Thom Glace‘s illustration shows rainbow, brown, and brook trout. It is used with permission—no more trout killer treble hooks. Catch trout Mo Betta with a single-hook tube fly on your ultra-light spinning rod.
A tube fly is perfect for spin fishers looking to add potency to their angling outcomes
Rehoboth Beach, Delaware August 2023
By Henry Clement
Tube flies are versatile lures used in fly fishing, and they can now offer spinning anglers the unique opportunity to fly fish with a spinning rod. Unlike traditional flies that are built around a hook shank, tube flies are constructed around a tube. This design allows anglers to easily replace the hook or adjust the overall weight of the fly by adding or removing components. As a result, tube flies enable anglers to customize their setup by modifying both the hook and the weight of the entire assembly.
Mike Growchowski, the phenom, called to say he figured something out. Jumping right in, he said, “I can manage the depth of any so-called tube fly because the hook and weight can be applied after the tube fly is tied.”
Mike explained, “I can add weight to my line at any time while fishing. I can position it behind or in front of the hook, or further up the line, until I achieve the desired ‘swim’—whether that’s a jig, dead drift, or level swim. After tying, I can also wrap wire around the hook shank close to the eye to add weight. Alternatively, I can use a fly that is already more heavily weighted.”
Mike added that once he had the combination right, he could set up any fly I tied for him for a jigging, swim, or dead-drift motion on any lake. “The best part is, I can use the same fly repeatedly.”
NOTE: A tube fly is not directly attached to the hook, allowing it to slide up the leader when a fish is hooked, reducing damage to the fly.
NOTE 2: In my fly fishing experience, most of which was in saltwater, where toothy fish are common, some tube flies saw the battlefield for more than one season.
Stewart Nimmo, Wikimedia Commons. Brown trout (Salmo trutta).
Summary of some tube fly advantages for spin fishers:
Using a tube fly in a spin casting setup may not offer all the choices in traditional fly fishing, but a few options can positively affect a spin fisher’s results.
- Anglers can tie tube flies on plastic, metal (copper, stainless steel, or titanium), silicone, or Q-Tip shafts.
- Durability, as previously mentioned.
- Undeniably hooking efficiency. A short-shank, wide-gap hook can dramatically improve hookups, especially with basses, and reduce a fish’s leverage.
- A single ‘lure’ allows for so many adaptations. For example, as mentioned above, the spin fisher can easily adjust weight and size by adding beads and cones or using materials made for tube flies #1.
- Got a dull hook? Do not take a chance; replace the hook. It only takes whatever time it takes to get a new hook and tie it on.
Take a look at the video
NOTE 3: While it doesn’t fully match the advantages of using a tube fly, this method offers another way to enhance your spin fishing with a fly option.
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