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Anyone know of a great tube kit?

2K views 27 replies 11 participants last post by  Yooper-Fly 
#1 ·
Each year I try something new, and although I've dabbled with tube flies in the past, I think that this upcoming season my challenge will be to crack the spring-run Atlantic Salmon code using just tube flies.

I've already tied a bunch on plastic tubing, but am looking to expand into brass/copper, variations on junctions and would tend to lean toward double-point hooks.

Been scouring through the big sites and my local online retailers looking for a suitable kit bundle of varied tubing (metals/plastics/colors/sizes) but am coming up short. I don't need any mandrels or vice adapters, which alot of the kits include, and I'm not big on cone-heads, beads, or spinners.

Does anyone know of a nice kit that has copious amounts of variety just in tubing, junctions, liners, without all the accessories? I'm willing to spend, but just don't want all the extras to clutter the already-cluttered trying arsenal.

Thanks in advance for any guidance you may offer!
 
#3 ·
Thanks Dan, I got my first set of materials through CTFC, and have checked out their kits.
They will be the default choice, but even the basic kit comes with a bunch of stuff I don't need.

Perhaps I will just have to make a piecemeal purchase from them after all, unless someone else chimes in with a secret source.
 
#4 ·
Hey There.......we do often swap out items for guys looking to personalize the tube kits we offer. Several customers already have tapered pins or vise adapters and want more of a specific type of tube to work with. Please shoot us an email canadiantubeflies@shaw.ca. We can definitely personalize a kit for you!

Stu Anderson
Canadian Tube Fly Co.
 
#6 ·
I think you have a couple really good choices to go to. I’ll just share my opinion or options and you can decide if they fit what you are after.

1. Although I’ve never purchased from Canadian Tube Fly, I think it’s a solid option for sure.

2. Skeena River Fly supply has some great options as well. I normally purchase the 3mm glitter tube (or any color you want) and then the 1.8mm ‘tough tubes’ for the liner. Tough tubes are much stronger than traditional 1.8mm tubes. You could just get the 3mm tubing in Pearl glitter and call it good, it seems to blend with anything and you don’t have to make an intricate body either.
Jaap has beads and cones that fit perfectly and the options are easy to wade through.
They also have different weights and such to use. I’ll tell you though, for a money saving tip, you can just buy 5.5mm beads, either brass or tungsten, and they will slide over the 1.8mm tube. Now you have a weight and a nice tie in point. Easy

3. Protube has a nice system as well. All their cones and weights fits there tubing. I’m currently experimenting with their 2.2mm tubing. It’s ultra strong, and you don’t need any liner tubing or anything. They make beautiful cones that slide right over and weights that slide right on. Quite simple and very durable and still have a small profile. I wouldn’t mess with the pre-connected stuff myself, just the 2.2mm classic tubing. It’s cheaper and more versatile and stronger IMO. And you still get a nice small profile in the front.

Those would be my three choices if I wanted to get into tube tying.

Keep it simple, get a couple packs of a silver glitter outer tubing or 2.2mm tubing, and a couple packs of clear 1.8mm (if you don’t go the protube route). Order some junction tubing from any of them and get some 5.5mm beads (if you don’t go the protube route). Good to go
 
#7 ·
Brian
DDO Electronics or what ever their name is now , on Sources Bld., has shrink wrap tubing that lends itself very well as junction tubing . This stuff has never failed me

For clear plastic I use the protective stuff that covers/protects a pediatric hypodermic needle supplied/from a certain children's hospital .

Copper and Brass tubes can be found at the Orvis store downtown YUL .The fly shops in Trois Rivieres and Rimouski . Claude's shop in Rimouski also has the essential Salar doubles.

There'll be several sources for metal tubes at the FF Forum in 3 Rivieres this weekend

For cones try cutting off some pop river tubes ;-)
 
#8 · (Edited by Moderator)
I have done well in the past and this week with feathers from GCTC, and the Scandi Tubes received on Saturday are fine, but the copper kit is a disaster. I am glad Stu showed up here, as I am awaiting for a call back. I left 2 voicemails for him yesterday.

Yes to
flytying-plumage-menu-heron

Yes to
flytying-plastic-tubes-scandinavian

No to
flytying-tube-fly-kits

As I noted in my Voicemail, as this is my first time, the error could be me and even ask if there is a reference instruction or video for threading the tubes. One kit had a start, the other did not.
 
#9 ·
Concrete Angler, you want craft/model shops or DIY shops.With a bit of rummaging round you should be able to locate lengths of Aluminium and Brass tubing of maybe 1m in length that you can cut to suit your requirements(it'll be a lot cheaper than buying pre- cut tubes!), thin plastic lines is available every where as you'll need to line your tubes.
All this isn't really a hassle as it adds totally to the "making your own flee" experience and you end up with exactly what you want.
For your first forays I'd look to mastering the classic Gold Bodied Willie Gunn.Gold body(der, obviously!) with a veiled wing of Yellow, then Orange then Black, maybe Jungle cock if your flush.Once finished you need to be able to see the body through the winging and the length of the wing should extend just beyond the tube to cover your choice of hook-just!
Learn all about technique, proportion and size, its a great pattern to master the basics of Tubes.Garry Dog, Silver Stoats Tail to name but two are excellent patterns that will get you on the right tracks to being more adventurous in your things.
I'm a great Tube flee fan, using them for 1/4" plastic up to 3" copper almost totally these days.
If you feel confident try the Scandi style of tying on wee plastic tubes, of 1/4", 3/8ths or 1/2", they do look amazing in the water, full of movement!.
Best of luck and tight lines.Yorkie.
 
#10 ·
Hello Dave,

So sorry about the confusion......I just shot you an email. There is a bit of a trick to lining our copper tubes.....it's a tight fit, thought when you get the liner in there is no spinning when you have it on your tying needle or vise adapter.....it makes a really nice snug fit. We specifically addressed this with the liner a few years ago because in our own tying with metal tubes, the frustration of the metal spinning on the liner is beyond frustrating :)
 
#12 ·
with Image I hoped

Stu, the video shows flatting the tube with finger, and then pushing it up a shorter tube. I ordered the 1" and 1.5" copper tube.

I have flatten with fingers, I have flatten with a kitchen rollers, and I even tried to slice half of the tube away, but as illustrated in the picture below, the width of the flatten tube is greater than the inner diameter. So, I am getting the inner tube in 1/2" and then the resistance is to much.

I had a clue in flattening, as one 1" kit had a flatten end and a tube inserted, but all other attemnpts with another 1" or replicating with the 1.5" tube has failed. David
 

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#14 ·
That looks very odd....maybe you can try different liner tubing.

I found that FITS products aren't compatible with Foxytails or protube as they have slightly different diameters. I'd be happy to mail you a few samples to try.

Maybe one of the other companies liner tubing will fit.

I have to say that I have always received great service and products from Stu.
 
#15 ·
Hey Dave,

I am so sorry about this. When you received the pack of tubes, the liner should have been pulled to stretch onto your tube like a threaded needle. We've pulled and stretched the soft liner tube a million times and forget that no one else has. Our apologies. We have a package going out first thing tomorrow with the stretched tubing and a few other goodies to hopefully make up for the screw up :)

Stu
 
#16 ·
Stu, thank you. I will keep you posted. Thank you. Dave

Tubular Spey, the last kit arrived in a very few days (2 business days I think). I like the Scandi tubes and do recommend the feathers. As Stu illustrates he is being responsive, which is good. So, I am trying to be fair and willing to close off with a mea culpa (my technique, possibly) if proper. Is so, then, I should detail my lesson.

I do like FoxyTails and FutureFly for furs (vast colour selection), but for feathers GCTC. I want to use GCTC for tubes, as an alternative to Protube).

As aside the white fox also takes dies well, and maintains a vibrancy. So the alternative is buy white and dye to suit.

But this dialogue was tied to the original post, recommended kits.
 
#20 ·
Metal tubes are OK in Quebec, as are doubles. I prefer a small double hook over larger singles on my early season tubes in Gaspe since they ride/track better. Even shanks are legal in Quebec, but I don't like them.

That said, I've generally found that I don't like heavy tubes on Gaspe rivers except in the very highest of flows. My preferred tube is the Summer Arrow from Canadian tube flies (one of the smallest they sell), fished on an intermediate or sinking poly in early June if/when the water is cold (8 degrees or less).
 
#18 ·
Aside, I have also place another order today with GCTC for templedog, feathers and plastic tubes, which can also be viewed as a recommendation.

As noted, I intended to express my concern with a singular kit (copper) as it is tied to the OP, but have no intention to trash GCTC. I await the arrival of Stu's help package and the new order to complete my tying of my "Golden Banana" and "the Drunk Monkey" flies.
 
#19 ·
Veniard's Slipstream Copper tubes are available here in Mtl. for $3.99 per 10 !
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There are two different methods of tying good fish attracting wings on tubes

Some prefer to build a short, longer, longest, shorter wing .I prefer
to tye short, longer, longer and longer still on top giving an elongated
teardrop shape.
Whichever you choose
you need to build the wing patiently in layers
handling the fur correctly by removing varying amounts of underfur each
layer. bulking up the lower layer and then removing more under fur to each successive layer .As a rule, I tend to remove the underfur with my fingers and then loosely align the tips
Upper layers of the wing, one has to comb out the fur to remove any bulk.
Using this system of laying the wing materials with the most underfur still attached in the underwing
helps . Also roughing up the underwing with a comb or velcro also helps a lot
this should produce a wing that has the essensial teardrop shape when seen from bottom, top and sides
 
#21 ·
Long (overdue) post alert!

Greetings All,

Thanks for the numerous responses and sage insight and experience shared my direction - this truly is a great community!

Been a little slow to respond, because wife and I have been working double-shifts at the hospital for weeks now with dying mother-in-law, but I have been playing with some tubes in the little quiet moments I got.

I did end up placing an order with CTFC the day before Stu offered to tailor a package, which just arrived today (See pic) and yes, I was down at SalmoNature to restock a few supplies I was running low on, and picked up a bunch of the Veniard copper tubes in three sizes. I was pretty disappointed in the Veniard tubes, as the pre-melted liners were useless and loose, so I cut them all out and re-lined with my own liners. My hunch is the guys at Salmo just whipped up a batch quickly, because even the melting was pretty sloppy.
I did a double-liner using colored tube inside the copper and melted to fit, then a thinner clear liner inside that to extend out the back with less bulk to small junction, and melted both the colored and the clear together at the head, using a thick needle to maintain passage for the mono. Came out pretty well.


Will be ordering some bottle-tubes next, as well as trying out the Pro Sportfisher's system of integrated tubes. Thanks for the tip, Ard! Also looking into FoxyTails, FutureFly and Tubular Spey was interesting, but I prefer buying continental yet won't rule them out either. I remember a few years ago buying a good-sized selection of dyed heron spey hackle from CTFC, and was sorely disappointed as they were all essentially black with color only at the roots. Bad batch perhaps, but I use them when I want just a hint of color close to the body.

Here are my first two attempts at a fly that always scared me to tie: a sort of butch job on a Francis/Snaelda, and of course one in my favorite "Tiger Ghost" colors had to be tried...both on copper. Kitty thought it was buggy enough! Next one will be a mini version, using collected cat whiskers tied in backwards as the feelers!

I will keep working on shrimpy styles as these were just rough first attempts, and I adopted the feelers with little "pads" cut into the tips as I saw Salar-1's version of this fly a few years back at the 3-riviere's fly fishing forum (which I couldn't attend this year due to aforementioned hospital duties).

As for Quebec regs, we can do any kind of tube (copper, tungsten, dark-matter) for weight, but no beads or cone-heads, because that makes sense, right? One weight good, one weight bad.

I have a supply of LOOP's straight-eye doubles and various ring-eye singles for stingers (no off-set points!). Next looking for innovative fly boxes that are smallish but hold many tube flies and compartments for tubing and hooks.

I started switching to primarily double hooks last season as there is a tiny weight advantage, but mostly because I obsess over the fly tracking straight without spinning.

Did a bunch of shanked mini-intruders last two seasons, with fixed-length single stingers, but didn't like how they swam, nor how the hook would sometimes snag up the wings during casting. Drove me crazy to retrieve and see that the fly had been swimming right through a sweet spot all crooked. They did get down quick tho, but they were a little labor-intensive to prep, so out with that idea!

I'm surprised, Brian, that you've had good success with electrical shrink-wrap tubing for junctions, I found the stuff to be useless, even when I hit it with a lighter to shrink a little and grab the eye of a stinger, it would always pull out or get crooked. I'm liking the softer, thicker stuff and it really grips well and remains straight. In fact, I think I picked it up years back at good old DDO Electronic, but maybe I'll drop in again just to see if I missed something better.


So, again, thanks everyone for all the great input. I'll keep on experimenting with tubes, and will put many of your tips to good use.
 

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#24 ·
However

However discs ARE allowed.The only place one can't use doubles is on the Restigouche which borders New Brunswick. Crazy part about fishing the Restigouche is that one can fish under Quebec rules using a Qc. licence even if you launch from the N.B. side .
The above was checked last year by email with the head Qc. game warden stationed in new Richmond
 
#26 ·
Wife and I are at peace because we know grandma trusted Jesus' sacrifice to save her from the price of her sin. Unfortunately the rather large family network don't know Jesus yet, and do not have that Blessed Hope we enjoy. Mercifully, prolonged deathbeds are great opportunities for people to face what comes next and make the right decision.

I appreciate your support, Brian and Matt: The shiftwork and shuttle duties to and from the hospital are taxing, but it's all worth it, and I still get to tie a few here and there.

Having a strategy goal (tubes only next spring) keeps me going through the drudgery of winter, but knowing that this present world is not my home and that my ultimate insurance policy and destination guarantee was already paid for by my Creator who loved me enough to die for me when I was yet His enemy, who gave me that gift free for the asking, makes ANY trip I take from now until my end pale in comparison.

Thank God He also gave me salmon fishing during my interim sojourn ! :)
 
#28 ·
Wife and I are at peace because we know grandma trusted Jesus' sacrifice to save her from the price of her sin. Unfortunately the rather large family network don't know Jesus yet, and do not have that Blessed Hope we enjoy. Mercifully, prolonged deathbeds are great opportunities for people to face what comes next and make the right decision.

I appreciate your support, Brian and Matt: The shiftwork and shuttle duties to and from the hospital are taxing, but it's all worth it, and I still get to tie a few here and there.

Having a strategy goal (tubes only next spring) keeps me going through the drudgery of winter, but knowing that this present world is not my home and that my ultimate insurance policy and destination guarantee was already paid for by my Creator who loved me enough to die for me when I was yet His enemy, who gave me that gift free for the asking, makes ANY trip I take from now until my end pale in comparison.

Thank God He also gave me salmon fishing during my interim sojourn ! <img src="http://www.speypages.com/speyclave/images/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Smilie" class="inlineimg" />
It does my heart good to know that others on here have trusted in Jesus’ death on the cross. And it’s true, nothing on this earth compares to the Joy Unspeakable that awaits those who have been born again.

And even though it’s hard to let go of loved ones, to know that they are with Jesus makes it easier. My dear friend and uncle just lost his wife to cancer. On her death bed (we were there) she would come to all of a sudden, and call for a family member. Her words were for them to trust in Jesus, and that they needed to know Him.

I tell you, it’s incredible to watch a human literally dying in front of you, and to hear them speak with absolute conviction. That they will be with Jesus. It’s also amazing to listen to them speak words of encouragement and truth to all those around them. I’m convinced, that one of a Christians greatest testimonies is how they handle death.

Anyway, Godbless you brother. And when you get whatever tube setup you get, feel free to contact me and we can go over a few things that will set you on your way
 
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