What is an Intruder Fly?
An intruder is a large profile fly, generally tied sparsely using a short trailing hook, mounted with wire onto a shank, and then dressed in 2 parts; a rear station and a front station.
Why go through the extra steps and time involved in tying one rather than tying directly onto the hook? Keep reading to learn some of the benefits;
You’ll land more fish!
Steelhead love to thrash around and often throw the hook during this process. Separating the hook from the shank means the fish no longer have leverage against the hook, so they are more likely to stay hooked. That lack of leverage also helps anglers who may not have the best landing techniques as it is quite a bit more forgiving. Great choice for a novice learning how to swing.
You can tie bigger flies
Bigger flies mean bigger fish, right? Intruders allow you to tie a fly with a larger profile without the bulk, thus allowing for a big presence in the river and still being easy to cast.
Change out the hook
So you spent a lot of time tying a wicked fly. After a few outings, you notice your hook is dull, or broken. Maybe you realize that you are using the wrong size for your quarry. Good news - You can swap out the hook!! It really is worth taking the time to tie a quality fly that will last.
Not just for steelhead
While the intruder's claim to fame was through steelhead and salmon, I have used them successfully going after other species, such as bull trout, pike, smallmouth bass and rainbows. This kind of fly makes it easy to customize according to your fishery. You can make it look like baitfish or shrimp; super bright or natural hues. You can tie them large, or micro sized. You can add weight or not… The possibilities truly are endless…
Intruders will always have a place in my fly boxes… They allow for so much diversity, creativity and out of the box thinking. They’re great for many species and have a longer shelf life than a traditional fly as well. Next time you’re out swinging – tie one on!
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