We tie a lot of tube flies throughout the year at our lodges in Alaska, British Columbia, and even in the Bahamas (that’s a topic of another post). Until now, we have tied most of our tubes using tube fly adapters and mandrels made to fit directly into the jaws of any standard fly tying…
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Tube Flies
Jig Tube Flies?
No one can deny that jigs catch fish. When tied in the appropriate size and color, jigs have the potential to hook fish most everywhere, and at some point, probably have! Jig hooks have been finding their way in the hands many fly tyers looking for more action from large saltwater flies to discreet freshwater flies….
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Drinking Straws for Tube Flies
When it comes to tube flies, we’re big fans. Tube flies are fun to tie and offer many advantages over traditional shank-style flies. However, unlike traditional flies, storing tube flies can be a bit of a hassle. For the most part, a simple Plano box does the trick. That is, until a gust of wind…
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Cotton Swab Tube Flies
We fish a lot of tube flies at Alaska West, especially when targeting fish on the swing. While there a lot of different tube materials out there marketed by various fly tying companies, when you tie as many flies as we do over the course of the season, sometimes the cheapest option is best. Next time you are…
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Tube Flies for King Salmon
Our buddy and spey instructor Tom Larimer just posted a really good, really thorough article about tube flies and king salmon. Tom’s article covers Tube selection Stacking tubes Bullet weights Fly colors, and Rigging stinger hooks. If you like tube flies or king salmon (or Tom Larimer), you should swing on by his web site…
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Bullet Weights, Part 2: Still Crittery
Last week we gave you a glimpse into the very non-traditional world of using bullet weights with your steelhead and salmon flies. Today, more details! Next time you’re at the vise setting strategy for the ultimate Alaska West or BC West fly program, consider tying a bunch of flies without any weight. Tying on plastic…
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Bullet Weights, Part 1: The Ultimate in ‘Crittery’
Cri’tter’y – Western Alaskan adj. Shaky, unsure. Often enlightening. Always effective. Now that Skagitmaster 2’s Scott Howell virtually gave the anadromous world ‘permission’ to get all crazy Bassmaster with our flies when playing the weight game, we thought it was time to go public with the whole bullet weight thing, as well—but for a little different…
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Tube Flies – Why We Like ‘Em
Any guest of either Alaska West or BC West in recent years has to have seen this one coming: We’re loving tube flies more and more, and we love ‘em for a few key reasons: They’re super easy to cast. Flat out, one of the best reasons to give them a shot. They’re stackable, and…
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Tube Flies – Advanced Rigging
Today we’ve got the last in our short series about tube flies and how to rig them. It’s a master class in adding weight, combining tubes, preventing leader abrasion and more. You’ve already learned about tube fly basics, the two standard rigging methods, and rigging tandem tubes, right? OK, well tune in as Eric Neufeld…
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Silvey’s Tandem Tube – How to Rig It
Installment #3 is a very special episode in our tube fly rigging mini-series by Eric Neufeld. It’s about a fly called Silvey’s Tandem Tube that requires some special attention in order to perform its best. Brian Silvey has a series of Idylwilde tube flies – the Tandem Tube, the Tail Light, and the Tube Snake…
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