Tube Flies Best for Sea-run Cutthroat

[Roger Stephens]

Now that the sea-run cutthroat fly fisheries on Puget Sound is starting to "heat up", it is a good time to make ourselves aware of ways that we can treat this fisheries with care and respect. In the past Les Johnson has eloquently stated what a fragile treasure that this fisheries is.

IMHO one way to treat sea-run cutthroat with care and respect is to use tube fly patterns for this fisheries. Below are my thoughts/opinions in this regard:

1. Small Gamakutsu SC-15(saltwater series)hooks can be used(I use #4 and #6). They
are small diameter, nickel plated hooks that are suspectible to corrode
fairly rapidly. Plus, these small diameter hooks will not cause as much
damage to a sea-run cutthroat in comparison to a standard, larger diameter,
stainless steel hook.

2. If a sea-run cutthroat is hooked deep in it's mouth/gills, the tube
pattern can be slid up the leader. The leader can be sniped near the
hook. The hook will dissolve/corrode rapidly hopefully without
harming the sea-run cutthroat. IMHO it is best to leave a small
Gamakutsu SC-15 hook in a sea-run cutthroat's mouth/gills rather than attempt to
remove the hook with a release tool or forceps which has a high probability
of causing excessive bleeding and demise of the fish.

3. If a standard stainless steel hook pattern is left in a fish's
mouth/gills, the fish will have to deal with a large fly pattern which may
or may not have dumbdell eyes. It has to be much more invasive to a fish in
comparison to a small Gamakutsu SC-15 hook.

The advantages of tube fly patterns for fly fishers has been discussed several times in the past on WWF. They are: fly patterns last longer, short strikes minimumized, easy to change out hooks, harder for a fish to "throw" the hook, etc.

IMHO tube fly patterns are as easy to tie as standard hook patterns plus they are "gentler" on sea-run cutthroat. So if you don't already use tube fly pattern for sea-run cutthroat, give them a try!

Roger

[obiwankanobi]

Roger,

I posted a tube fly question on the fly tying forum portion on this site and being a tube fly guru, could you post a reply? I didn't know about tube flies being more fish friendly. I am a active fish friendly person, never using barbed hooks and lead dumbell eyes or lead split shot. What are other advantages/disadvantages to tube flies? I have never tied them and have debated about if I should buy the Renzetti tube fly attachment for my vice.

[Les Johnson]

Much depends upon how the tube fly is tied. If it is tied on a long tube with the hook on the end (the way we commonly tied them twenty-five years ago (See: Fly Fishing for Pacific Salmon, 1st edition). This style would often allow the fish (cutthroat or young-of-the-year coho) to take the hook far down into the gills. The same effect can occur with stinger hooks on regular flies.
When Mark Mandell and I co-authored "Tube Flies" (recently reprinted) we contacted tube fly experts from around the world and came up with some new methods of tying tubes that are less lethal to small fish. This is tying them so that the hook is set closer to a prominent head with an eye on it. Fish seem to be prone to hitting at the head. When the tube is combined with an SC15 Gamakatsu hook, deep hooking is reduced considerably. Roger recommends this hook and he is, in my opinion, on the money.
When fishing for larger fish such as mature coho (provided we can find any this coming fall) hook placement is much less of an issue. In fact, two-hook rigs are commonly employed on coho trolling flies, either tied on hooks or with two-hook tube rigs. In my experience is is rare to see a mature coho hooked way down into the gills when it grabs a trolled fly; tied on a hook, or a tube.
Regardless of how we try to minimize injury on cutthroat, it is important to remember that even with catch-and-release we are participating in a blood sport. There are cutthroat lost that do not survive the battle and they represent the "harvest" involved in c-and-r. By using carefully designed flies this harvest can be minimized and our sport can flourish.
Good fishing,
Les Johnson

[Philster]

My last experiments with tube flies for both steelhead and beach fishing SRC/salmon used small gammy "splitshotting" hooks, down to size 8. Needle sharp, very light wire but strong, short shank. I highly recommend them for microtubes. Just keep them salt free when not in use.

[Milt Roe]

How about posting a photo or two of your favorite tube flies for SRC? I'd like to tie some up for next weekend and I could use a little inspiration.

[Les Johnson]

Check Tube Flies out of the library. You'll find a lot about tying them and some great patterns.
Les Johnson

[Milt Roe]

Thanks Les - I'll go out and buy a copy if I can find one. Time to upgrade my library. There are several books I've been meaning to pick-up. I'd still like to see a couple of photos posted though, because while reading the posts above I was wondering exactly what some of the configurations discussed looked like. That doesn't always come across as well in text alone and a photo would sure help show how they are tied and rigged.

[Les Johnson]

Milt,
I never try to convince anyone to purchase a book I'm involved with. When starting out tying tube flies though, building a tube fly from the inside out provides a good foundation before moving forward to your own patterns. This will give you a critical foundation in tube fly tying, in my opinion. By the way, you are never going to convince folks that your name is really Milt Roe.
Cheers,
Les Johnson

[Double-D]

I'll have to agree that care needs to be taken on the searun fishery and anything we can do to educate those who pursue searun is a positive direction. Roger, your insight on tube flies and there ability to lesson the mortality rate is interesting. I too use the SC15 hook and find it much easier to release (when de-barbed) and doe’s less damage to the fish. Although I am new to the tube fly for the salt, I do see the advantages that you have mentioned. I have tied a number of my favorite bait fish patterns on tubes this winter and plan to use them soon.

If we are going to note a higher mortality rate on certain flies types I think one of the most popular used today and probably the most damaging to searuns is the Clouser style. Because the hook is riding upright it will penetrate the upper mouth which will invariably bleed almost every time. Myself, I basically quit using the standard tie and have developed a cone head version which is just as successful and keeps the hook riding down and eliminating the problem.

Just to take it one step further I will be addressing the WDFW regs. regarding the retaining of two (2) trout? over 14” in the main stem and both North, South Fork of the Stilly to be changed to total catch and release for all trout in 2008 – 2009 regs.. The only viable trout in this system is searun and for the average joe fisherman this is interpreted as cutthroat trout.

[Freedon]

Roger got me pumped up on using tube flies last spring, and I can't thank him enough. All the points he made about the comparatively humane impact on the fish are true, plus tube flies are very effective and last longer than flies that get chewed on. I would like to add my encouragements.

First, it's not expensive to get started. You can generally find starter kits at your local fly shop for $25 or less. You get an adapter for any standard vise, several mandrels (wires) and an assortment of tubes. I was really surprised at how simple it was to get started. I now tie probably 90% of my saltwater patterns on tubes of various descriptions.

One of the posts also mentions that with clousers he finds the upturned hook produces too many upper jaw penetrations. With a tube fly, the hook isn't fixed, you can orient it any way you want, up, down side ways. Often I just leave it loose, but either way it's much easier to release fish with the fly slid away from the hook.

And, you can get inventive even if you're not particularly artistic. Yesterday I caught a nice assortment of coho and SRC's using a tube about 1" long, covered in a mylar sleeve with about a dozen yak hairs and some eyes tied to it. Through the magic of tube flies, all were released easily except a 17" coho, and she followed me home.

[Philster]

Milt,
I never try to convince anyone to purchase a book I'm involved with. When starting out tying tube flies though, building a tube fly from the inside out provides a good foundation before moving forward to your own patterns. This will give you a critical foundation in tube fly tying, in my opinion. By the way, you are never going to convince folks that your name is really Milt Roe.
Cheers,
Les Johnson

Funny story on your book Les. When I first decided to get into tube, I got it from the library. My initial thought was, "what a piece of crap!". All those atlantic salmon flies were ugly and "easy to tie", the section on materials and hooks was kinda frustrating because none of the stuff was easily available under the brand names listed, and fly shops hadn't started carrying stuff at that time. Lastly the tying instructions on the individual patterns didn't appear that helpful. I got what seemed like a little helpful info, and took the book back early.

Then I took it out again... And again... And again... Each time I took it out I "saw" more. Those ugly atlantic salmon flies became a bit of an obsession. I had to catch a steelie on my favorites of those... And those complicated balsa poppers? Had to catch at least a few dorado and skippies on those, just to see how long they really lasted... And the Scandahoovian SeaHabit as opposed to Trey's? Well, i needed to see if it worked as well in Baja as in the Pacific Northwest... And well, needless to say I bought the book, and while I haven't felt the need to fish since July, I still open and leaf through some my tying books. And that book, along with Popfleyes, and the flies of Ireland, and the "Hairwing and Tube" flies book are the ones I enjoy reading through most.

[Milt Roe]

Very clever, Les - I went to the fly shop to buy your book and they didn't have in in stock yet. I ended up leaving $50 behind though. Do you get a cut from this scam?

At least I'm ready to tie now.

[Les Johnson]

If anyone is having trouble locating Tube Flies, or Mandell's new Tube Fly Two -Evolution, both are available through Amazon.com. Often when a shop or dealer doesn't have a book (or anything else) I'm looking for and doesn't want to order it for me, I can count on Amazon.com to have the book on my front porch in three days.
When we wrote the book Tube Flies, it was our intention to not simply show everyone's patterns but to show the steps taken to tie a great many patterns. In this way a tier can decide the type of fly he/she wants to develop and do so in several different styles or configurations.
I see that Amazon.com is offering both Tube Flies and Tube Flies Two-Evolution as a pair -- at a reduced price. For those interested that might be interesting.

Good Fishing,
Les Johnson

[Anil]

Minutes ago, we received our first copies of “Tube Flies Two, Evolution.” It looks great.
We have some copies here in both paperback and hardback versions.
Anil

[Steve Rohrbach]

What Anil failed to mention is that he is one of the featured tiers with his Shock and Awe and other amazing saltwater tube flies. This book has a lot of interesting tubes, many of which should be great additions to the Puget Sound fly fishermans arsenal. The chapters on Tom Wolf and Mike Croft are also worthy of study.

[Anil]

For those of you interested in tubes:
http://www.washingtonflyfishing.com/board/showthread.php?t=39623

[Richard]

Very clever, Les - I went to the fly shop to buy your book and they didn't have in in stock yet. I ended up leaving $50 behind though. Do you get a cut from this scam?

At least I'm ready to tie now.


I've read your post several times, and I keep trying to determine if you're being a jerk making that comment or teasing? :confused: Each time I read it, it becomes easier to decide the former . . .

Have it in stock yet? Scam? 'Tube Flies' has been out for a number of years. Not every store is going to have in stock every book about fly fishing or tying.

Sheesh.

[Milt Roe]

I was kidding, but that doesn't mean I'm not a jerk sometimes. Sorry to offend. Thought it was funny when I wrote it. Keep reading it and let me know what you decide.

[Philster]

I was kidding, but that doesn't mean I'm not a jerk sometimes. Sorry to offend. Thought it was funny when I wrote it. Keep reading it and let me know what you decide.

Hmmm... I didn't find it funny, insulting, or compelling enough to read it more than once... Maybe I should go back and give it the zabruder treatment. Back, and to the left... Back and to the left...

[bhudda]

i tie my tube's on Jack cooks lil' metal coat hanger. costs 5 bucks and your tyin' tubes already, i took the dremal to it so the microtubes fit nice and tight with tension. havent had a problem, and i love my tubes.

[Les Johnson]

One and all,
I took absolutely no offense at any part of Milt Roe's post. It was obvious to me that he made it in good spirit. Having received a copy of Tube Flies Two-Evolution I do however feel that it will be an excellent companion volume to Tube Flies for any tier who plans to get serious about the craft of tying on tubes.
( I still don't believe that his real name is Milt Roe).

Cheers,
Les Johnson