It seems (to me) that brookies will consistently take larger offerings than browns or rainbows-at least assuming fish of equal size.

Last summer I was catching 6-7 inch brookies on a terrestrial ant in size 8 or 10 and the brookies are actually a minority in this particular stream.

Brookies are beautiful fish but I have not found them to be super selective-which is fine by me. I am not one that thrives on a constant challenge with a fly rod-sometimes I just want to catch fish.

Thanks, guys. Kind of what I expected. I think I'll still do a little more experimenting this year than last, with the microflies. And I'll work on my technique. I did manage to land a large brookie on a #18 this season past, but anything beyond that, and I'm in over my depth.
brent

Brookies aren't afforded as much of a offering as larger streams with more insects life so they will readily take larger flies. Larger flies will keep the little evil brookie off your fly allowing the bigger brookie to get em! I know that a fact Jack! hehehe!

Hi Brent, last year I had allot of success with these in a #18


When the Tricos are going, around the 4th of July, I like to use a #20 or #22 hairs foot spinner. I find that in the beginning of a trico hatch you can get by with a #18 Adams but as the hatch goes on Brookies can get real fussy.

You can bet those brookies don't have a problem seeing things in dirty water. Try a charcoal black caddis pattern.

Here's the list Brent
Glass Bead Soft Hackle
Hook; TMC 2487 #18, you can use any scud hook, I do get them online.
Thread; Black Uni 8/0
Body; Brown dyed hairs mask
Small glass bead behind the hackle, midge size
Hackle; Hungarian Partridge, if you can't find one small enough use Starling or Brown Hen

I've tried these in brown, gray and olive, the brown seems to work the best.

I've got to do a bunch of trico spinners right off, I'll post them when I get them done.
Trico Spinner
Hook; #20-#24 dry fly
Thread; Black 8/0
Tail; Sparse Black Hackle
Abdomen; Black thread, sometimes I use Peacock Quill
Thorax; Black Dubbing
Wing ; Snowshoe Hare Foot under-hair tied flat (spent wings)


Its been crazy cold with another inch of rain forcast for this weekend, fun fun fun!

Yeah got to agree with you but fishing in the mountain streams at times it's a cast a brookie using size 12 to size 16 Adams ,coachman and royal wulffs the smaller ones don't seem to be of any advantage.The brookie don't seem to care ,like a lot of little guys they seem to like to take on more than they can chew at times.

Muz

I have a similar photo with a tiny brookie on a #12 Adams but I think yours may be about 1/2 inch smaller so you win that one

For me it is dependent on the season. Here in Idaho for most of the year I fish mostly drys in the 10 to 16 range and do great on a wide variety of trout, including brookies. I like to fish a fly that I can see, so my dries are usually larger than most of the naturals. I also like dumb uneducated stream trout! It wouldn't work on some of our more educated rivers.

After November and through the winter until spring the only dry fly the fish will take is size 18 to 22 or smaller. The 18 would be on Griffith's gnats or other midge cluster flies. When the midges themselves are size 22 or smaller the trout get zeroed in on only seeing small stuff. I can't see my fly so I usually fish it behind a larger "summer" fly. I have yet to take a fish in full winter on that "sighter" fly. I love it in the spring when the BWOs start coming off, and I can start using slightly larger drys... like 16s to 18s.

If I fish a nymph or streamer, then size no longer matters as much. I can frequently use a stonefly pattern or other large nymph that is in the river all year and do great. But again a trailing midge in a size 18 or smaller will out fish it.

Brookies, cutthroat been killing em with Griffiths gnats 16-20 and one of my
All time favorites the "Jassid" 16-18 thanks to Gp forum member and good friend who tied me up a dozen ...I treat em like gold, don't think jungle **** feathers are
Allowed to be brought in the USA anymore ....

Paul