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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.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.
Lose the eyes and it'd be perfect!I plan on gently placing this rainbow trout pattern into the corner of a bull trout's mouth! Hopefully......
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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.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.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 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.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.
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 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.
Most of my steelhead stuff outside of AJ's and traditionals are on the chewb. skaters too
That crawdad is something else! Nice work!!Here’s a few, mostly freshwater trout patterns
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Super classy patterns!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.
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so illegal in Florida?Another skater! These patterns are woke....