Tying an Intruder Tube Fly
Intruder Flies have become increasingly popular since they were first developed in the nineteen nineties by anglers fishing for Chinook and Steelhead in the Pacific North West. Initially dressed on long shank hooks cut off at the bend and other wire shanks such as Waddington shanks, many anglers and fly tyers have found that Intruders may be more easily dressed on tubes of various materials, weights, lengths and diameters. The rigging and changing of the hook on a tube fly is also much simpler than on the more traditional shank-based intruder fly. An Intruder Tube Fly may be dressed on a slim stainless steel Needle Tube (outside diameter 1.5mm) in various lengths which will be as slim as a Waddington shank intruder and will sink to a similar depth.
Intruder Tube Flies may be adapted for any predatory species, e.g. Pacific Salmon, Steelhead, Atlantic Salmon or Sea Trout. Illustrated below is a step-by-step tying sequence for a simple Black and Orange Sea Trout Intruder Tube Fly. The slim stainless steel needle tube has been left bare, creating an attractive silver body yet making for a very simply tied lure.
Tying Materials
Tube: 35mm Needle Tube, 1.5mm diameter
Hackles: Orange Rooster hackle
Wing: Black Bucktail (or Squirrel) with a few strands of Krystal Flash
How to tie a Simple Intruder Needle Tube Fly
Simple Intruder Tube Fly Step 1
Simple Intruder Tube Fly Step 2
Simple Intruder Tube Fly Step 3
Simple Intruder Tube Fly Step 4
Simple Intruder Tube Fly Step 5
Simple Intruder Tube Fly Step 6
Simple Intruder Tube Fly Step 7
Simple Sea Trout Intruder Needle Tube Fly
The Intruder Tube Fly shown above is intended primarily for sea trout night fishing, although it may be fished successfully for salmon or steelhead. Colours, materials and tube length, diameter and weight may be varied according to quarry, location, water and weather conditions, time of year and personal fancy to create a great variety of simple Intruder Tube Flies, examples of which are illustrated below.
click on an image to enlarge
Rigging an Intruder Tube Fly Hook
A hook, most commonly a single hook these days, may be attached to an Intruder Tube fly, or any tube fly, in several ways, as illustrated below.
See also