Howdy Folks,

I'd like to make up my own Aeroflys, but I don't fully understand their design. Bob posted a pic on this site but I can't make out the details.

Looks like a short section of foam backer rod with a small diameter tube inserted through it lenghwise. True? If so, is the tube glued in place? What about the hook? Does it hang freely behind the foam attached to the leader passing throug the tube? Is the maribou or other material tied directly to the hook like a regular fly?

Also, any tips on materials or color preferences for OlyPen rivers liie the Bogey and Calawah?

Are Aeroflys drifted just like Corkies and Rags?

Thanks for the advice and guidance.

Oakie,

Rich G who used to be on the board a lot helped me out a year or so ago regarding making aeroflys.

I have not done my steelie production run yet, so I dont have any pics but I think I can explain it fairly simply.

What you need:
Backer Rod
Gas line from a model store (its clear tubing that you run thru the backer rod)
Fly tying thread and the glue to set the string
Small drill bit
Maribou/FlashaBou/feathers etc.

How to make it:

I start by cutting my backer rod the appropriate size, the cool thing about making them is you can super size it, or make it mini...I recommend make a little of each for various water conditions

Then I take the small drill bit, (not in a drill just by hand) and hollow out a small hole running thru the backer rod.

Next I cut the tubing(model gas line) needed to run into the backer rod. Dont put it inside yet! Also, make sure the tubing is long enough to run the entire length of the backer rod and sticks out about a quarter to half inch out one side.

I get my feathers/flashabou and using the fly tying thread and glue, I tie an appropriate amount of the material to the very end of one end of the tubing. ( dont pull too tight or you will flatten out the tube and the hole will be no more ---you need the hole for the line to run thru--

I let the tube and feathers dry, (after tying I glue the line and feathers to the tube)

When its dry you have the two pieces needed, the backer rod with a hole, and the tube with the feather material etc.

From there I put a small amount of the fly tying glue to the outer edge of the tube and slide it up into the hole in the backer rod. Once dried, you got a homemade aerofly.

How to rig and fish it:

Take a pre tied leader with a 1/0 or 2/0 hook and just slide the line thru the tube in the backer rod and slide down to the hook. I usually place the feather material down toward the hook.

I use this a lot for fishing shrimp tails for brats and nates on the coast.

Colors: You can pretty much make anything you want, pink, cerise, red and variations and combos with those colors are most of what I use.

If you look at a storebought aeorfly for guidance, you will see that you can duplicate that look real close.

Take a look thru the fly tying material and you will find what you need at any decent size sporting goods store....I got all my material at Ted's in Lynnwood ( except for the tubing which has be bought at a model/hobby store.

Good Luck!

For another cheap source of tubing...use plastic Q-tips, just clip off the Q-tip ends. They come in blue and pink.

You can tie flies on the tubing fairly easy, using a small L shaped wire through the center so you can hold it in a fly vice. Just leave enough space after the head to slide on the backer rod, or don't use backer rod and you have a tube fly.

You can also use the small sized coffee straws from restaurants and coffee shops.Talk about cheap!!!!!.Good luck,
STRIKE ZONE

A few pics to show a couple of my creations:

Thanks to all of you for your sage guidance.

It is also particularly helpful to see some nice digital pics of completed Aeroflly examples. But, all of the advice was great and is much appreciated.

I bought some oil pressure tubing at an auto parts store, some fuel line for model airplanes, and some "classic" tube fly tubing at Waters West in Port Angeles, a great fly shop. I plan to get some Q-Tips as well. Then I can test all of the materials and see what works best for me.

Now that I've researched this topic a bit, Aeroflies seem somewhat related to Tube Flies with the added advantage of the backer rod foam floatation to keep them in the zone while bottom bouncing.

Thanks for helping me understand this. Now, I'm off to make Aeroflies!

i'am sure the areofly people feel complamented that u are tring to copy thier product!

Isnt that the sincerest form of flattery?

On a side note......I would love to buy these things if they were reasonable, but $1 per aerofly is a bit nutz....and led me to create!!

Gusty,

Have you seen the Drifter version of the Aerofly? We worked together, took the foam off and replace it with Corkies. The original version is still available but this gives it a new spin. I must say results have been amazing!

Just a note, the cost comes from the tail sections. The way the hackle and feather are woven together...That is the part that pushes cost. 15 tails an hour for production really hurts....

Good fishing!

Aerojig


Aerojig

Although it may not be as cheap as Strike Zone's Straws, Last year I needed tubing like this to make line guides through some homemade GS bucktails I made. I went to a hoppy shop and they have various lengths of all diameter's of plastic tubing for cheap.

Aerojig,

I saw the ad in STS for your product and they do look very nice with the corky improvement.

I had no idea of the production time and that makes sense for what they cost. I am a big fan of the aerofly and have caught many fish on the official vesion.

It certainly is a very nice product, I just tend to fly thru the things, especially when fishing some newbies, so I needed a bulk replacement option.

I have your website bookmarked so its a matter of time until I sample the new stuff.

Thanks!

I've found they work better in clear water, as they are in my book a finness tech. As for fishjng them I ljke a long leader 36" or so to a hook small enough to hide in the tail, fish regular drift-fishing style, btw, the feb-april nates seem to really love them.........