Jim,
I think you’ve come to the right place. There’s tons of resources in the beginning fly tying section here on FAOL, as well as detailed instructions on tying patterns. Here’s a website that might be helpful for you in sorting out different hook styles and manufacurer model numbers:
http://www.killroys.com/hooks/hookchrt.htm
There are also other charts on Killroys that show bead sizes for different size hooks for tying bead head nymphs etc.
Not sure what fish you’re planning to target there in N Ohio, but here’s some suggestions for a basic assortment of hooks for a beginning fly tyer, and some fairly easy patterns targeting panfish, trout, bass and steelhead (in tribs) using Mustad hooks (they’re decent, inexpensive and widely available):
Dry fly Hook for adult caddis, and mayfly duns, spinners, and emergers:
Mustad 94840 (less expensive than the AC94840, it is “the standard” dry fly hook 1xf wire, turned down eye) sizes 12, and 14 to start, adding 16 and 18 as you get more proficient. Good patterns are Elk Hair Caddis, Sparkle Duns and a basic hackled Catskill tie like an Adams. You can imitate a ton of caddis and mayflies by varying colors of body, wing, hackles etc. Once you get these down, most other patterns will come pretty easily. Think initially in terms of tying these up in light (creamish), medium (tan or gray), and dark (dark brown or dark gray) for panfish and trout. If you get into trout flies, once you’re ready for the really small ones size 20 and smaller go with a good quality turned up eye dry fly hook to improve hookset and holding power like a Daiichi 1330.
Wet Flies (for subsurface emerging and drowned adult caddis and mayflies):
Mustad 3906B (1xlong, 1xheavy wire,turned down eye) size 14 for soft hackles Partridge and Orange, Partridge and Green, and Partridge and Muskrat) Great searching subsurface patterns for trout, also good for panfish. You could use the dry fly hook above, but the heavier wire will help sink the fly.
Nymphs:
Mustad 9672 (3xlong, standard wire, turned down eye) sizes 12, 14 and 16. You’ll get a lot of use out of these hooks for nymphs, bead heads and small wooly buggers. Good patterns include Rock Worms, Gold Ribbed Hares Ear, Pheasant Tail (in size 16), and Prince Nymphs in unweighted, weighted with lead or lead sub wire and bead heads. Other uses for this hook include small wooly buggers and even small muddler minnows on the size 12. These patterns are great for trout and panfish. A black stonefly nymph pattern size 12 and 14 is also a great winter steelhead pattern on this hook.
Streamers and bucktails:
Mustad 9674 (4xlong, 1xheavy, straight eye) or the Mustad 9672 (which is 3xlong, but in larger sizes than above) a good hook for muddlers, bucktail streamers like Black Nose Dace, Mickey Finns, muddlers, wooly buggers, Clousers, Crayfish imitations, Marabou and feather wing streamers, Matukas etc etc. (and even Grass Hoppers/Crickets in size 12 for top water) Think sizes 8 10 12 for trout. Maybe add some 4 and 6s for bass. Try wooly buggers in black, Olive with and without coneheads, Marabou streamers in white (for shad imitations), black and clousers in chartreuse, black, orange and white for easy ties for LM and SM bass, and in dark colors for large trout and steelhead (but check regs for hook gap size restrictions on tribs for Steelhead).
For steelhead
Mustad AC91742 ( the extra expense of the AC chemically sharpened microbarb point is worth it, IMHO for steelhead) This is an “egg hook” for glow bugs, sucker spawn, crystal meth flies and other Great Lakes type stuff. Check with locals for sizes
Mustad 36890, AC36890 or Daiitchi 2441, in sizes 4, 6, 8 for “traditional” western steelhead patterns like Green Butt Skunk, Freight Train, Comets etc.
This is offered as a starting point, there are no “rules” as such, but these hook selections have the “proper” proportions for different fly types (dry, wet, nymphs and streamers) which is often mostly determined by shank length rather than just hook size, and of course the lighter wire on the dry fly hooks help to float the dry and are not as pricey as some of the chemically sharpened hooks out there. Keep asking questions, and if you have specific fly patterns you’re looking to tie, or fish you’re targetting let us know.
To keep initial costs down, you can get a lot of mileage out of some:
Bucktails black, chartreuse and natural for clousers, and bucktail streamers for bass.
Marabou in black, purple and green for wooly buggers for bass, trout (and panfish in small sizes) with bead heads (or coneheads for large hooks).
ComparaHair (also called coastal deer hair) To save on a big initial investment on dry fly hackle you can tie up dry flies like sparkle duns and no hackle Elk Hair Caddis. They work great, and you can match a ton of caddis and mayflies with these styles just by varying size and wing and body color. A 3" x 3" patch is good for at least 100 flies. Dry Fllies without hackle won’t float as well as hackled flies in rough water, but they’re fine (and argueably more effective) in still to moderate flowing water, are perhaps even better than hackled flies for selective trout. Panfish love 'em too.
Wet Fly Nymph material is generally inexpensive. A pheasant tail feather, some dubbing, green and orange floss, and a package of grouse feathers (partridge skin is better but more expensive)
For Hackle, you can often get 2 1/2 necks, say a 1/2 of brown and a 1/2 of grizzly (the combo for an Adams ) for the price of 1 neck if you check around. Denny at Conranch is a great resource for hackle with great service, quality and very reasonable prices. He’s a sponser of FAOL (and the moderator of this forum) at www.conranch.com
Hope this helps. Have fun!
peregrines
