Mustad or Tiemcos and see how it goes.
Bruce -
The Dai-Riki 125 is a 2X short hook so you get a bigger gap for the size of the fly you are tying. It is not kirbed as Ken suggests ( best I can tell looking at mine ). The Dai-Riki 135 ( 1X short 1X heavy down eye hook ) does have that offset hook which I think does improve hook up rates, but I think it is the larger gap that works for Ken on the 125 ??
The 125 is a really good emerger hook. The 135 works better for larva, pupa and nymphs.
John
JohnScott you are absolutly right, I’m thinking of the 135 not the 125. Still like the 125 over the TMC hooks for the bigger gap. I sometimes add the ‘offset’ myself to the 125 when it’s in the vice. A little thumb pressure is enough on a size 18 hook to give the point a slight offset.
I bought John Barr’s book and I think his ideas are very good. I’m definitely tying some of those graphic caddis’s for next year. I think I’m going to tie some up on the 125s. I was turned off by the Dai Riki’s several years ago because, while pinching the barbs many of them broke. Maybe I had a bad batch. I’ll give them another try.
Bruce
You can find excellent deals for the Dai Rikis on EBay.
Regards,
Scott
Bruce -
I use Dai-Riki hooks almost exclusively for everything from size 20 2X short midges to size 6 4X long stoneflies. Rarely have I had a hook break while pinching the barb down. And I can only recall a few times that a hook broke while fishing, and only once or twice with a fish on, and the hook may have broken before I hooked those fish.
John
I agree with John, for the money you can buy a heck of a lot more DaiRiki hooks than some of the more well-known brands. I’ve never had a hook break while fishing and only a few in all my years of using them have broke while pinching the barb.
Kelly.