TUBE FLIES

[Yorkshire Esk]

Which is your prefered tube fly made of?
Plastic
Aluminium
Copper

[williegunn]

Yes all three with an additional brass one thrown in for good measure.

[Yorkshire Esk]

This is probably a numpty question, but what difference does it make what the tube is made of?

[duncanm]

As the materials used for the tubes are of different densities they will all find a different depth in the same but of water.

The use of the different tubes will let you vary the depth you fish at.

[jock]

woldedge said:

This is probably a numpty question, but what difference does it make what the tube is made of?

Apart from depth and speed control in the water they have a significant impact above water. Consider a gusting windy day, a mistimed, badly aimed cast, the net effect of which is that the tube material of choice is now on collision course with one's "Heid"

In such circumstances plastic tube with a barbless single would be the preferred choice ;D ;D ;D

[ceilidh]

Yorkshire Esk's question is by no means a numpty one.
Obviously the idea of fishing a heavy tube is to get the fly down deep as fast as possible. However, with the development of greatly improved polyleaders in ultra fast sinking densities, it is often possible to achieve the same depth whilst fishing a much lighter tube, which may have a more lively and attractive action in the water.

I still have a number of 3" brass missiles in my fly box, but they are not enjoyable to cast and are now seldom my first choice, even in cold water.

As to preferences between plastic and alloy, I think this depends upon the type of dressing you want. Many modern flies have no body dressing, other than, perhaps, a brightly coloured tube, in which case plastic is ideal. Where, however, there is a very definite style of body dressing, which forms an important part of the fly, I normally find this more durable and easy to tie on a metal tube.

[salar76]

Personally I tend to just use plastic or brass nowadays and find no need for aluminium.

Brass - obviously this is about depth. Even on super fast sinking line such as a Guideline 4/5 or a 750 grain head, you sometimes want more. Either standard straight tubes or bottle tubes for TD style flies. With a Frances you'll need a heavy tube anyway due to the quantity of body material which will make a lighter tube float.

Plastic - most of my tubes are plastic. I bulk buy tubing with a 2 or 3mm diameter which is perfect for this. Plastic tubes will have more action in the water than a heavier tube. I have cones that can slip over the end if I want a fly that will get down a bit whilst maintaining good motion in the water (no need for using liner tubing then, which I find tends to snap off with a heavy cone). The rest are either traditional hairwing, or sunray/collie style or micro tubes; the plastic is also very easy to put a hole in the side for riffling. If I need depth then I use a heavier line density or polytips to achieve this.

[rennie]

Just to confuse things totally,I use the lot but my favorite is lightweight brass.Now in my opinion if you dress your own flies you want to make them look as alive as possible and I think a metal tube and say a temple dog type dressing looks the dogs as the tube will hold a bit steadier in a current and the dressing will move to create the semblance of life whereas a plastic tube especially if it has a big bore the tube moves about a lot more which I think leads to Salar sometimes missing if it decides to have a chew.The faster more turbulent the current the more likely I am to fish a heavier tube but shorter and increase the wing length.Suppose I am looking for a steadier presentation to the fly but maintaining as much semblance of life and not the whirling dervish effect sometimes experienced with a plastic tube,however in slower water/flows I will go for plastic/light ally.to get maximum movement.I don't totally discount plastic at all. micro. plastic tubes like Paulsewins are a lot better then dressed trebles /doubles in slight flows and low water.I suppose I try to match the tube to the conditions of the day looking to what will work best. At least its another excuse when failure comes calling(again),hope I never fall in at the back end,wont get back to surface with all that metal in the pockets. Pedro.

[imb]

Plastic or aluminium,Anything heavier and I hate(struggle) casting them,I find while casting brass tubes it's safer to wear a hard hat.

[para1]

Prefer the small bottle nosed type you can get now.
I think they go down quicker and cause less air resistance on the cast.