Tube Flies

MillCreekMinnow · Jan 22, 2023

A green butt skunk influenced skater for those early aggressive summer steelhead. I actually might fish this with a green or black hook guide.

skyrise · Jan 22, 2023

G_Smolt said:
Question for the tubeheads, prefaced by a bit of backstory -
I used to dig tying trout and steelhead patterns on tubes, until I started fishing faster sections than most "traditional" water... and noticed my normally dorso-ventrally-oriented flies had a tendency to turn 90° in these conditions.

I tried a few fixes, including different "belly" weights, denser eyes, no eyes, different head profiles, material shaving, material switching, material thinning, small cones to break potentially disruptive vortices...
Nothing helped. As soon as the water got above a certain velocity (right about brisk walking speed)...flop goes the fly onto its side, and instead of catching every fish in the run, I'm suddenly struggling to get a single eat.

"In the round" patterns don't seem to be affected by this - while this might seem like a "duh" statement, I say this to mean it isn't the trailing hook setup, or the knot, or the junction tubing...it's something else inherent in the fundamental makeup of a tubed pattern.

So after that long preface, the question - has anyone else noticed their tubed patterns rolling laterally in faster water conditions (be that from stripping fast or fast flow)? If yes, how did you fix the issue?

Not a tube-bashing moment, just an appeal to the hive-mind for potential solutions.

Look up Frodinflys. Some instructional stuff there plus you could buy some of the products they have. Also watch Mikeal Frodin videos on YouTube and see some of the water he fishes over there ( Sweden, Norway). Pretty fast water for salmon in early season with no problem getting his tube down and fishing correctly. I have only tried tube flys in summer in normal flows so I have no experience in swift water.
Also I wonder about the use of those Turbo Discs they use over there for salmon and sea trout ?

clarkman · Jan 22, 2023

MillCreekMinnow said:
I plan on gently placing this rainbow trout pattern into the corner of a bull trout's mouth! Hopefully......

View attachment 49700

Lose the eyes and it'd be perfect!

MillCreekMinnow · Jan 22, 2023

skyrise said:
Look up Frodinflys. Some instructional stuff there plus you could buy some of the products they have. Also watch Mikeal Frodin videos on YouTube and see some of the water he fishes over there ( Sweden, Norway). Pretty fast water for salmon in early season with no problem getting his tube down and fishing correctly. I have only tried tube flys in summer in normal flows so I have no experience in swift water.
Also I wonder about the use of those Turbo Discs they use over there for salmon and sea trout ?

I usually use the Turbo Discs to prop up the second station of my intruders. They're light weight and help to create bulk with less material. Just my opinion.

DerekWhipple · Jan 22, 2023

skyrise said:
Look up Frodinflys. Some instructional stuff there plus you could buy some of the products they have. Also watch Mikeal Frodin videos on YouTube and see some of the water he fishes over there ( Sweden, Norway). Pretty fast water for salmon in early season with no problem getting his tube down and fishing correctly. I have only tried tube flys in summer in normal flows so I have no experience in swift water.
Also I wonder about the use of those Turbo Discs they use over there for salmon and sea trout ?

I haven't used the frodin turbo discs, but I've used the pro sportfisher sonic cones (same concept, but with holes in it). I like the action. I'm sure they make it more difficult to lift the fly out of the water, but it's still easier than a lead eye or rabbit fly. Using a 12' 7wt with 10 feet of t-11, it's not a problem.

I know the Swedish/Norwegian salmon anglers can use pretty heavy flies with tungsten, and full sink multi density heads which haven't really caught on here. They all use a single spey to cast, but they use much longer 13'+ that are 8-10 weights, so it's probably a lot easier to do a "scandi" cast.

All the scandi companies have some really interesting stuff fly tying and tackle, but some of it is hard to find in the US and can be pretty expensive to ship it over here.

MillCreekMinnow · Jan 22, 2023

I was really hoping that other folks would post their tubes here........ I suppose if that doesn't happen, I will conform to the "what's in your vise" thread. Either way I am enjoying being a part of this forum thus far.

Dustin Chromers · Jan 22, 2023

MillCreekMinnow said:
Sort of a Green Highlander influenced intruder......
View attachment 49077 View attachment 49076

This is very much my flavour of fly. I am tube resistant however and sing the praises of the shank. The hairwing style which is often tubes dominates my steelhead fly boxes and inspiration though.

Mike Cline · Jan 23, 2023

MillCreekMinnow said:
I was really hoping that other folks would post their tubes here........ I suppose if that doesn't happen, I will conform to the "what's in your vise" thread. Either way I am enjoying being a part of this forum thus far.

Here’s a few, mostly freshwater trout patterns

_WW_ · Jan 23, 2023

G_Smolt said:
Question for the tubeheads, prefaced by a bit of backstory -
I used to dig tying trout and steelhead patterns on tubes, until I started fishing faster sections than most "traditional" water... and noticed my normally dorso-ventrally-oriented flies had a tendency to turn 90° in these conditions.

I tried a few fixes, including different "belly" weights, denser eyes, no eyes, different head profiles, material shaving, material switching, material thinning, small cones to break potentially disruptive vortices...
Nothing helped. As soon as the water got above a certain velocity (right about brisk walking speed)...flop goes the fly onto its side, and instead of catching every fish in the run, I'm suddenly struggling to get a single eat.

"In the round" patterns don't seem to be affected by this - while this might seem like a "duh" statement, I say this to mean it isn't the trailing hook setup, or the knot, or the junction tubing...it's something else inherent in the fundamental makeup of a tubed pattern.

So after that long preface, the question - has anyone else noticed their tubed patterns rolling laterally in faster water conditions (be that from stripping fast or fast flow)? If yes, how did you fix the issue?

Not a tube-bashing moment, just an appeal to the hive-mind for potential solutions.

I don't think there is a cure for that. Any thing that has "flat" side to it, is going to flip over under enough tension when leashed to a fixed point. It's why water skis work. I'll bet the flies you have don't flip until tight to the line. You might try tying in a dropper line in the middle of the tube and attach a lead weight to it. But if you're gonna go that far you might as well grab the gear rod.

Alternatively you could fish them while not under tension.

Shad · Jan 23, 2023

MillCreekMinnow said:
I was really hoping that other folks would post their tubes here........ I suppose if that doesn't happen, I will conform to the "what's in your vise" thread. Either way I am enjoying being a part of this forum thus far.

Guilty of not posting photos, but glad for the separate thread. Your contributions have been great, and the thread has inspired people who use tubes but don't talk about it much to talk about it more... forum gold!

I'll post a couple pics of poorly-tied stuff...just need to take some first LOL.

Millsfly · Jan 23, 2023

Most of my steelhead stuff outside of AJ's and traditionals are on the chewb. skaters too

Shad · Jan 23, 2023

Some "shrimpy/squiddy" things for Puget Sound. Bjorn at The Fly Fisher turned me on to the pattern, which I think may be heavily based on the aforementioned Delia's Squid...

They fish sub-surface, but not very deep. The olive color has been the most productive for me.

MillCreekMinnow · Jan 23, 2023

Millsfly said:
Most of my steelhead stuff outside of AJ's and traditionals are on the chewb. skaters too

I love the spun hair! I need to try that. Thanks for posting!!!

Hillbilly Redneck · Jan 23, 2023

I've been tying and fishing tubes for steelhead and bull trout for years. Don't have a lot to add besides whats already been covered. I tie pretty pretty much in the round and try to use the smallest diameter tube possible. I like to fish unweighted tubes when possible but I'm not agaisnt a little weight. Here are a couple of heavy weighted tubes I tied this weekend. One of these is tied on a copper tube the other on plastic with a big bead and cone head for weight that also acts as a shoulder to prop everything up.

also

flytie09 · Jan 24, 2023

I’ve done a few on tubes. I’m far from an expert….. but there are no ends to design. I plan to put these to the test and see how they swim soon. All on Pro Sportfisher flexitubes.

MillCreekMinnow · Jan 24, 2023

Mike Cline said:
Here’s a few, mostly freshwater trout patterns
View attachment 50993 View attachment 50994 View attachment 50995 View attachment 50996

That crawdad is something else! Nice work!!

MillCreekMinnow · Jan 24, 2023

flytie09 said:
I’ve done a few on tubes. I’m far from an expert….. but there are no ends to design. I plan to put these to the test and see how they swim soon. All on Pro Sportfisher flexitubes.

View attachment 51081
View attachment 51082

View attachment 51083

View attachment 51084

Super classy patterns!