I'm having a difficult time finding a good selection of coho trolling flies. Anyone have a spot they know of that has a big sellection of size and color. Is there a web site that sells them? A fellow fisherman who ties them on the for a few bucks would be great too. Thanks for the help.

Mikvin: Look or ask around for some well-tested and proven tube flies by "Dr. T-Ho-Kee," a.k.a., Dale Thoemke. Think he's still making them, and they've been great for both coho and chinook. Dyed polar bear hair in a variety of good colors. Anyone know if Dale has a website?

Joe Butoruc's coho flies are by the far the best on the market. He makes ties them up with many differnt sizes and colors and pre-ties them with maxima leader. I dont know of any other places that carry them but Ted's in Lynnwood does. (425)743-9505...they do order over the phone so if you want some awesome coho flies call them up.
--
Ryan

[This message has been edited by RPetzold (edited 08-15-2000).]

Scaly,
I'm sad to say that Dr. T-Ho-Ke is going out of business. I ran across a link to his internet site and sent him an e mail to get some more of his flies. He called me about a week later and told me that the big boys had just driven him out. I am going to send him a fly of his that I have been using for a few years that got anialated at Sekiu last year to rebuild and to buy some more flies from him, He said that he would hook me up but it would be a one time only thing. I am sad to see him go out of business as I have learned a tremendous amount from his videos and the flies he ties just kick a** on the silvers. I do not remember the web site but I do have his home address, e mail me if you want it.
Good luck and tight lines, Jeff

[This message has been edited by salmonhead (edited 08-15-2000).]

RPetsold. You mentioned flies made by Joe Butorucs. Do you have to buy these at Ted's or can Joe be contacted directly to get something a little more custom. Does he have a phone number? Thanks.

He Mikvin,glad to see that you are still hanging around,are you taking a little time from catching all those silvers to just reload on some flies good to hear from you ...

------------------
Row Quietly and fish a Cataraft }<<(('>----<'))>>{
Release all Wild Fish

What size hook is good? Should the fly be on the thin side or does it matter? Any preffered colors? Any help would be appreciated. I tie my own, just need some experienced input. Have some experimental patterns I would like to have someone try.

Thanks for all the input. Will try teds tommorrow. Osprey hope the cataraft is treating you well. The flies are for kings. My cut plug friends think I'm crazy but the fish box doesn't lie.

If anyone would know it would be you ,glad to hear things are going well for you,I'll give you a call, we can trade lies...tight lines

------------------
Row Quietly and fish a Cataraft }<<(('>----<'))>>{
Release all Wild Fish

dampair,

i like tying my trolling flies on tubes for a couple reasons. one, they are a little more buoyant tied on plastic tubes and wake easier (for the surface fishing). two, the hook is at the very end of the fly and those silvers just love to short strike flies.

as for colors, i'll just relate two color schemes that were very effective out at neah bay this summer. the first color listed is the bottom color. white, red, lots of silver flashabou, and green. white, yellow, blue, lots of silver flashabou with lots of blue flashabou over the silver. white, red, and blue has also worked for me... but the two previous seemed to do much better for me.

cb

Dampair, I agree with topwater the tubes do appear to work better for "Bucktailing" (trolling the fly), and the colors he suggested are fine. However if you drift around out there and try casting and retrieving you will find that tubes will impair the action of the fly as you work it by hand and will want to have both tube and original recipes.
An old timer that I have had the privilage of fishing with from Idaho to Alaska spins deer hair around the heads of his tube flys( ala Mudler style) to get them up on the surface at even slower trolling speeds. So as you can discern there is no one best way, but keep the fly in the water or on top of it and you will figure it out and mayhaps come up with even a better style to share with all.

Mikvin, I have been tying flies for about six years for myself. I started selling them this year to help pay for more gear. I can custom tie flies for you in any color combination, size, or hook style you choose. I charge $3 each regardless of the size. Stainless hooks are a little extra. They are durable, and will hold up quite well. I don't have the tools for tube flies yet, but I'm working on it. If you're interested, send me an e-mail at bugtosser@email.msn.com

Another good reason to fish on tubes, is that you can change your leader/hooks, when they get worn, or oxidized. If you've been skipping on the surface for a while, and are having no luck, try a bead, a bullet weight, your choice of tube fly, and small willow leaf blade on a clevis. A good way to start the day, actually, is one on top, and one with a blade, see which one they prefer. If anyone has any of those inline spinner bodies made by Jed Davis/Pentac, they work great for adding a little weight/flash to a coho skipping fly. I think tying coho tubes would be a great way for anyone interested to learn the basics of flytying. You don't need a special vise, just clip the eye off of a 2/0 siwash hook, and build up enough material of your choice around the shank of the hook, so when you slide the piece of tube on the hook, it stays tight. You can make different hooks, for different diameter tubes. I like to keep my bellies white, a couple of grizzly hackles on each side, down the centerline, my choice of color, finished off with dark blue or black as a topping, with some prismatic eyes.