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My tube fly


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Last night I sat at home thinking of how I could create something for the fly rod. I wanted a bottom bait that would be much like a tube jig, but still not exactly the same as a tube. Here is what I came up with:

 

 

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What I did is take a standard 90 degree jig hook and first wrapped one or two lead suspend dots on the hook shank. Then I tyed on Artic Fox hair right in front of where the hook bend is. Next I tied in the silicone legs up closer the hook eye. Lastly, I took a 2.75 inch tube and cut the tails off. Then I took the tube body and slipped it onto the hook shank by pushing the bottom of the tube over the eye of the hook and then slid it down and poked the eyelet through the plastic.

 

I don't know if you can really call this a fly or not, but I do think it will catch some serious river bronzebacks. Now I have to cast it and see if I have added too much weight or not. Gonna try it out tonite after work.

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I just took my three tube fly prototypes to a local pond during my lunch hour. I threw all three on my six weight rod. Here are my findings:

 

1. The fly in the water looks incredible. Lots of subtle movements of the parts even at rest. Definitely should be a killer finesse fly.

 

2. The tube fly in which I added no internal weight did not sink but an inch or so under the surface. Not quite what I was looking for, but I thought if I made one in a lighter color without weight, it might be a killer fly stripped quickly just under the surface.

 

3. The flys that were internally weighted with Storm lead dots did sink very slowly to the bottom. When hopped off of the bottom, the fly would almost hesitate slightly at the apex of the hop. Looked very deadly.

 

4. When it came to casting the tube fly, it was a little different. Due to the bulk and aerodynamic nature of the fly, the rod loaded quickly on the back cast. Once I got used to this, I was able to make some very long casts. The fly line just shot right through the guides.

 

5. My tube fly may be better on an 8 weight.

 

 

I will be taking my creation to a local flow today after school. I will let you know how it goes.

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Jonn, I'm sure you don't remember but the last time I was in Sylvania with you and the ISA group and I was catching fish on the fly in that 30 foot hole off the island on Clark Lake, I was using a fly that was similar. The tail was about the same but I used a crystal chenille body and the fly was on a stinger hook with a cone head and a double weed guard so it could crawl on the bottom. (probably a precursor to a hairy fodder) Maybe mylar tubing would work as the body? Much lighter in weight but not opaque like the plastic body. Only comes in a few colors but you can color it with markers. Experimenting is half the fun.

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Craig:

 

Great idea concerning my tube fly. I will work on that. Hey, did you see the picture of my nice smallie on the Fodder? If you want, shoot me your email and I can send it to you. Sure wish I would not have lost my favorite Fodder last night. I will have to shoot you a check for some more.

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Jonn's jig does nothing that a regular tube doesn't. What does a clouser minnow do that a bucktail jig doesn't? It's only factor is confidence. Jonn being a novice at this game is looking for something close to what he is familiar to using to not feel so out of sorts. Just to get some hits and feel what a strike on a fly rod is like. From there he can graduate up to more "acceptable" and probably easier casting styles of fly fishing. Not to start an argument (but feel free to comment)but what is fly fishing is up to the individual. Some people fish with worms on a fly rod for trout. I know a guy who throws unweighted plastic worms. We're now putting diving lips and spinner blades on "flies"? To me, we're bassbugging, is not fly fishing anyway. I'm imitating critters, not flies or insects(most of the time). Bassbugging lends itself to be in that grey area between what is ideally thought of as fly fishing and what hardware slingers do. With all the new materials nowadays avaliable to tyers, synthetics, plastics, glues and foam, we're now able to create things that the pioneers of fly fishing never could have invisioned. If these things were available back then, I'm certain that they would have tried them. I am to the belief that tradionally tied flies will go the way of muzzle loading guns. It will be more nostalgic than main stream eventually. Case in point, look at bamboo fly rods, cat gut leaders and silk lines. In bassbugging, many patterns are more built than tied. Super glues, epoxies and silicone are replacing thread. Foams are replacing deerhair. Synthetics are pushing out natural hairs or feathers. Like it or not, the face of fly fishing is going "modern". Is it for the better? That's up to the individual. You can stay at home and listen to the Cubs play on your AM radio while sitting in front of your fan and imagine the game while I'll watch my wide screen, hi-def digital TV in my centrally air conditioned home and feel as if I was part of the game. It's what makes you happy, no rules. Well I got to go get my supreme hair, tuffleye and blue light and go "tie" some surf candies.

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I'm for whatever will catch'em. I use berkley gulp worms unwieghted and kill the gills with them, and bass like them too. I dont worry about not being a purist at all, at the end of the day I just want to catch fish however I can.

 

Joe

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