| The Needle Tube, newly developed and
manufactured in Scotland by Grays of Kilsyth, is the thinnest
plastic lined metal tube available for fly tying, allowing the
salmon and sea trout fly tyer to create extremely slim bodied
flies such as this simple snake fly. The very fine stainless
steel tube, with a diameter of only 1.5 mm, has been left
undressed to give a slim shiny silver body. A fly dressed on a
Needle Tube, while being much slimmer, lighter and more easily
cast than the traditional copper and brass tubes, will fish
deeper than a plastic or aluminium tube fly. A Needle Tube fly
is also more durable and more easily made than the more
complicated braided nylon snake fly.
Grays Needle Tubes are
now available online in a range of diameters and lengths.
How to tie the Needle Tube Snake
Materials
| A needle tube of 1.5 mm
diameter, 35 or 40mm long |
| Tying thread |
| Black, orange and red hair |
| A few strands of Crystal
Flash |
| Short length of clear
silicone |
| Hook of choice |
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Needle tubes |
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| 1. Insert needle tube in
Gray's Needle Tube Vice or pin vice. |
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| 2. Lay a short bed of
tying thread at the head an tie in a bunch of red and
orange hair. |
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| 3. Add a few strands of
Crystal Flash. |
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| 4. Tie in some black
hair. |
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| 5. Form a neat head and
varnish. |
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| 6. Add a short length of
clear silicone tubing, 1mm bore, and a hook of choice. |
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| For more information, or to
buy needle tubes, see
Grays Needle Tubes |
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