Published Jan 9. 2017 - 7 years ago
Updated or edited Nov 8. 2019

Jari's Tube Baitfish

This simple hollow tied baitfish will be great for a lot of different species, in saltwater as well as in freshwater.

Jari's Tube Baitfish
The standard Jari's Tube Baitfish as shown in this article.
Jari Koski
Dark variant
Dark variant
Jari Koski
Light variant
Light variant
Jari Koski

The two variants are made with natural materials and a tighter, smaller head. They will swim differently and cast better into the wind than the synthetic versions.

The hook mount
The hook mount
Martin Joergensen, Jari Koski

Finnish Jari Koski has developed this simple and efficient tube fly baitfish, which will be an excellent fly for many species, pike, striped bass and many more. Everywhere where predators feed on small fish, this will come in handy. It's hollow tied on a tube to give a lightweight fly that still has some volume and size. It can be varied endlessly in material choice and color.

Tying on a tube gives you a low weight compared to size, and if you choose a large gape, short shank hook, you have a fly that can take on even quite large fish, and still be easy to cast.
This is just one way of tying a baitfish tube fly. Like most flies out there, this is a mix of many patterns. There are lots of options with this pattern too. You can change the materials, the size of the body tubing, the size of the head and the colors of the materials as well as the tube and silicone tubing.

The finished product shown above is 5 inches and should work very well as a general baitfish fly.

Jari's Tube Baitfish
Pattern type: 
Tube fly
Originator: 
Jari Koski

A simple hollow tied baitfish pattern

Materials: 
Tube
3 mm plastic tube with a soft silicone sleeve to hold hook. Choose a clear or a colored tube and silicone to match.
Thread
Veevus 8/0, white
Supporting hair
White bucktail
Supporting tube
Expando, medium braided tube, white, 10 - 12 mm or 3/8 - 1/2 inch diameter
Main body, top
Silver Gliss'n'Glint, white CSF synthetic bucktail and silver Sybai SW Angel hair
Main body, bottom
Gray and olive CSF synthetic bucktail, silver Gliss'n'Glint and silver SW Angel Hair
Front body and head, top
Olive Snow Runner
Front body and head, bottom
Translucent white craft fur from Sybai
Eyes
Stick on 3D eyes, silver, 8mm
LCR
Deer Creek hard or flexible
Hook
Short shank, large gape hook to suite the size of the fly. Stinger hooks work well.
Skill level/difficulty: 
Medium
Instruction: 
See the article for a complete step-by-step


Tying steps

Tube
Tube
Jari Koski

Take a piece of tube and silicone tube. Add the silicone tube to the rear, mount the tube on the needle and create a base of thread on the tube.


Bucktail
Bucktail
Jari Koski

Tie in some bucktail 360 degrees around the tube.


Braided tube
Braided tube
Jari Koski

Bring your thread forward and tie in the tubing. Make sure to melt the the front end of the tubing very well so that it doesn't unravel. This will make it last a long time. Secure everything with glue. Cut the thread.


Fold back
Fold back
Jari Koski

Push the tube backwards. On this fly the tubing is a bit too long. optimally the tubing should be exactly where the bucktail starts and not over it. This will allow the bucktail to add volume to the fly.


Bottom bunch
Bottom bunch
Jari Koski

Attach your thread again. Mix some Gliss'n'Glint synthetic fiber, bucktail and SW Angel Hair together. I like fibers that are relatively straight in a fly like this. There are many options to choose from out there. Tie the middle of bunch in on the underside of the tube as shown. Spread it out to cover the full underside.


Top bunch
Top bunch
Jari Koski

Mix another set of fibers for the top and tie the bunch in. Spread this bunch out too. Ideally you should have the full circumference of the tube covered.


Reversed
Reversed
Jari Koski

Reverse the fibers and hollow tie them by wrapping in front of the materials.


Tapering
Tapering
Jari Koski

Cut and taper the fibers. Cut the ones on the bottom shorter than the ones on top. If you want to make the fly as foul proof as possible, taper the fibers on the bottom so that they just reach the bend of the hook.


Front material
Front material
Jari Koski

Hollow tie something soft in front of the fibers. Craft fur, arctic fox, Snow Runner or similar. I have used two colors here to give the fly a darker top.


Brushed back
Brushed back
Jari Koski

Reverse, make a small thread dam in front of the material and finish the fly. Combing or brushing the fly will help mixing the fibers and give shape.


Eyes
Eyes
Jari Koski

Add the eyes on both sides.


LCR
LCR
Jari Koski

The main trait of the fly is its round, big head. Use UV resin to just behind the eyes to secure it. The hard stuff or the flex stuff. Both work equally well.


Trimmed and ready
Trimmed and ready
Jari Koski

Cut the rest of the tube off and melt the tip.

Even darker
Even darker
Jari Koski
.

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