Tube flies were originated in Aberdeen, Scotland by fly-dresser Minnie Morawski for Atlantic salmon anglers around 1945.

Tube flies have been widely adapted to fly patterns for a variety of cold water and warm water species and are extremely popular for steelhead and salmon in the Pacific Northwest and northeast United States, as well as saltwater species along the Atlantic, Florida and Gulf Coasts.

[2] The tube fly style was quickly adopted in the Pacific Northwest, Northeast U.S. and Florida for salmon, striped bass and tarpon respectively in saltwater environments.

[3] Sometime in the late 1960s and early 1970s, American anglers began introducing the tube fly style to surface poppers, sliders and other floating patterns for both saltwater and freshwater species.

In 1987 Bob Popovic, a noted New Jersey–based fly designer and angler introduced the use of high density foam material for saltwater poppers tied tube style.

Plastic or metal cones are sometimes added at the head of the fly to add weight and or create sonic disturbances in the water.

Tube flies are most popular for salmon, steelhead and large saltwater patterns.