Tying the Tube Perch
by Nick Pujic

Tube: 1” Plastic tube
Thread: Chartreuse UNI 6/0
Body:  Orange Krystal Flash strands wound around the tube or orange mylar tubing slid over the tube, tied off at both ends
Over wing: Yellow and olive Polar Aire, barred with a marker
Under wing: Orange Polar Aire, barred with a marker
Head: Chartreuse tying thread, colored with a marker
Eyes:  Stick on 3D eyes.

Tube flies have taken fly tyers and fly fishermen alike by storm over the past decade.  Even though the concept has been in practice on tyer’s benches for quite some time, it has been the on-the-water success of the tube patterns which has cemented their presence in the fly tying history books.  The idea is simplistic yet ingenious; tie a fly on a hollow tube instead of a hook shank.  This way tippet can be passed through the core of the fly and any size hook can be attached, leaving the fisherman with a much more versatile fly which may even survive a few more fish than a conventional one.

All you need to start: a needle or bodkin, Bic lighter, and various tubes which come precut in either plastic, aluminum and brass to cover any fishing situation.  Everyday household materials, such as the hollow, plastic Q-tips can also be used without any problem.

The tube perch is a pattern I first came across on Ontario’s Grand River, where local fly fishers would use them to lure out bragging sized resident browns at dusk.  The original pattern is tied on a plastic tube, however aluminum or brass can also be used if the situation calls for more depth.

Unless using a precut plastic tube, use a Bic lighter to heat up the bodkin or needle.  Then use the hot needle to smooth out the cut ends of the plastic tube on both sides.  Once the fly is done, your tippet will need to slide through the core of the fly without any friction or sharp edges to fray or even cut it.

If you have a specialized tube fly vise, or a tube fly adapter – such as the HMH adapter shown above - slip your 1” plastic tube onto the mandrel and secure the entire unit in your vise.  If you do not have a tube fly adapter or vise, don’t worry!  Take your needle and secure it in the vise, just be careful not to impale yourself.  Slide your tube onto the needle and check for slack by rolling the tube, using the needle as the axis.  If you can rotate the tube easily, slide it off and build up the diameter of your needle by wrapping household scotch tape around it.  Once you can slide your tube onto the tape covered needle without spinning it with ease, you’re ready to tie.

Start your thread on the tube by making a series of overlapping wraps, just like you were tying on a conventional hook shank.

Prepare 6 to 8 strands of orange crystal flash.  Tie them in collectively so that the tag is left extended beyond the back of the fly – just like a tail.  Bring your thread ¾ of the way forward on the tube.

Wrap the Krystal Flash strands forward on the tube to create a reflective, orange body.  Tie off and trim the excess.  Make sure to have enough room left at the front of the tube for the wing and head.

Cut a clump of yellow Polar Aire, or other synthetic streamer wing material, about the diameter of a regular pencil and about 3 times the length of the tube.  Remove any excess fuzz.

Tie in the yellow Polar Aire.  Because the tube is perfectly round and symmetrical in diameter, the location of the yellow Polar Aire will determine what will be considered as the top of the fly.  Trim any excess material.

Repeat the last two steps, only substituting olive or green Polar Aire instead of the yellow. The olive over wing should be slightly longer than the previous, yellow layer.  Trim any excess material.

Tie in an equal amount of orange Polar Aire on the bottom of the tube.  Trim any excess material.

Build up a pronounced chartreuse head by using your tying thread.  Whip finish and cut off when the head is completed.

Using an olive Pantone or Sharpie marker, color the top half of the thread head.  After the marker has dried, apply 3D stick on eyes and coat with a thick solution of head cement or epoxy.  Allow to dry.

Once the head has dried, optional bars or markings can be added using the same marker throughout the over and under wings.

The tube perch can also be tied on a brass tube and with a woven mylar body when a heavier fly is needed (such as the fly shown in the photo above).