clacksteel
07-07-2006, 08:11 AM
Well...I guess it is better late than never, but here is my instructions for tying my favorite custom summer steelhead tube fly. I came up with this fly before I took a trip to the Deschutes last summer and I managed to land my first summer steelhead on the swing that trip. So far this year I have hooked 3 steelhead on this fly so I guess the first fish wasn't a fluke. I call it the Cow Camp Special.
The tube:
I like to use a chartreuse colored soft plastic tube that has a diameter that would allow a size 4 tiemco glo bug hook to fit snuggly in the opening. You can cut the tube down to what ever length you prefer but I like my flies somewhere between 1-1.5".
Thread: Chartreusse
Butt: Maroon polar chenile
Body: Purple polar chenile
Hackle: Black schlappen
1. Secure the tube on a tube fly tying attachment in your vise
2. Start the thread slightly above the end of the tube so that you end up w/ a chartruese end of the the formed by the tube itself
3. Tie in the Maroon polar chenile. Wrap it up the tube about 1/3 of the remaining length and tie off.
4. Tie in the Purple polar chenile. Wrap it up the tube the remaining 2/3 of the tube length but leave ample room for the thread head and hackle.
5. Tie in the longer end of the hackle right at the end of the chenile and wrap it around the tube about 5 or 6 times. I like to have a somewhat sparse webby hackle that really moves in the water. Tie off and clip the remaining hackle.
6. Form a compact head with the thread at the front end of the tube and cement for a lasting fly.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/deschutesteelhead39/Fishing/Flies/IMG_1721.jpg
Overall this fly is really simple but also pretty productive. It is pretty unique in the material it uses, some of the color combos it uses, and it goes outside of the traditional hairwing swinging fly box. It is a dark fly that has enough brightness and flash to attract the attention of the fish and entice them to bite without spooking them. This fly has hooked a fish in almost all water conditions...from sunrise to sunset, murky water to crystal clear. I hope it will be as productive for you as it has been for me!
The tube:
I like to use a chartreuse colored soft plastic tube that has a diameter that would allow a size 4 tiemco glo bug hook to fit snuggly in the opening. You can cut the tube down to what ever length you prefer but I like my flies somewhere between 1-1.5".
Thread: Chartreusse
Butt: Maroon polar chenile
Body: Purple polar chenile
Hackle: Black schlappen
1. Secure the tube on a tube fly tying attachment in your vise
2. Start the thread slightly above the end of the tube so that you end up w/ a chartruese end of the the formed by the tube itself
3. Tie in the Maroon polar chenile. Wrap it up the tube about 1/3 of the remaining length and tie off.
4. Tie in the Purple polar chenile. Wrap it up the tube the remaining 2/3 of the tube length but leave ample room for the thread head and hackle.
5. Tie in the longer end of the hackle right at the end of the chenile and wrap it around the tube about 5 or 6 times. I like to have a somewhat sparse webby hackle that really moves in the water. Tie off and clip the remaining hackle.
6. Form a compact head with the thread at the front end of the tube and cement for a lasting fly.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/deschutesteelhead39/Fishing/Flies/IMG_1721.jpg
Overall this fly is really simple but also pretty productive. It is pretty unique in the material it uses, some of the color combos it uses, and it goes outside of the traditional hairwing swinging fly box. It is a dark fly that has enough brightness and flash to attract the attention of the fish and entice them to bite without spooking them. This fly has hooked a fish in almost all water conditions...from sunrise to sunset, murky water to crystal clear. I hope it will be as productive for you as it has been for me!