Tube flys

[Stew]

Anyone ever tie them? I'm just starting and so far they have come out pretty nice. Got the idea from the Fly Shop in Welches.

[Kerry]

I do and here is a trick that I use. Take a paper clip and bend a sharp V in it. Put it in the vice and slide the tube on the V and you are ready to go.

[drbfish]

Kerry, do you have a problem with the tube turning on the paper clip?

[Kerry]

If I do I open up the V and force it back on. You can also use the shaft of a spinner and that is a lot stiffer

[True]

Anglers Workshop sells a good little $5.00 item that helps tying tubes. Well worth the money if you ask me. I've tied them for trout to yellowtail and rockfish. Good stuff. Check out Les Johnson's book on Tube Flies.

True

[Gizmo Man]

I use an oversize hook that the tube fits snuggly on. Cut off the eye and slide the tube over the shank.

Then put the hook in the vice as you would normally do.

Giz...

[speyfly]

Well Giz, how do you attach the fly to the tippet if you cut off the eye of the hook. Don't think that your idea holds water. Maybe I missed something.

[Gizmo Man]

Spey: we are talking about ways to support the tube when you are tying the tube fly. You slide the tube over the hook shank and that holds it in vice when you are appling material. When done you slide tube off and you have the tube fly.

Giz...

[speyfly]

OK Giz, I did miss something. graemlins/stupid.gif

[Gizmo Man]

Spey: no problem. Once the tube fly is made you slip the tube down the leader to the hook..

Giz..

[Snap-T]

Speyfly--
There are ways to attach the fly to the tippet without using a hook with an eye. Many of the traditional Spey flies are tied with a mono or kevlar connection loop for an eye. You can also tie the tippet right into the fly. I think this is a tactic used by old timer spey fisherman looking for the smoothest cast.
I know they were talking about something different, with tube flies. However I wanted to let you know.

snap-T

[speyfly]

guy's I should have read the threads previous to Giz's post before I responded to his method. I thought that he was talking about using the hook and tube to fish with. My apology Giz.

I have been fishing tubes for about 4 years now and I understand the concept.

[Sailfish]

I use a Q-tip swab with the ends taken off for my tubes. They are very cheap and seem to work well for this application. The tube is long enough that you can slide it over a spinner shaft and then clamp the whole thing, tube and all, in your vise so it is firmly held for the tying process. Then just clip off the mashed end of the tube when you are done and you are good to go. I use a Regal vise that has jaws that open fairly wide but this method might not work with other types of vises as the jaws might not open up enough to get the spinner shaft and tube to fit in. I have fished tubes for the last few years and have found that they work great because you can tie up a monster spey fly and still use a pretty small hook hangin out the back. Good luck.