Tube Flies for Bluegill

[Bill Purmort]

I've been thinking about getting busy at the tying vice, since there is little else to do in Ohio...and working on some tube flies for Bluegill.  There is no doubt I can adapt wooly bugger type flies to a tube, but I need some inspiration from all of you.

foam type hoppers or spiders would work I think

tiny minnow patterns?

Buggy nymphs?

Post some ideas and I'll give them a try...

Bill in the Chill of Ohio....

[dick tabbert]

Your right on that one Bill. Were sorta in limbo I thought we were going to get into some early Ice fishing then someone must of prayed for warm weather cause my pond is now all melted. If were not going to have ice come on spring. Sorry I don't have any input on your tube flies never made used or even have an idea what they even are. My tying skills are somewhat limited but trying to learn all I can. Good luck on your flies. I'll have my stuff back out after the holiday's then maybe I can follow suit not tube flies but tying in general.

[Jim Gronaw]

Tube flies? Don't know exactly what they are. I do tie some 'hybrid' jigs that incorporate rubber legs and standard hackle-style bodies. Here is a pic...

These are what I call 'Dixie Crickets'...supposed to imitate the ever-popular southern bait for those warm water gills. I have done very well at Richmond Mill on other filament legged jigs I tie in 1/64th and 1/32 oz.

Hope this helps...

Jim

[Allen Morgan]

If I understand the concept, the "fly" is tied onto a plastic or metal tube of some kind.  THAT gets threaded onto the tippet of your fly rod, then you tie on the hook.  This allows the "fly" to ride up the tippet/leader after a fish grabs the hook.

I haven't tried tying any of these, much less fish them.  I think they are normally done for streamers.

Take this all with a grain of salt.

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

Interesting, another wrinkle.

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

I don't even know what a tube fly is. But by the sounds of it, you do and already have some ideas.
Why not pursue them?
Or maybe, pick an established pattern and get it sorted to your liking.

[dick tabbert]

Nice jigs Jim. I tie something similar but without the hackle still working on trying perfect that part of my tying skills..

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

I've become a huge fan of anything hackle, Lucky.
Single strand, palmered, dubbed, dry style.... I like it all!

[Bill Purmort]

Allen has it down pat...you tie the fly on a hollow tube, either plastic or weighted and string your line through the tube and tie it to a hook.  there usually is a very small soft tube at the end where the eye of the hook sticks in to hold it in place.  the fish hits the fly, the hook pulls free and the tube rides along on the line until you land the fish.

Most of the time you see them in bigger flies...salmon, steelhead, saltwater, but I'm thinking you could adapt them to bluegill patterns and smaller than normal hooks...like would there be an advantage to fishing a pattern the size of a normal 8 or 10 fly and a size 12 or 14 hook dangling off the back?

Streamer patterns are a no brainer...but I'm wondering if some of our fluffy looking things would work as well?

I'm probably overthinking this in search of a new bad habit...but I'll post some of my ideas this weekend.

Keep your ideas coming here's  a youtube that gives you an idea http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpBeb-F62B4

Pushing the envelope

Bill

[Allen Morgan]

Well, I'm glad to see I'm learning!

I haven't tried tying any of these.

I think, for bluegill-sized tube flies, a coffee-stir stick would be a good choice for the tube??  Cheap, probably free from a coffee shop, and small enough to work?

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

 I need to study up on this. I could stop buying hooks...

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

the "stick" portion of a Q-Tip is a hollow plastic tube - about the right size, too.

[Mark Sleeper]

also Qtips the tube on them