Creek chubs on the fly?

[mainbutter]

Up north a little ways my gf's parents have some land with a small river running through it. I found a spot with some kind of tiny fish that'd peck at my flies. They were pretty dinky and had trouble taking my size 12 or so dry flies and size 10 nymphs. Often they'd just peck at it, but sometimes I'd see my fly get taken underwater about an inch and start swimming around. I'd attempt to set the hook, but the fish would have the fly by just a few fibers in their mouth so it would be pulled free. If I let them take it for more than a second, they'd spit it.

I eventually hooked 3 or 4 of them, and found out they were some kind of chub! They were VERY pretty looking fish with some purple-y iridescence across their backs.

Anyhoo, I was highly amused by so many fish trying to peck at my flies and failing, that I might give it another shot sometime. What kind/size fly should I go for since obviously I was going too big?

Next time I'm bringing a camera.

I love fishing for bait I just wish I had an aquarium set up to keep a few of these guys for pets, they're SO pretty!

[StillwaterAaron]

Try a size 20 or smaller brassy! I call minnow fishing Micro Fishing! I was catching grass shiners the other week between bites on the croix.

[Schollmeier]

I usually don't go that tiny for creek chub but it depends upon the size of the chubs. Big chubs will take down a #8 fly without a struggle. I catch the most chubs on #14 or #16 flies. Hairs ear nymphs are good, so is basically any smaller trout nymph. If that doesn't work tie some tiny midge flies and have at it.

[OnAFly]

When I got into some of them on accident, they were taking a #16 caddis emerger.

[so haaad]

I've gotten them on adams dries, size 18-20 also. But they really hammer brassies.