Foam patterns.

[Crosby]

What style of hook do you that tie these use? I'm basically concerned with the big foam patterns- the Salmon fly and the likes. Last year - and tying the TA Bunker last week got me thinking again on this- I started using a large Mustad stinger hook- wide gapped- I think last year on the Salmonfly hatch my hook up ratio went way up- tied a bunch this week-end- just playing with it- still like it rather than a standard hook-
Also took a 3 layered foam- black, orange , black- took a razor blade a cut out 1/8" inch segements( maybe smaller) cut the bottom black out- just down to the middle orange- looks a lot more like the live salmonfly underbody that I previously tied- though I am not proficient at foam flies- I just tossed them on the Blacksmith Sat to see how they ride, ect. Looking good to me. Maybe I will try and hit the Northern fly tying deal Tues. and get some hints.

[HookInMouth]

I tie foam flies quite frequently and have always used the 200R hooks. I tie the foam extended body style and like the way the curved hook extends down below the fly. I never seem to have any trouble with hooking fish with files tied in this style. That is a nice idea about cutting segments out of a three layer fly. I will have to try that. My one concern would be about the durability of the fly. My foam flies seem to always get hammered hard.