First Intruder

Looks good, will definitely catch fish.  They will get better the more you tie and get use to the materials.

For joining line/material I use braid(fireline 30lb) or Rio's Wire leader material. If you do not want to pay so much for waddingtons check out the new shanks that are available from the people that make Fish Skulls. There is also the option of going to tubes which may be the cheapest investment overall. You do not have to spin the ostrich, you can just place it where you want and then wrap it on, this is what I usually do with my rhea. It also doesn't look like you have anything behind the herl to keep it propped open, look at putting some bucktail before you put the herl on or maybe spin an artic fox dubbing loop to prop it open.

On the spey pages tying forum "Wild Bill" posted a couple really cool looking intruder patterns, tied sparse, worth checking out maybe for ideas, variations of what you guys are tying now. For me, I'll stick with the tubes, tying up a bunch of artic fox/finn racoon scandi style now.

Tried a couple Intruder types myself.
Just couldn't get Swinger out of my head with the marabou so that was what I used.


Few less wraps of Bou on this one probaly couldn't hurt.




Thought the Smallies might like this one.

A question and a newbie lesson.

To get the marabou to stand out I wrapped about 3 wraps of stiff neck hackle of the same color, Can you make them look too poofy ? Or will the bou just flow together when wet ?


Newb lesson #1. When brushing back the marabou to see how pretty it looks "Don't forget about the trailer hook hidden in there."

"Can you make them look too poofy?"

Intruders are for poofs. Real men fish scandi tubes like the vikings do. Haha, sorry, just couldn't resist. You're flies look good Bings. Based on what little I know about this style of fly, hackle, hair in dubbing loops (arctic fox, etc.), dubbing balls, chenille balls can all be used to get more flair and profile to your fly. I don't like the intruder style fly tied on a shank because of the droop, hang down of the hook. I know they are fish catchers and quite popular. The same thing can be tied on a front weighted tube which would greatly reduce or eliminate the hook hang down.

Thanks gents answered my question.

FF22,
I like your pattern and color choices. You've gotten alot of good advice from these guys. I've fished similar patterns in OH streams for 3 seasons now. I prefer using braid on the trailer hook even though it may hang down. I think it sets into the corner of their mouth better and holds on. I only fish them with sink tip lines now and I don't lose as many flies as I would with floating tip. I can control the depth much better. These big flies bring out the players and trying to keep the fly between 6-12 inches off the bottom will bring up the fish. When the maribou gets wet, it will thin out the profile, but, under water it will undulate in the current. I was in Eugene, OR recently and bought a handful of intruders from a fly shop. A couple were more sparse than yours but some were the same. I have had good luck with them tied thick in slightly stained water, and I use them more sparse as the water clears. I have also tied a few with a sucker spawn in angora on the trailer fly, which acts as a target. The angora also may hold better before I set the hook. I tie in a few turns of maribou with the angora, and it will look like a tail of a baitfish in the current. Also, when fish are active, try fishing them upstream along a seam with short jerks of the rodtip. This imitates a fleeing baitfish and will somedays catch as many upstream as downstream. Just hold on to your rod. Seriously.
 
Feel free to send me all the ones you don't like. I will give them a try and let you know how they work.
 
Best regards,
Rickerd

Run your leader through the front eye of the shank, around the side of the fly, through the junction tubing, tie the hook on, seat the junction tubing on the shank, seat your hook in the junction tubing so it is lined up or down. Right? Sounds complicated, really simple. A good method for regions where there are restrictions on adding weight to flies, cones, dumbells, etc. such as eastern canadian atlantic salmon water.

Fluorescent tubing, ex. Guideline/Frodin FITS, size medium is good for this an will accept a size 4 or 6 straight eye egg/tube fly hook.

Nothing should be a dubbing ball
Rather a spun and brushed loop

The limpness of the ostrich... Which allows for great movement
Requires a material under for loft
A "ball" will not keep the ostrich open and off the shank

Deer hair floats... Which is a main reason it is no longer widely used on these flies

*my opinion
 
there is no 1 material that will keep the fly open... moreso a combination of materials
each one lofting the next
also this will allow for more dept in the fly and a shimering effect as the top layers move showing or hiding the under materials

Thanks, I will get back on you tube and watch some being tied. one thing is for sure the bump or target in the back of mine are not nearly as big as what your first wet pic. ill ill just keeping tying to come up with something satisfactory.