[fin??whatfin??]

i have heard of them but do not know what exactly they are or how they are different than normal flies. So, What are tube flies?

[Frank Whiton]

Hi fin??,

Tube Flies are just what their name states. They are flies tied on a tube instead of a hook. The tube is hollow and comes in different sizes. There is a flexible connector/keeper on the back end of the tube. You can see the connector in this photo of a Steelhead Tube fly. You run your leader through the hollow center of the tube and tie on the hook. The hook eye and some shank is pulled up into the connector. The hook can also be tied on using a Surgeon Loop and the knot is pulled up into the connector.

The bottom picture shows a tube with a hook connected. That is not the style of hook that is normally used. I just wanted you to see how they are setup.

Frank

Kaufmann Tube Fly



Rigging a Tube

[tie one on]

That is a good question & fairly easy to answer.

If you have tied flies for any length of time you are used to putting a hook in the vise then tying your favorite pattern. Tying tube flies is somewhat the same basic process except you tie the fly on a hard plastic or metal tube. Depending on your vise there is an extra piece needed to tie these flies. It is called a mandrel. Basically it's a simple strong wire in a clevis that clamps in the vise, or like me you make your own. My Peak vise would not except the HMH mandrel, so I made my own tapered pins from a coat hanger along with my stand grinder. Once you have the mandrel head for the fly shop, or on-line (www.flyfisusa.com is where I bought my first supplies, they had better prices than my local fly shop) & purchase a package of the tubing. In the package will also be some flexible tubing. Cut a piece of the hard plastic tubing about an inch long. Get a butuane lighter & place the flame close to one end & you'll see the tubing roll back on itself forming a collar. Use your bodkin to make sure the tubing is open that you just heated. Take a piece of flexible tubing about 3/8" to 1/2" long & slide it over the rolled end of the hard tubing around 1/2 halfway. It will stay in place. Slide the tubes onto the mandrel & tie your fly right on the tube. Whip finish & repeat the tube roll back on the other end with the lighter. Your done. Feed some mono or tippet thru the tube & tie on a Diachi X510, or other short shank straight eye hook. Once the hook is tied on slide the eye up into the other end of the flexible tubing & you ready to fish your tube fly. Check out Tube Flies for some short tying videos that will explain it more. When I first started tying tube flies I researched the net & found some sites that had tying videos which helped to get things going for me. Also check out some write-ups on FlyFisherman.com: The Virtual Flyshop. One of the main advantages that works for me is that you can have a 4" fly targeting Steelhead, or Salmon with a small #4 or #6 Diachi X510 & have better hookups & much better landing percentages than with a normal long shank hook. ( you'll see this in the write-up I mentioned earlier ) Hope this helps. I know it helped me when I asked questions.

Try them & you'll be hooked :-)

Tie One On--------------<*))))))><
Fisher of Men

[fin??whatfin??]

thanks i looked into those write ups and i think i might try tying these .