Wet Fly · Sizes #10–16
The Fario FRL 201 Black is a barbless wet fly hook available in sizes #10–16. It's built around 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, paired with standard wire — a balance of strength and weight that works across most freshwater applications. Tyers reach for it most often when working on spider patterns, soft hackles, wet fly. The sections below break down what each specification actually means at the vice, which patterns suit it, and which hooks from other manufacturers you can substitute when it's out of stock.
Shank length (Std.). This hook has 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 (Std.). It's made from standard wire — a balance of strength and weight that works across most freshwater applications.
Bend and gape (Std.). The FRL 201 Black uses a standard gape, which keeps the fly's proportions traditional.
Eye type (Down). It's finished with a down eye, the traditional choice, which sets a good hooking angle for dry and wet flies fished on a tippet.
Barbless. This hook is barbless from the factory, so it's ready for competition use and catch-and-release waters, and it does noticeably less damage to fish. Keep a steady line tension when playing a fish, as barbless hooks drop out more readily on slack.
The Fario FRL 201 Black is tagged in the Woolly Bug database for spider patterns, soft hackles, wet fly. Patterns that sit naturally on this hook include Snipe and Purple, Waterhen Bloa, Partridge and Orange, Starling and Herl. Because the hook's proportions drive the finished fly's silhouette, it's worth matching the pattern's intended shape to the shank rather than forcing a recipe onto the wrong blank.
The FRL 201 Black runs from size 10 through 16. The middle of this range covers most everyday trout patterns and is the sensible place to start if you're stocking a single size. If you're buying this hook for the first time, the mid-range sizes see the most use at the vice, and tracking exactly which sizes you own is where an inventory app earns its keep — it's the detail most tyers forget at the fly shop counter.
The Woolly Bug database identifies 4 comparable hooks across 4 other manufacturers, matched on the specifications that actually determine a fly's proportions — gape and shank length first, then wire strength and eye type.
Equivalent hooks, full specs and side-by-side comparison are in the free Woolly Bug app.
Open in Woolly BugIf the Fario FRL 201 Black is out of stock, the Woolly Bug app lists 4 comparable hooks. When substituting, the specifications that matter most are gape and shank length — these determine whether the finished fly keeps its intended proportions. Wire strength is the next consideration, since it changes how the fly sits in the water: a heavier wire will sink a pattern that was designed to float. Eye type is usually the most forgiving difference, though switching to or from a jig eye changes how the hook rides entirely.
Log every hook, material and pattern on your bench — free on the App Store.
Download FreeThe Fario FRL 201 Black is a wet fly hook used for Spider Patterns, Soft Hackles, Wet Fly. It's available in sizes #10–16 with a Std. shank and Std. wire.
The Woolly Bug database identifies 4 comparable hooks across 4 other manufacturers, matched on shank length (Std.), wire strength (Std.) and bend (Std.). The models are listed in the free app.
The Fario FRL 201 Black is barbless. That makes it suitable for competition use and catch-and-release fisheries without modification.
It's available in sizes #10–16.