Really helpful discussion. Hook choice and the ability to fine tune the fly for different situations are a clear advantage. Can you recommend a few favorite hooks for steelhead?
I use fine wire hooks almost exclusively. For bigger tube flies, I will use Gamakatsu Octopus, in a 4 or 6, but on lighter flies whose swing might be affected by the offset of the Octopus, I use upturned Gamakatsu small doubles in a 10.
Thanks Peter, much more understanding of why go to tubes. Next on my list of questions is Cost. I get they could last longer. Hook, Tying Materials being the same... What’s it cost for the tubing materials? Appreciate this series ... gonna give tubes a whirl this winter.
All depends on whether we make our own or buy kits, or buy ready made. It really isn't much different than buying cheap bronze hooks vs. expensive Spey hooks.
I've just drunk the switch rod Kool-Aid and I'm not quite ready for the tube fly dose. I'm not even sure if metal tubes would be legal here in New Brunswick, where flies have to be "unweighted". In any case, would an Intruder style fly offer most of the benefits of tubes, i.e. a replaceable hook on a flexible connection with the weight up front on a shorter shank?
The Intruder is definitely a plus for steelhead, but I'm not sure of its advantage for Atlantics. I don't know if you have ever fished for steelhead, but they have an annoying habit of just nipping the wing or tail of a fly to check out what it is. The rearward placed hook on the Intruder is designed to hook these 'nippers'. Many salmon tube fly designs have the hook more or less half way along the wing, which showed that the designer was not worried about tentative takes.
@@hooked4lifeca No, I have never fished for steelhead. The advantage of a replaceable hook is very real though. One of my specialties is breaking the points off hooks on the backcast...
