Tube fly Popper/Slider for pike or bass

[Offshore]

There's nothing like heart stopping top water action and this weather is getting me hung up with cabin fever... so to the vice...

Since chatting with Riny Sluiter and Chris Reed amongst others at the BFFI I've been playing with tube flies... and have following discussions with a serious bass man, started playing with popper bodies on a tube rather than direct to the hook... tubes have the benefit when a hook is knackered you just replace it... and flies can become multi section affairs... here's a popper head or a slider if mounted in reverse... could also see this being used on an ultra light lure rod for perch... playfully this is called Rasta Perch



Recipe
1x head
1x tube
1x pair craft eyes
Permanent markers
Ultrafine Glitter
... and the magic ingredient Bug-Bond (three coats curing between each layer - applied with kids paint brush)

Using Scandinavian tubing and by coating the popper with Bug-Bond and ensuring that you cure fluid around the front and rear of the tube... you don't need to apply any other adhesive as the tube won't move...

Bug-Bond can be brushed on using a cheap kids paint brush and curing the first coat which seals the colour takes 10 secs max (not a full cure - no need)... then get ultra fine glitter - pearl for the Rasta Perch and shake it sparingly! Now put a second thicker coat of Bug-Bond on and brush on... you'll see the colours really light up and the photo doesn't do it justice - cure again 20 seconds or so . Apply the eyes... and recoat taking in the eyes... total cure of the body takes about 30 secs or so rotating it under the curing lamp. (Curing actually commences at 3.5 seconds and it depends on how far you have the object from the light source I also wanted to ensure a full cure taking into account the glitter inclusions!)

The saltwater baitfish in the Flickr Photostream took a little longer as I used three different colours of glitter... total artist

You don't get brush stroke marks in the Bug-Bond as it has a tendency to self level.

Oh you have to use a 1/8" Dremel drill bit (by hand) to enlarge the hole in the popper.

And apologies if you seen this on a couple of other forums...

Cheers

David

[sabalos]

hi, would like to try this. where do you get the popper heads from?
heard the wapsi ones are good, cant seem to find a stockist in uk though.
i would like to try the salt version. fantastic effect.

thanks , dave

[Offshore]

Originally Posted by sabalos

hi, would like to try this. where do you get the popper heads from?
heard the wapsi ones are good, cant seem to find a stockist in uk though.
i would like to try the salt version. fantastic effect.

thanks , dave

I got the heads from Austen... glad you liked the effect.

[speycaster]

very nice david i have been turned to tubes for the pike for quite a while now and i firmly believe it the way forward

[Offshore]

Originally Posted by speycaster

very nice david i have been turned to tubes for the pike for quite a while now and i firmly believe it the way forward

Tubes do allow a greater variation in fly presentation not to mention fly longevity... I've been impressed by a number of ties from Scandinavia