Chuck, That photo I sent you off list shows the smallest hooks I was ever able to find- some VMC #34's. They are formed wire (violin), no barb, and spade eye. There are also some #30 VMC's and a size 28 Mustad (for size reference), which is the same size as a #32 Tiemco.
The Mustad #32 gold hooks are special in that they actually have barbs and were used for fishing (forged hooks). Mustad discontinued the line and the desireability, thus the price, of the hooks has risen. They have spade eyes, so the leader must be snelled on. I have tried everything available with the upper brass at Mustad's NY office, and they swear to me that they don't have any of these stashed away. Flyrod-builders used to put one in the wraps just at the handle, and then epoxy over it- just a nice touch. The $277 box on Ebay went to such a rod-builder, I believe. I'm on my 3rd, and probably last, box of these things, and I have just those coupla-dozen left. (Yes, I tied them all and gave most of them away. Some flies were lost by dropping them.) Before my eyes go too fuzzy to see them, I want to tie me up a managerie of size 32's and take photos, so I'm hoarding these. You'd have to set one in a vise and look at it to see what a challenge it is to tie any fly on it. I haven't found anyone else yet that can tie a full-pattern royal coachman on one, though. Not all of them come out perfect, but the ones that do are pretty neat. Finding size 32 hackle used to be a challenge (almost impossibility) until Tom Whiting came out with his super-saddles in midge sizes. I tied a #32 royal coachman for Tom Zacoi's traveling fly show, complete with 6" of 7x leader snelled on. It was a real good one, but I didn't have the digital photography capabilities at the time to get photos of it before I sent it off. Right now Mustad #28's, VMC #30, and Tiemco #32's are the smallest hooks I know of readily available. DonO ----- Original Message ----- From: "Chuck Alexander" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, July 13, 2005 9:14 AM Subject: Re: [VFB] Re: Size 32 - was Re: [VFB > Tony, All: Geeeeeez.. I never knew they'd be that hard to find (no pun > intended LOL) If ya dropped one you'd NEVER find it .. Seriously.. I guess > it is a "supply and demand" thing huh?? What is the smallest size readily > available??? And those TINY hooks bring HUGE bucks it sounds huh???? Be my > luck, I'd try to USE it, and hang it in a tree right next to a hornets nest > first cast LOL...Chuck >
