Peeete's Welded Wide Body Tunnel Hull Pheather'n'Phlash Tube Phly - The name is complex, but the fly is simple, showing how to build a large baitfish imitation with few and easily accessible materials - and Pete Gray's neat welding technique - Global FlyFisher

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Peeete's Welded Wide Body Tunnel Hull Pheather'n'Phlash Tube Phly

Published Jan 22nd 2013

The name is complex, but the fly is simple, showing how to build a large baitfish imitation with few and easily accessible materials - and Pete Gray's neat welding technique

By Martin Joergensen

Large and simple
Pete Gray

Pete Gray is a well known name on GFF and is very active in our forum and has contributed articles before. Ever so often he posts complete instructions on how to tie his characteristic saltwater flies using different techniques, but predominantly few and easily accessible materials.

This fly is no different. The name might be complex, but the fly is simple.

The name might be complex, but the fly is simple

It's made with Pete's welded fly technique, using no thread, but just LCR (Light Cured Resin) to glue the materials in place. Made on a tube, but apart from that very plain and utilizing only hackle feathers, a little flash and some eyes to form a large but still lightweight and very realistic baitfish imitation.


  
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Step 1: tube - Starting off with the tube and the soft hook holding \\\
Step 1: tube
Pete Gray
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Step 2: base - Bug-Bond [and all L.C.A. that I have tested] adheres better when it has some texture to grab on to... I prefer pearl Bill\\\'s Bodi Braid and it serves as the phoundation for the majority of my phlyz...
Step 2: base
Pete Gray
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Step 3: first feather - Phirst pheather welded to the tubular phoundation...
Step 3: first feather
Pete Gray
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Step 4: second feather, flash - Second pheather with some Crystal Phlash welded in place...
Step 4: second feather, flash
Pete Gray
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Step 5: Final feather - Contrasting phinal pheather welded in place...
Step 5: Final feather
Pete Gray
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Step 6: Eyes - Encapsulated 3-D Eyez...
Step 6: Eyes
Pete Gray
 
Peeete's Welded Wide Body Tunnel Hull Pheather'n'Phlash Tube Phly
TypeCold saltwater fly
Originator
Pete Gray
Difficulty
Easy

Materials
TubePlastic, about one inch plus about half an inch of soft junction tube
ThreadNylon or white 6/0
Body baseBillīs Bodi Braid, pearl
GlueLCR - Light Curing Resin with lamp to cure between each step
WingHackle feathers, four white plus two contasting
FlashPearl Krystal Flash
Eyes3D eyes medium size






Pete and the phish
Pete Gray


Fish perspecitive
Pete Gray

The only limitation to the size of this type of fly is the size of the feathers you can get your hands on. Large, coarse so-called saltwater saddles is the ideal material, but while these used to be inexpensive and not nearly as popular as dry fly saddles, they have risen in price, and are now sold at premium prices. Even so, they are often sold out and can be hard to find.


Go through bargain bins and look at cheap Chinese saddles and necks in flyshops. You can still find useful materials for large, welded flies at reasonable prices. Also dig out your own old saddles and necks. You might have plucked off all the "good" feathers, you will often be left with some hackles, which are perfect for this type of fly.

Different flies
Pete Gray



Add comment  Go to article start
User comments
From: Carlos · crh·at·alalata.com  Link
Submitted April 4th 2013

A true original concept, even to tie it on a long shank hook. Great fly Pete!


From: PeteGray · phlyz·at·hotmail.com  Link
Submitted February 5th 2013

A bead of uncured "L.C.A." applied to the "target" [tube / hook shaft]... a bead of uncured "L.C.A." applied along the concave side of the pheather quill ['just wide enough for the acrylic to involve the barbes]... when the two surfaces make contact the acrylic will let you know and when the desired position is achieved, exposure to the specific frequency excitation curing light will phreeze the acrylic in it's tracks... 'less is more... Cheeerz!


From: Jan - Full name and email anonymized  Link
Submitted February 5th 2013

Hi Pete,

thanks for sharing your amazing and beautiful flies! I will try for sure a sandeel for Baltic sea trout in that style.
Are you putting the flies into the glue (or better onto the glued tube or shank), or are you glueing onto the feathers and the glue soaks into them? Thanks in advance.

Cheers

Jan


From: PeteGray · phlyz·at·hotmail.com  Link
Submitted February 5th 2013

'Be it tube or a hook shaft, I start with a thread base over which I wrap Bill's Bodi Braid... 'whip finish and done with the thread... as I work my way up the shaft, symmetrical pheathers are welded on each flank... three of four on each side with phlash and contrast as desired and then the eyez are placed in a small dot of L.C.A. and then encapsulated. Acrylic curing is done as you progress. After I'm phinished at the bench, I'll place the completed phlyz out in a sunny window to ensure all the resin is 100% cured inside and out... tiny sand eels, minnows, critters large and small, all find a nice place to bask in the sun...
If you google "phly welding" there are many examples and step-by-step pictorials...
'downsized welded streamerz will target any species that eat small fry and this technique or application seems endless!


From: Kate - Full name and email anonymized  Link
Submitted February 1st 2013

No more wasted feathers. I will make this easy-to-construct fly in a smaller size and try it on some perch; I know they take everything but they need a change from little woolly buggers. LCR is good stuff. Thank you. Kate


From: Jim A. · jdallen269·at·gmail.com  Link
Submitted January 24th 2013

Way to go Pete, I am just waking up to the cured resin stuff and it looks like its another great way to get results Thank you.


From: Ed Null · e.null·at·sbcglobal.net  Link
Submitted January 22nd 2013

That would be great for smallmouth! Nice fly.



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