Flies for the north
HEADLINE: Tying Northern Flies
2ndary headline: The Scandi style tube fly
BY SCOTT CURRIE
For Wild Northerner
Step 1
Insert the 1.8mm tubing into the Snaelda tube body and then melt the end with a lighter. This creates a mushroom like shape keeping it in place.
Step 2
Tie in about a 1/8th of an inch of thread and put in a few wraps of the schlappen right up against the brass.
STEP 3
Form a dubbing loop and form a ball of dubbing. Brush this out if you wish.
STEP 4
Forward tie the fox underwing. Don’t worry about leaving a wee nib of fur as It won’t get seen and actually helps prop the wing up.
Step 5
Pop on the fox overwing slightly longer than the held back underwing. By now, you should have that nice tear drop shape to it.
Step 5
Apply a few turns of schlappen.
Step 6 and Finishing up
Pair up some JC cheeks and tie in tight to flare them out slightly. Finish off the head and super glue.
Before dry, snug up the turbo disc. Cut the tubing about 1/8th of an inch past the cone and melt in place just as before.
Tips
When melting the plastic, keep it in on the pin as this stops the center from closing in and you won’t have trouble threading the leader through. I always Insert about a 1/2 of junction tubing with the hook at this point. It is handy to the this done in advance to save some scrambling around on the river.
RECIPE
BODY- HERITAGE ANGLING PRODUCTS (HAP) SNAELDA TUBE BODY
TUBING – HAP 1.8mm
CONE – HAP TURBO DISC 6mm
TREAD- VEEVUS 8/0
WINGS – HAP SILVER FOX DYED
HACKLE- WHALESBACK SCHALPPEN
DUBBING – WHALESBACK SEALS X
CHEEKS – WHALESBACK JUNGLE COCK (DYED IN HOUSE)
BY SCOTT CURRIE
For Wild Northerner
Tube flies are generally fished with two-hand rods and Spey cast down and across a river. The practice of this type of fishing began in Scotland in the 1800's on the river Spey; however, the origins of this fly are deeply rooted in Scandinavia as that is where the tear drop shaped hair wings were developed for Atlantic salmon. Tube flies and others can be over elaborate and incorporate a shed full of materials; however, this scaled down pattern is an easy tie as it requires the minimum of fuss but retains all the fishy characteristics that make it so successful.
Like the Spey cast itself, where long distances are achieved with limited back space, the tube fly has certain advantages as well - the hooks are entirely replaceable and even become detached during hook ups which help to keep the condition of the fly.
The fiery brown and orange version I’ve tied here works well when fished through our northern Ontario rivers for steelhead and brookies in particularly. Other colour combos work well as does adding a bit of flash through the wing. Try olive and chartreuse, black and purple or blue and white.
Flies for the north