Best hooks for mayfly patterns

The Woolly Bug database lists 105 hooks suited to mayfly patterns, across 16 manufacturers. The most common specification in this category is a Std. shank with Std. wire, and 54 of the 105 are barbless. Mayfly hooks favour a standard shank and fine wire so duns sit high in the film. For emergers and nymphs, a curved shank better matches the insect's posture in the water than a straight one.

Shank length. Most hooks in this category use a standard shank, which matches the proportions of most classic dry fly and nymph recipes — if a pattern doesn't specify a shank length, this is what it assumes.

Wire strength. The typical choice here is standard wire — a balance of strength and weight that works across most freshwater applications.

Barbed or barbless. 54 of the 105 hooks listed for mayfly patterns are barbless from the factory. Competition rules and many catch-and-release fisheries require barbless, and a barbed hook can be pinched down with flat-jawed pliers before dressing.