Selection of Pro TubeFly System components by Pro Flytyer™ including the Pro FlexiNeedle
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After 20 years of salmon and sea trout fishing in Scandinavia and Europe and 2 years of development and testing, Morten Bundgaard of Pro Flytyer™ (now known as Pro Sportfisher) in Denmark has released an innovative and high quality system of tube fly components called
the Pro TubeFly System™
Debuting in early 2010, it has been described by some as the “Lego set” for tube tyers due to its versatility and interchangeable/buildable components
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With the help of Computer Aided Design (CAD), all components in Pro Flytyer’s Pro TubeFly System (prosportfisher) were designed to match across the entire system. The system has both simplified tube tying for the beginner and allowed the experienced tube tyer to be creative and versatile in his tube designs.
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The heart of the Pro TubeFly system consists of the innovative one-piece FlexiTubing and small MicroTubing, the unique weighing components of sleekly designed weights and specialty brass cones, and the soft silicon and polymer discs that are designed for hackle and wing support, fly protection in fast river currents and also for imparting fly movement.
Pro FlexiTube
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The Pro FlexiTube is a one-piece, injection molded plastic tube consisting of two different dimensions of tubing. This precision one-piece component eliminates the tying step of joining different sections of extruded tubing by glue or other means and the inherent “weak point” that comes with joined tubes.
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The material used in Pro FlexiTubes is a special blend of 3 different plastic materials, each with its own advantage. This results in an extremely strong tube which has the same softness and strength from -22 degrees F up to + 122 degrees F.
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Pro FlexiWeights are designed for adding weight to Pro FlexiTubes (by fitting over the thinner tube at the front of the FlexiTube) without increasing the diameter of the body. This straight brass tubing has a fine chrome finish and comes in various lengths to vary the weight of the tube fly.
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Other features of Pro FlexiTubes include built-in hook connection with no junction tubing needed, 4 different lengths that give the tyer nearly unlimited weighing, sizing and hook placement options, 16 colors (including metallic copper, gold and silver).
Pro MicroTube
Another Pro TubeFly offering is the down-sized Pro MicroTube System which consists of a plastic Pro MicroTube (and the Pro Hookguide for hook connection) that is specially designed to except sleek/uniquely designed weights of different sizes and designs. This system is ideal for tying the new modern “short” or “no-body” style of flies that have thin/short body diameters for easy casting and sinking. These “quick- tie” tube patterns also use minimal tying materials. As Morten Bundgard says “add a wing, a little bit of flash and hackle and the fly is ready to go”. The Pro MicroTube is available in a standard 31mm length and 6 different colors.
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Weight can be easily added to Pro MicroTubes by using Pro FlexiWeights of various lengths, Pro BulletWeights which can provide 5 different weights by various combinations and also are ideal for accommodating zonker style wings, and the fast sinking Pro DropWeights which can be used to customize both fly weight and balance and have a tapered shape ideal for hair wing/hackle support.
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Pro TubeFly System Cones
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The Pro Cone which has a classic (concave) conehead design comes in 4 sizes and 7 colors. The large interior bore of this cone (a result of a specialty brass alloy that allows thinner sides) allows the tier to make less than perfect heads (e.g. too large) and still get a good finished result after cone is placed over fly head. The large bore size will also not crumple or surpress the hackle or hair wing of the fly and easily fits all Pro TubeFly tubing. The Pro Cone is polished by hand before the painting process of primer and two layers of paint, resulting in a smooth, shiny and very strong finish.
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The Pro ConeDisc is similar to the Pro Cone except it has a convex or “arrow” shape that makes the cone cast and lift out of the water easily. It is available in 3 sizes and 7 colors.
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Pro TubeFly System Discs
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The Pro HardDisc LM is a hard plastic disc that can be “tube-mounted” in front of the fly or “line-mounted” on the leader (also in front of fly) to help prevent soft hackle and wing materials from “flattening out” in fast current flows. Air and water resistance helps keep disc in place when casting and fishing fly. Light as a feather to cast, it can be used for both tube and hook designed flies. The Pro HardDisc comes in 3 sizes and 5 colors.
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The material used in Pro FlexiTubes is a special blend of 3 different plastic materials, each with its own advantage. This results in an extremely strong tube which has the same softness and strength from -22 degrees F up to + 122 degrees F.
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Pro FlexiWeights are designed for adding weight to Pro FlexiTubes (by fitting over the thinner tube at the front of the FlexiTube) without increasing the diameter of the body. This straight brass tubing has a fine chrome finish and comes in various lengths to vary the weight of the tube fly.
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Other features of Pro FlexiTubes include built-in hook connection with no junction tubing needed, 4 different lengths that give the tyer nearly unlimited weighing, sizing and hook placement options, 16 colors (including metallic copper, gold and silver).
Pro MicroTube
Another Pro TubeFly offering is the down-sized Pro MicroTube System which consists of a plastic Pro MicroTube (and the Pro Hookguide for hook connection) that is specially designed to except sleek/uniquely designed weights of different sizes and designs. This system is ideal for tying the new modern “short” or “no-body” style of flies that have thin/short body diameters for easy casting and sinking. These “quick- tie” tube patterns also use minimal tying materials. As Morten Bundgard says “add a wing, a little bit of flash and hackle and the fly is ready to go”. The Pro MicroTube is available in a standard 31mm length and 6 different colors.
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Weight can be easily added to Pro MicroTubes by using Pro FlexiWeights of various lengths, Pro BulletWeights which can provide 5 different weights by various combinations and also are ideal for accommodating zonker style wings, and the fast sinking Pro DropWeights which can be used to customize both fly weight and balance and have a tapered shape ideal for hair wing/hackle support.
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Pro TubeFly System Cones
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The Pro Cone which has a classic (concave) conehead design comes in 4 sizes and 7 colors. The large interior bore of this cone (a result of a specialty brass alloy that allows thinner sides) allows the tier to make less than perfect heads (e.g. too large) and still get a good finished result after cone is placed over fly head. The large bore size will also not crumple or surpress the hackle or hair wing of the fly and easily fits all Pro TubeFly tubing. The Pro Cone is polished by hand before the painting process of primer and two layers of paint, resulting in a smooth, shiny and very strong finish.
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The Pro ConeDisc is similar to the Pro Cone except it has a convex or “arrow” shape that makes the cone cast and lift out of the water easily. It is available in 3 sizes and 7 colors.
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Pro TubeFly System Discs
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The Pro HardDisc LM is a hard plastic disc that can be “tube-mounted” in front of the fly or “line-mounted” on the leader (also in front of fly) to help prevent soft hackle and wing materials from “flattening out” in fast current flows. Air and water resistance helps keep disc in place when casting and fishing fly. Light as a feather to cast, it can be used for both tube and hook designed flies. The Pro HardDisc comes in 3 sizes and 5 colors.
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The Pro SoftDisc is made of ultra strong, soft silicon rubber. It can be used on the body of a fly to provide wing and hackle support and slid on the leader to help maintain hackle and wing volume in faster currents. Its convex shape makes it easier to lift out of water and light weight makes it easy to cast. Large bore allows tyer to make less than perfect heads. The Pro SoftDisc is available in 4 sizes and 16 colors.
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The Pro SoftSonic Disc
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The Pro SoftSonic Disc is lightweight, large bore, soft plastic disc that incorporates 6 oval openings in a convex-to-concave shape. These openings allow water to flow through, adding movement to the fly and also making it easier to lift fly out of water when casting. Disc can be tube or line-mounted in front of fly to provide fly protection in fast current flows and also placed at back of fly (on tube) to allow fly to enter water more easily (which is helpful with weighted flies). This "rear positioning" (the Pro SoftDisc is ideal for this also) can add some rear turbulence to the fly. The Pro SoftSonic Disc comes in 4 sizes and 16 colors.
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Pro TubeFly System “Add-Ons”
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The Pro HookGuide is made of ultra-strong, high-stretch silicon whose tapered shape can hold a variety of hook sizes and also vary hook position or “strike point” behind the tube fly. Loose holding trebles (popular in Scandinavia and Europe), doubles and single hooks are held firmly in place with this tapered design. The Pro HookGuide is available in 3 sizes and 7 colors.
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The plastic Pro Propeller attracts fish by rotating in the current flow and making noise and vibration. Comes in small and medium sizes and 7 colors. The new 17mm large size makes even more noise and vibration. It has wings that are more flat angled making it easy to cast.
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Miscellaneous
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The Pro Starter Kit contains 50 Pro Tubefly System pieces that will give the tube tyer a good introduction to the innovation and flexibility of the Pro TubeFly component system.
> The Pro FlexiNeedle is a high carbon, tempered steel, tapered, tube tying needle. The sides of the needle are flat allowing it to fit into the jaws of most fly tying vices.
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Up and Coming
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In the future, Pro Flytyer is committed in designing new tube components and products with “cutting-edge” innovation, quality and function.
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During 2011, Pro Flytyer plans on launching two completely new tube systems. The Pro Predator System™ which targets big game fish like pike, tarpon, trevally, etc. in both fresh and saltwater (including a number of “add-ons”). The revolutionary Pro Evo System™ uses high quality plastic tube components that are “recompounded” with tungsten powder (similar to how fly lines are manufactured).
The Pro SoftSonic Disc is lightweight, large bore, soft plastic disc that incorporates 6 oval openings in a convex-to-concave shape. These openings allow water to flow through, adding movement to the fly and also making it easier to lift fly out of water when casting. Disc can be tube or line-mounted in front of fly to provide fly protection in fast current flows and also placed at back of fly (on tube) to allow fly to enter water more easily (which is helpful with weighted flies). This "rear positioning" (the Pro SoftDisc is ideal for this also) can add some rear turbulence to the fly. The Pro SoftSonic Disc comes in 4 sizes and 16 colors.
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Pro TubeFly System “Add-Ons”
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The Pro HookGuide is made of ultra-strong, high-stretch silicon whose tapered shape can hold a variety of hook sizes and also vary hook position or “strike point” behind the tube fly. Loose holding trebles (popular in Scandinavia and Europe), doubles and single hooks are held firmly in place with this tapered design. The Pro HookGuide is available in 3 sizes and 7 colors.
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The plastic Pro Propeller attracts fish by rotating in the current flow and making noise and vibration. Comes in small and medium sizes and 7 colors. The new 17mm large size makes even more noise and vibration. It has wings that are more flat angled making it easy to cast.
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Miscellaneous
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The Pro Starter Kit contains 50 Pro Tubefly System pieces that will give the tube tyer a good introduction to the innovation and flexibility of the Pro TubeFly component system.
> The Pro FlexiNeedle is a high carbon, tempered steel, tapered, tube tying needle. The sides of the needle are flat allowing it to fit into the jaws of most fly tying vices.
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Up and Coming
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In the future, Pro Flytyer is committed in designing new tube components and products with “cutting-edge” innovation, quality and function.
>
During 2011, Pro Flytyer plans on launching two completely new tube systems. The Pro Predator System™ which targets big game fish like pike, tarpon, trevally, etc. in both fresh and saltwater (including a number of “add-ons”). The revolutionary Pro Evo System™ uses high quality plastic tube components that are “recompounded” with tungsten powder (similar to how fly lines are manufactured).
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The Pro Evo System will come in 4 lengths and sink rates of floating (clear), sink 1 (light grey), sink 3 (dark grey) and sink 6 (black). Pro Evo tubes are ideal for Atlantic Salmon fishing in the Canadian Provinces (and elsewhere) where no added weight to the fly itself is allowed.
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Pro TubeFly Component Sources
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US Retailers
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Big Horn Fly Shop, Montana, 406-666-2375
Big R Fly Shop, Monatana, 503-579-4935
Deschutes Angler, Oregon, 541-395-0995
Fin and Fire, Oregon, 541-548-1503
The Fly Fishing Shop, Oregon, 503-622-4607
Lost Creek, Washington, 360-978-4059
River City, Oregon, 503-579-4935
The Caddis Shop, Oregon, 541-342-7005
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Canadian Retailers
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Grand River Troutfitters, Ontario, 519-787-4359
Wilsons, Ontario, 416-869-3474
Flymart, Ontario, 888-811-1163
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More detailed information on tube flies for Great Lakes Steelhead can be found in John Nagy’s book "Steelhead Guide, Fly Fishing Techniques and Strategies for Lake Erie Steelhead" which has an exciting new chapter on tube flies, discussing their history, benefits and construction as well as tube tying material sources. It also includes 28 hot steelhead tube flies (both conventional and Scandinavian style) for Great Lakes steelhead.