[GraciesDad]

I'm trying to learn a little about tube flies for my steelhead and salmon fishing...are they any more or less effective?...is there a website or page where I can get patterns (or are patterns really necessary)?...How do you determine the length of the fly?...what's a good hook and how do you size it to the tube?....

Many thanks,

 

[MJC]

I don't know that they are any more effective than other flies but you can get a bigger fly with a smaller hook by using them. In my view better hooking and landing ratio and less damage to the fish. Type tube flies on Goggle or Yahoo and you will find some info on patterens. Also check out Mark Bachman's site as there is some info there. Also Mark Mandell and Les Johnson have a book out called "Tube Flies" A tying, Fishing & Historical Guide which has useful info and patterens listed. There is also some great info on the Forum in the steelhead fly archives. I like a 1 1/2" tube with a #4 or #2 hook. There are several very experienced tube fishers on the Forum that are much more versed in this subject but maybe my info will get you started.

 

[Norwegian]

In Scandinavia, tube flies are very common, especially early in the season and for big flies. Some dont uses anything else

Tube flies have evolved a lot lately, and are made in very many sizes from the rightout ugly birds of 15-20 cm lenght, down to the most tiny 2 cm tubes used for riffling hitch with a hole for the leader in the side of the tube.

A few major changes here:
- People don't use as long tubes as before for larger tube flies. The wing makes for the size, not the tube itself.
- People uses smaller hooks (sizes here for a 1,5 tube would be 6 or 8 treble, not 2 or 4 as MJC prefers
- Softer hairtypes replaces the older types such as bucktail
- Heavy metal cone heads on plastic tubes replaces brass tubes for deep fishing.
- people are starting to use special double hooks in stead of the old triples.

Greetings from cold north

 

[Norwegian]

I forgot to add this link, which is to Partridge of Redditchs page with a description of the SALAr flies series designed by swedish tier Mikael Frödin, who is very influential in the development of scandinavian salmon angling.

Hopefully, the images on this page will give an idea of what I told above (go to flies - section):

www.partridge-of-redditch.co.uk/

 

[Crusty]

Norwegian,

Excellant site. I've contacted Partridge U.S. to see where I could order some of Frodin's flies. The only UK catalog I have is from Tightlines, and I don't recall if they have anything similar.

GraciesDad, get the book mentioned earlier. It will answer all of your questions regarding the mechanics of tying tubes.

Crusty

 

[fredaevans]

GD, as was mentioned above there's a lot of

tube fly info in the Spey Clave arcv's. You won't get board reading through it either. :hehe:

Best place for supplies is still hobby, craft and trop. fish stores. Tons of stuff that works just fine at 1/10th the price.
fae

 

[nevada caster]

Norwegian, cones on plastic

Per, How do people attach the cones to plastic tubes of various sizes? I have tried to drill the holes bigger for tiny tubes, but usually collapse the cone with the vise holding it. Does anyone make a cone specific to this purpose? Do they use anything besides 5 min. epoxy to glue them? I believe it was you who recommended mounting the cone onto a piece of very small tubing, and inserting that tubing into the tube fly when you wanted the weight.

thanks

 

[Per Stadigh]

Nevada,
I have little time for this appealing thread - I have fished tubes since the late 70's and use them for 3/4 of my fishing - but as you ask me:

There are two ways, at least, to attach the cone heads to plastic tubes.

1) To use an insert of a finer diameter plastic tube that holds the conehead and that then is stuck up the main tube.

2) With the right quality of plastic tubing one often can stretch it so one end gets very much thinner. (Heated air from a hairdrier helps!) The cone head can be mounted on the thin end and then forced some way up the tubing. This means that one wastes about 1/2 ' of tube per fly. Tubing is cheap though. (Pre packed short pieces with a "brand name" is different ball game, though. Go for bulk in hobby stores etc.)

The alternative - I often use it - is simply to thread a cone head (or two!!) up the leader and to let the pressure of the current align it. Then I like to line the cone heads with a plastic sleave, like one does with metal tubes. I like that method because it is easy to adapt the weight without having to swap fly. Maybe nothing for the "purist" but good enough for me!

Good luck!

Per

 

[nevada caster]

mounting cones on tubes

Per,
After reading your reply, I tried to mounting some cones on the smallest tubes that I have. I tried a few things but was finally successful by "whittling down" the smallest tubes that I have . I have some HMH Custon "cut to length" tubes in the small size. The OD is 3/32" inches , and the ID is 0.31 inches. they are made of a hard, clear plastic and are easily carved to a diameter that they can be forced into the hole of the large size Spirit River tungsten cone. A drop of Crazy Glue makes it permanent. In perhaps 20 minutes, I was able to put eigth together. The finished product snuggly fits in the 1/8 " OD tubes that I use.

 

[GraciesDad]

THANKS TO ALL!!!

Norwegian, are you using calf tail and marabou instead of bucktail?...is that what you mean by softer?

I've done a little looking on the web...there really is some good information out there...

Thanks for all of the leads and the time you took in replying...I really appreciate it!

 

[nevada caster]

I would bet that Norwegian will reply that he is using dyed Arctic Fox and Polar bear. You can get A. fox, but it is nearly impossible to get polar bear

 

[fredaevans]

NC, 99% think your right.

Polar Bear fur in the US is a no-no .... however, you can usually get it from Canadian fly shops. If this is what he needs, and they won't ship 'direct,' perhaps Dana or Kush could make a short trip to their local emporium.
fae

 

[speybum]

New Tubes Neet Stuff

Tube flies,
Found a couple of sites that had some interesting tubes on them
The
Swedish Rackelhanem Flyfishing Magazine (bottle neck tubes) Read How To Have Your Cake And
Eat It.
The Global Fly Fisher has a good one on cone heads
The more I see to these fies the more I like them,

 

[fredaevans]

You think tube flys get your 'jollies up;' wait till..

you start tieing them up on Waddington Shanks. Hooks attach just like a tubes, but think the flys are far more gracefull in configuration.

.02 cents.
fae

 

[Norwegian]

Yes - we use foxhair of different types and lenghts. Not much polar bear here either, but there are legal polar bear on the market.

To supplement Per on the attachment of cone heads: Good fly tying shops here offer plastic tubes of different diameter in long lengths that you can cut yourself. A good way is to find two different diameters, the thinnest so thin that the cone goes on nicely and loosely. The thin is then glued inside the bigger, so that there is space for the hook eye in the back of the tube, and so that there are plenty extra of the thin in the front of the big tube, this is cut later. Then tie the fly in the normal way, except that the inner wing is tied on the last part of the big tube, and the outer wing on the thin tube (this makes for a nicer and less clumsy head). When the head is finished, put on the cone from the front, cut off what is too much but leave 2-3 mm ekstra of the thin tube and use a lighter or firestick to melt the plastic back to extent and keep the cone in place!!! Use a needle to secure the hole for the leader if necessary.

Dont know how many understood this, should have had a drawing...

Good luck anyway,

 

[Per Stadigh]

Dear all,

To help you all get the hands on the "real stuff" I have taken the liberty to translate a section out of Håkan Norling's Swedish catalogue over tying materials. Håkan is the nestor of contemporary tube flies and has inspired many, including his good friend Frödin, to develop tubes into the deadly flies they are. His "Temple Dog" series are modern classics!!

Håkan is an artist and giving his contact details off has little with commercialism to do - please forgive me for doing this - but it is more beneficial for us users that what it is for the man himself.

He is sitting on limited quantities of excellent Arctic Fox (dyed by himself). Write him a nice mail and keep you fingers crossed. If he sells, it only is of superior quality.

H. Norling Salmon Flies
Håkan Norling
Box 4009
175 04 Järfälla
Sweden
Telefon/Fax +46- (0)8 - 580 259 04
e-mail [email protected]
http://www.norlingsalmonflies.a.se/

"Tight lines"
Per

Here is his section on plastic tubes and cones:

TUBES - Plastic).
We (Milael Frödin&Håkan Norling) have used this quailty of tubing for over 15 years. It is strong and easy to work with and gives many possible combinations.
1.X-Small.
Fits inside the medium tubing. Is used for small and light tubes and together with small and light Coneheads.
2.Small.
Fits inside the Large tubing and goes with larger Coneheads. Works best wit hokk sizes 6-12.
3. Medium.
Allround tube. For hooks 6-10.
4.Large.
Takes hooks up to 2/0 Owners (Per’s favorite!!) Can also be used together with the small tubing and coneheads.
All these are 27SEK per meter (~3.00USD)
Coneheads:
Colors:
Gold
Silver
Black
Copper

Pris 35 SEK per 25 st, Small
Pris 41 SEK per 25 st, Medium
Pris 60 SEK per 25 st, Large
Pris 40 SEK per 10 st, X-Large(only silver)
Pris 40 SEK per 10 st, XX-Large(only silver)
(1 USD = ~9.30 SEK)

 

[Ray Blades]

Thanks to the Scandinavians for your help,

Per, what model of Owners are you using, single or treble hooks? If you are using trebles, do you have a recommendation for a good single tube, other than Partridge's Nordic Single Tube Hook. The Nordic is a bit difficult to get on this side of the pond.

Ray.

 

[Per Stadigh]

Ray,

I only use OWNER "AKI" singles. I have found them great for Steelhead and also for Kola salmon when not using "Loop Doubles". Their point is amazingly sharp!

Per

 

[fredaevans]

Noticed the referrence to Loop Double hooks for tubes.

I used them almost exclusively for the Spring Kings and last winters steelhead. Mr. Fish sniffed the hook, he was mine.
fae

 

[Ray Blades]

Per:

Looked at the Owner site, the AKI hooks start at 1/0. You use the 1/0 and 2/0 on the large plastic tubes from Håkan? I.E. a 2/0 AKI, on a 1.5 inch large plastic tube with hair wing length of 4 inches.

Also checked out Håkan Norling's Web site and catalogue is there any patterns of large conehead tubes that you would recommend?

Does Håkan sell any of the flies listed at: http://www.partridge-of-redditch.co.uk/flies/mik_fr_fly.htm

The black, green and orange ones?


Thanks Per,

Ray.