Published Jan 16. 2013 - 11 years ago
Updated or edited Feb 10. 2020

Peeete's Pheather 'n' Phlash

AKA 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.

Good size - As it can be seen these flies can be made quite big with few materials
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.

Step 1: tube

Step 2: base

Step 3: first feather

Step 4: second feather, flash

Step 5: Final feather

Step 6: Eyes

Peeete's Welded Wide Body Tunnel Hull Pheather'n'Phlash Tube Phly
Pattern type: 
Cold saltwater fly
Originator: 
Pete Gray
Materials: 
Tube
Plastic, about one inch plus about half an inch of soft junction tube
Thread
Nylon or white 6/0
Body base
Bill´s Bodi Braid, pearl
Glue
LCR - Light Curing Resin with lamp to cure between each step
Wing
Hackle feathers, four white plus two contasting
Flash
Pearl Krystal Flash
Eyes
3D eyes medium size
Skill level/difficulty: 
Easy
Instruction: 

Pete Gray with the prize - fish seem to like his constructions
The quarry - The fast swimmers like the welded flies
Pete and the phish
Pete Gray
Closer look - The eyes are encapsulated in LCR and the pheathers reinforced with a small strip of the same
Bottom view - Bottom profile phish eye perspective...
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.

Slightly downsized - A size and color variation done with the same basic technique
Barn Swallow - AKA Tubular Welded & Tented Wide Body Tunnel Hull Long Tailed Barn Swallow
Cicada Phly - AKA Peeete\'s Wrapped & Welded Tubular Ultra Wide Body Tunnel Hull Cicada Phly
Different flies
Pete Gray

Comments

CARLOS's picture

A true original conc...

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

A bead of uncured "L...

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!

Hi Pete, thanks f...

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

janw

'Be it tube or a hoo...

'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!

No more wasted feath...

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

Way to go Pete, I am...

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.

That would be great ...

That would be great for smallmouth! Nice fly.

.

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