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Show Us Your Tube Flies

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The goal for this topic is to share what we know and have discovered about tube flies.

A place where we can learn to use the basic components, techniques, and materials.

To rig a tube fly, simply thread the tippet through the tube, then tie it to your hook of choice.

Snug the hook eye into the rear of the tube, and you're ready to catch fish.

 

Advantages

  • Endless hook options (primarily short shank) fresh, saltwater, single, double, treble with fine, standard or extra strong wire diameters.
  • Less hook leverage with shorter shank hooks when fighting fish.
  • Fly slides up leader during the fight...away from sharp teeth, so your flies last longer!
  • Broken or dull hooks are easily replaced to continue fishing the same fly
  • Use metal tube bodies, cones, beads, or simply wrap lead/tungsten to adjust sink rates of flies.
  • Tube flies can be all inclusive, or they can be made in separate sections so they can be stacked to build the finished fly.
  • Fly sections are heads and bodies which are different colors and weights. To build a longer fly add two bodies.

"Fly tying is a school from which no one ever graduates." Poul Jorgenson

 

 

BwN5XVH.jpg

 

Bait Hook: Owner SSW 2/0

Body: BT and pearl Ez-body

Gill: Red yarn

Eye: Flat Prismatic

UV Resin: Solarez Thin

Tube: 1/8" polytube & 3/16" hook holder tubing

post-47446-0-60238600-1508962361_thumb.jpg

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Very early attempt. Bucktail wings over wrapped tinsel body with uv head. Tube is a plastic q-tip body with the cotton ends cut off.

post-61693-0-99972300-1508894156_thumb.jpeg

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Very early attempt. Bucktail wings over wrapped tinsel body with uv head.

Tube is a plastic q-tip body with the cotton ends cut off.

Wow I just mentioned tube fly to you yesterday.

Very impressive work.

You are like MacGyver and quick too!

 

(For those not familiar with MacGyver it was a tv series about this guy.

He is highly intelligent and incredibly resourceful and able to make things from his surroundings to get out of impending situations.

It aired 1985 to 1992.)

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(For those not familiar with MacGyver it was a tv series about this guy.

He is highly intelligent and incredibly resourceful and able to make things from his surroundings to get out of impending situations.

It aired 1985 to 1992.)

The new "MacGyver" series ... running now on CBS ... is MUCH better than the original.

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Very early attempt. Bucktail wings over wrapped tinsel body with uv head.

Tube is a plastic q-tip body with the cotton ends cut off.

Wow I just mentioned tube fly to you yesterday.

Very impressive work.

You are like MacGyver and quick too!

 

 

 

McFlyver

 

Thanks, you both are kind. I guess McFlyver is cooler than Dollar Store Dave!

The Q-tip is not an original idea, read about it somewhere. Experimenting with inner and outer sleeves from coffee stirrers and drinking straws. My issue is getting a hook to seat snuggly at the rear of the fly. I plan on trying shrink wrap to see if that works. I'm headed north to the gunpowder and Lefty Kreh trail this week. Hope to have time to tie and try more variants.

Gorgeous flies Eastern Fly.

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My issue is getting a hook to seat snuggly at the rear of the fly.

 

Junction tubes get the hook to seat well. You might check in a hobby store for model airplane fuel line, just a thought. I personally use both HMH junction tube but also have some Pro Tube pre cut junction tubes. Course if you use large enough Poly Tubing the hook eye then fits right in the end without junction tube.

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I have had my hmh tool forever, back when it was Kennebec River Bait and Tackle. Not done many over the years but may throw it in the vise. I have access to soft tubing to tie on. Your tubes all look great

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The Q-tip is not an original idea, read about it somewhere. Experimenting with inner and outer sleeves from coffee stirrers and drinking straws. My issue is getting a hook to seat snuggly at the rear of the fly. I plan on trying shrink wrap to see if that works. I'm headed north to the gunpowder and Lefty Kreh trail this week. Hope to have time to tie and try more variants.

Gorgeous flies Eastern Fly.

 

I've been experimenting with Q-tips tubes for a while as well. I've found that some silicon fuel lines for RC engines work well as junction tubes. The problem is that every time I fine some that works really well I will have already forgotten the brand and ID by the time I have a chance to play with it. Luckily the stuff is not that pricey and buying a foot of the most likely sizes doesn't break the bank and a foot of the stuff lasts me a year or two. I really think that tarpon tube flys have a real future, I've been halfheartedly messing those for a few years. I really like the idea of being able to tie on a "fresh" hook.

 

BTW a variation of Flip Pallot's snake fly tied on a tube with a small bass worm hook is stellar when ripped through spatterdock or lilly pads. I tie it up in all black with some flash. Bass just want to kill it. The worm hook is pretty weedless when used like this, even more so with a simple post mono weed guard. Throw it into heavy cover and when it is about to hit a pocket of "open water" just jiggle the fly without moving it for a few seconds before stripping it across the open water like it's trying to get to the other side and get away. Not recommended for folks with heart issues....

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Junction tubes get the hook to seat well. You might check in a hobby store for model airplane fuel line, just a thought. I personally use both HMH junction tube but also have some Pro Tube pre cut junction tubes. Course if you use large enough Poly Tubing the hook eye then fits right in the end without junction tube.

 

 

 

Beat me to it on the fuel line... smile.png

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The soft transparent tubes used in breathing assist canulas also work. The thinnest fit inside the larger tube as the junction portion if you build tha up a bit with thread.

 

Rocco.

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Eastern Fly nice tubes, does the disc on the first one cause the fly to wiggle?

 

Petelangevin...Thanks

 

Mikechell I was not aware of the new "MacGyver" series. Really like that show I will have to check it out.

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9Qa3xf6.jpg

 

Tube: 1/8" polytube & 3/16" hook holder tubing

Body: Silver Braid

Wing: Peacock/Crystal Flash/Marabou

Gill: Red hackle
Eye: 3D shaped to a curve & coated with Solarez thin

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