FLIES are the ties that bind.

"How many men enjoy going to craft stores with their wives or girl friend? Whats that you say? You would rather wash your mother-in-laws windows or clean out your septic tank with a toothbrush? I know, I know, I used to feel that way, too. Most men I know have the get in and get out attitude when it comes to shopping in general, except maybe in the sporting goods section. Sporting goods are soothing. A man can browse, get in touch with his soul and lose track of time, not to mention the kids and the wife. This time spent is enlightening, educating, and worthwhile! But, come-on real men never go into craft stores and browse. Time to fess up. I recently became a convert to craft store surfing. Strangely enough, wandering the aisles of a craft store has become a pursuit I look forward to. And, truth be known. my recent change of heart has probably improved my marriage more than any counseling could ever have done. You may wonder how this unthinkable transformation came about. Was it some new brainwashing technique, hypnotic suggestion, outright bribery? Nothing that exotic. Actually, my spouse and I share fly tying! Well, kind of It wasn't always like this. I live in a rural community and regular trips to the big city are a necessity. I�ve always despised going to the city with my wife, daughter, and mother-in-law, because every time we went they would invariably hit the craft stores. The mere suggestion, "Let's stop at the CRAFTY CRAFTER," and it was antacid time for me. They would spend all afternoon browsing the craft store aisles with immeasurable joy while I waited in the car, hotter than a firecracker on the 4th of July. They did, however, make sure I kept one of the windows rolled down a little bit. My transformation almost began a couple of years ago, but it was foiled"How many men enjoy going to craft stores with their wives? Whats that you say? You would rather wash your mother-in-laws windows or clean out your septic tank with a toothbrush? I know, I know, I used to feel that way, too. Most men I know have the 'get in and get out' attitude when it comes to shopping in general, except maybe in the sporting goods section. Sporting goods are soothing. A man can browse, get in touch with his soul and lose track of time, not to mention the kids and the wife. This time spent is enlightening, educating, and worthwhile! But, come-on� 'real men' never go into craft stores and browse. Time to confess. I recently became a convert to 'craft store surfing.' Strangely enough, wandering the aisles of a craft store has become a pursuit I look forward to. And, truth be known. my recent change of heart has probably improved my marriage more than any counseling could ever have done. You may wonder how this unthinkable transformation came about. Was it some new brainwashing technique, hypnotic suggestion, outright bribery? Nothing that exotic. Actually, my spouse and I share fly tying! Well, kind of It wasnt always like this. I live in a rural community and regular trips to the big city are a necessity. I've always despised going to the city with my wife, daughter, and mother-in-law, because every time we went they would invariably hit the craft stores. The mere suggestion, 'Lets stop at the CRAFTY CRAFTER,' and it was antacid time for me. They would spend all afternoon browsing the craft store aisles with immeasurable joy while I waited in the car, hotter than a firecracker on the 4th of July. They did, however, make sure I kept one of the windows rolled down a little bit. My transformation almost began a couple of years ago, but it was foiled"

Tube Fly History & Evolution - Fly Tying Articles - Quest Outdoors

The History & Evolution of the Tube Fly
Tube flies have been in use in North America for well over a century. Native North American's used "flies" tied on hollow quills to fish the once prolific west coast salmon runs as far back as the nineteenth century. This method however quickly disappeared and it would be many decades before tube flies would make an appearance again, this time across the pond in Great Britain.


The first written description of a tube fly comes from noted british author/angler Alexander Wanless in the early 1930's. His ideas however fail to gain traction with the fly anglers of the day, quite possibly due to the fact that his book was written for spin fisherman and failed to reach the audience who would finally embrace the design.


Credit for the birth of the "modern" tube fly is now generally given to Mrs. Winnie Morawski, a fly dresser with the Charles Playfair & Co. tackle manufacturer located in Aberdeen, around 1945. Her original creations were traditional patterns tied on sections of turkey quill with the hook shank (generally treble's at this time) bound inside. It's a wonder that this style could manage to catch on, as turkey quill is rather fragile and having hook and tube bound together negates much of the benefits inherent in the tube fly design. For this we can be grateful to William Michie, a british doctor who suggested using surgical tubing rather than quills while visiting the Playfair Co. It is at this point that the notion of tube flies begins to spread and it's usage and evolution become rather swift.


While tube flies are rapidly evolving and spreading across Europe, a very interesting thing is happening back here in North America in the late 1940's. Fly fishermen in Washington, Florida, and the North East are simultaneously, and independently of one another, quietly "inventing" tube flies of their own. Due to the extremely isolated nature of there development and the huge differences, both between regions and from the earlier european tube flies, it looks most likely that these flies were created to fill a need specific to the fishery and probably not due to exposure to the now fashionable european tube flies. As is often the case in fly fishing, necessity is the mother of invention.


In Washington, tube flies are being used to create long-bodied streamer patterns for ocean trolling for Pacific Salmon, while Florida anglers realized the benefits of tube fly design for large off shore billfish flies. In the North East, the tube fly is adopted by both Maine's landlocked Salmon fishery and the coast's beach combing Striped Bass fishermen. Again, the Great Lakes fishermen fail to notice this innovation in fly tying and the tube fly misses it's opportunity to catch on.

READING WATER - PART 1
The trout fisherman must be able to read a stream or river in far more detail than a canoeist, kayaker or rafter. The boat folks can see the current flow and the humps that show where rocks are, they even see the 'seams' where currents of different speed run side by side. They would be hard pressed if you asked them to show you where fish might be lying. Simply because they lack detail in their knowledge. A fisherman needs to fully understand the fishes survival needs and behavior patterns in order to properly read a stream. These are the details a fisherman needs to know, that a boater doesn't need or want to know. The subject this series will cover is easier to learn, understand and put to use than the myriad of knots, lines, casting flaws and entomology. Plus it is more entertaining in conversation than entomology, unless you are at a professors cocktail party.
You will learn where to cast along with where not to cast and why. Where to wade and where not to wade so you don't spook the fish and have it running and spreading the alarm to the rest of the fish in the stream. You will be able to go to new waters and fish with confidence, all year long, knowing where the fish will be in any season and any conditions. Your fish location predictions will impress all but the most expert of fishermen. Given a casting technique of accuracy, your catch rate will increase and the size of your catch will increase. You will know why stealth and casting on a dime are so important. This accuracy will be the difference in the number of fish you catch especially when you face a situation where only a few inches of drag-free drift are available. Trout have very narrow feeding lanes "
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