As a newbie to both tube flies and salmon fishing (caught my first salmon this week !) on a fast flowing spate river - am I correct in thinking that weight can be added to the fly EITHER by using a heavier tube OR a faster sink polyleader ?

I ask this because with a fast sink polyleader and a light tube I was dredging up leaves and generally hooking the bottom in a fast flowing river. I can understand a floating line with varying weight tubes or various sink rates of polyleader with a light tube - but not fast sink polyleader plus a heavy tube !!!??? That would be enough to anchor a ship - or am I missing something ?

Nigel

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If it doesn't fit, use a bigger hammer!

Why didn't you change to a lighter polyleader .was it a 5' or a 10' as I find the 10'ers tend to go down deeper faster. and how long was your leader.on a fast river with a fast sink polyleader I would be using about 3' to 4' leader.

Jim

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The Fishermans Friend is the Flirty Fly,Fickle Food for Fleeting Fish.

I fish a fast sink (about 5 foot with a 3 ft tippet) and a 2 inch copper on bank high dirty water. It takes the tube down fast and keeps it down in very fast currents, otherwise the thing would be popping up like a polaris missile

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Time is a stream I go fishing in.

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the replies. They are appreciated.

I have been fishing with 5 ft fast sink polyleaders and 6 ft of leader along with a plastic bodied tube fly.

I presumed that the polyleader would get the tube fly to depth and keep it there - and that if the current was too strong use a 15 ft rather than 5 ft polyleader. Still can't quite get my head around using the polyleader and then adding a heavy tube fly ?

Nigel

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If it doesn't fit, use a bigger hammer!

Ahhhh, I think I see your point, Nige. A fast sink will take an aluminium or lighter tube down, whereas a 2 inches if copper is going to sink pretty bloody quick, whatever it is attached to... Yes, true, but if I am going to use a leader in 'heavy water' why not just stick with the one that is on there already


Edited to add.... I should now add that I am now at the limit of my salmon fishing knowledge in this discussion and shall step back for the 'big guns' to give you a better answer.

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Time is a stream I go fishing in.

Heavy is relative,I would only use a very heavy tube in big water or cold water early in the season.heavy in other times might be an aluminium or small copper tube.
I tend to change my line rather than my fly.I use multi tip lines. I also use short to very short leaders.

Jim

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The Fishermans Friend is the Flirty Fly,Fickle Food for Fleeting Fish.

One thing to think about is that the heavy tube will reach its required depth and be fishing sooner.

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The word 'politics' is derived from the word 'poly', meaning 'many', and the word 'ticks', meaning 'blood sucking parasites'

True, but bear in mind that this is a two sided coin. A heavy tube will tend to 'die' as it comes onto the dangle, whereas a light tube on a sinking line or poly will continue to fish well in slower flows. So your best approach may be determined by where the fish are - out in the stream or in at the edge.

Can't agree more charlie so first work out where your fish are, sometimes its good to fish a deep fast pool with both methods ....

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The word 'politics' is derived from the word 'poly', meaning 'many', and the word 'ticks', meaning 'blood sucking parasites'