Traditionalists...... look away!

[Mataura mayfly]

I have been posting the odd fly here and there with bodies made of wrapped "craft string" (Platte River Special variation was one here). I get this stuff dirt cheap at $2 stores, similar to "pound stretcher" stores in the UK, not sure if you have similar in the States. I usually use it for big flies as it is a fairly bulky material, even though it can be stretched and flattened on the shank.
I have three "varieties", one is solid coloured, one filled with oval tinsel and translucent plastic, the other translucent plastic with the odd bit of glitter material entombed in the tube walls.

Over the weekend I decide to try to use it in smaller sizes as a tubular body.




These two are #10, standard hook shank first and 2XL next. (Kamasan B175, B830)
Tail of left over peacock hackle from the Goats Toe tyings.
Body of short sections of the glitter tube, slid over the hook eye, over a yellow thread base and tied down at the thorax.
Thorax of noodle dubbed possum belly fur.
Hackle Shoveller hen upper coverts.

The three packs of tubing.
Solid colour



Tinsel filled



Glitter

[William Anderson]

Jeff, kudos for putting these together and putting them up for discussion. I can't comment on their effectiveness, and have never used anything like them. This site is renouned for it's encouragement, constant experimentation along side the traditional patterns and proven new patterns. I'll say there are attributes here consistent with some successful flies, but the tubes are pushing my confort level, which I appreciate very much. no one would call me a traditionalist, I don't believe, although I enjoy both the history and the present effectiveness of traditional patterns very much. I would love nothing more than to see you with a giant Cheshire cat grin and a load of fish porn sporting these flies. It's an interesting idea and I love that you put these up. You're a very versatile and talented kiwi.

w

[Mataura mayfly]

William, it gets worse........ but as I have stated elsewhere, I mainly fish traditional patterns, they catch fish! Time proven materials and methods work and have done for centuries, but it does not stop me experimenting to see "what if". I am forever finding things and saying "I could tie a fly with that". Kim has threatened to place a hot-wire around the Christmas tree before I strip it bare of decoration!
There are some fantastic materials come out at this time of the year.

These ones were tubed over a bare hook, marabou style dyed feather stems pushed up from the bend so the ends of the fibres formed a tail, tied in at the thorax and some of the marabou noodle dubbed over the tying in area. Hackles are dyed Guinea Fowl.





I will not fish these, our local would run a mile if I tossed one of these at them, but I have a feeling they might work for pond dwelling warm water species?

[William Anderson]

Fantastic. Uniquely Fantastic.

w

[Mataura mayfly]

Thanks William, just "having fun with it"
Have another idea for the tubing..... stay tuned.

[letumgo]

Shock...
Horror...

SUSTAINED APPLAUSE...

Awesome job, Jeff. I love the creativity, and the final results. Kewel!

[gig]

Looks great and I'm as non traditional as they come. 10 out of 10 for creativity

[Mataura mayfly]

Ray, just the reaction I was looking for!

Thanks gig, just get's you thinking what can be used to tie flies don't it?

This is the other idea I had.



Use the tube as a looped wingcase, like the Pogo nymph I posted earlier. Theoretically there should be a small air pocket in the tube and help keep the fly off the bottom, similar to the way the foam wingcase does with the Pogo. This one did not float, but it may be of the size and material choice being too much for the bubble to carry.

Here it is wet.



Hook: #12 2XL slightly humped
Tag & rib: Oval gold
Abdomen: Hares ear noodle dubbed
Wingcase: Small section of the glitter tubing (folded in an open loop over thorax)
Thorax: Hare guard hairs from the middle of the back of the body
Hackle: One turn of brownish hue partridge.

[letumgo]

Now that is brilliant! The tubing forms a beautiful bubble. It looks like the wingbuds are busting out of the back of the fly. Brillant.

[Donald Nicolson]

Keep it going Jeff, you are on a winning roll, how do you think the 'traditional' flies started. Some great ideas there for sea run flies.