What are tube flys made for

[StoneFlyTyer 0]

This maybe a stupid question but What are tube flies tyed for

[whatfly 0]

Anything you like. It is a style more than a pattern developed for a single species. I believe the origins were for Atlantic salmon. Basic idea is you can tie a large body and still use a short shanked hook, increasing your chance of landing a large fish. Style is very popular among folks chasing toothy critters as well, because the fly does not get as mauled up as a conventional tie. Some will tie multiple flies and mix and match forming new patterns on the fly. It is interesting technology, although I have not found them any more or less effective in my applications, but YMMV.

[Crackaig 0]

Catching fish! (Sorry I couldn't resist).

 

There are several things that tubes give you. They can be made very long. If such a long fly were tied on a long shank hook, the fish would have huge leverage to use to get off the hook. With a tube fly the hook is quite short so the fish doesn't have this advantage. When playing a fish the tube rides up the leader out of the way.

 

You can use heavy tubes such as brass, copper and even tungsten to create very heavy flies that would need a lot of weight added to hook to get a similar weight.

 

You can tie very light large flies by using plastic tubing. If you want a big floating fly then plastic tubes are your friend.

 

They are also cheap. You can make plastic tubes from cotton bud tubes, Cut the ends off and heat the tubing so it mushrooms.

 

If the hook is damaged during fishing. you simply cut it off and tie on another. You don't need to have lots of flies the same.

 

That should give you an idea of what tubes give you. Flies tied on hooks have their place, tubes will never replace them, but there are times when tubes are more suitable than hooks.

 

Cheers,

C.

[mikechell 0]

Tube flies are a survival tool.

If you fall in the water while wading, and you can't reach the surface, you can whip out a tube fly and use it like a snorkel, to breath.

 

But, you can also use it for the reasons Crackaig listed above.

[thirstea 0]

Tube flies are a survival tool.

If you fall in the water while wading, and you can't reach the surface, you can whip out a tube fly and use it like a snorkel, to breath.

 

But, you can also use it for the reasons Crackaig listed above.

 

I like this reason much more lol.

[Instinctive Triggers 0]

When trolling streamers I have used tube flys toothpicked in place in front of the streamer as part of the presentation. I will usually use two that are the same color but a different color than the streamer and about a third smaller.

[Guest]

There are a couple of good videos on tying tube flies in the FTF Videos section.

[StoneFlyTyer 0]

Thanks guys for all the info. All the pics iv seen of them I really never saw any with hooks in them so I was thinking that they were just for decorations but now I get it lol

[heavynets 0]

 

If such a long fly were tied on a long shank hook, the fish would have huge leverage to use to get off the hook. With a tube fly the hook is quite short so the fish doesn't have this advantage.

 

C.

I don't get this leverage thing. If the hook is free to rotate in the fish's lip, there is no leverage. If the hook is locked in place, then the fisherman also has more leverage against the fish.

[bellevue.chartreuse.trout 0]

Mike I think I'll make the trek to Florida just to push you outta your boat to see if you use a tube fly as a snorkel? ( lol )\

 

BCT

[FlaFly 0]

Belle... let us know when you plan to do it. I'd like to sell tickets.

[FlaFly 0]

Stoney... I wasn't quite sure what you were asking, but nobody actually said what they are. Tube flies are tied on a tube that can slide up and down your leader. The hook is on the end of the leader and not connected to the fly. While retrieving the tube fly will be tight against the hook but if you get a fish, the fly is free to move away from the fish, and thus avoid being torn up.

A second reason.... if you fish saltwater, eventually your hook can rust, and ruin the fly. With a tube fly you can keep using new hooks and never lost your fly... you can even use different size hooks with the same fly.

 

and remember... watch your fly!

[mikechell 0]

Heavynets, you said, "I don't get this leverage thing. If the hook is free to rotate in the fish's lip, there is no leverage. If the hook is locked in place, then the fisherman also has more leverage against the fish."

 

 

 

You might think you always have a tight line, but when that fish is shaking it's head, the hook is reacting. The longer and heavier the hook shank, the more movement it will have in one direction, as the fish is now moving it's head in the other. This is how a fish shakes the hook free.

A shorter hook does not have the "leverage" to swing as violently. The hook stays in place more than the longer hook does.

 

 

BCT ... if you're going to come here to do that ... I'll need some advance notice. I don't have any tube flies tied up, so I'll need to do that. Just be sure to bring some of your own ... I won't go into the water without bringing you with me.

 

(Of course, I'll be tying mine for whale fishing, so the tube will be a bit larger than some.

[heavynets 0]

If the fish shakes it's head 120 degrees, the longer hook's eye will move further, but both hook shanks will move 120 degrees. The barb and point will rotate the same 120 degrees (per your illustration) for both a long and short shank hook.

[Piker20 0]

Heavynets^ have you used crankbaits for pike etc? You must have experienced the fish on a long 6inch+ bait shake its head and pop the lure out, at close range you can sometimes see the fish using (ok ignore I use that word very loosely) the lure to lever off the hook.

 

Here in UK and Eire waddington shanks were the common item used to tie long heavier flies for early season fish and many were 2 to 4 inch long with the hook mounted quite firmly at the rear. Fish were often lost to these flies and the problem was/is attributed to leverage. When tubes came out many people migrated across to these as a solution. As the tube can move up the line away from the hook the fish has nothing to flex the hook against as a solid lever. If leverage was not the issue waddington shanks would still be as popular today as they were. Yes you can still buy them but they are a dying piece of kit.

 

You dont see this issue with Intruder style flies as the hook is mobile at the rear so the fish hasn't got the rigid lever to work against.

 

Meant to add, as per Micks diagram, 1 cm of movement left to right at a distance 5cm away produces a smaller arc than 1cm of movement 15cm away. The longer the shank length the greater the effect of lateral movement.