Intruder

Kerry,

I can't swear which one but it is in either Deke Meyer's Advanced tactics or in Kent Helvies Steelhead Fly Tying. I know I have seen it recently as well and these are the only two books I can think that I have picked up.

Duggan

I found it in Dec Hogan's book Skagit/Sauk River Journal.

Thanks

Kerry -

Sorry for the late reply. I hooked a great Skagit fish on one of Ed's Intruders when I was fortunate enough to join Andre to float the Skagit and Sauk with Ed a couple of years ago. I was not aware it was published in Dec's journal. Frankly, it's not one that is easily described! ;-)

Glad you found the info, I'll have to go look myself!

Kerry,

I discussed the intruder for about an hour with Ed on that float. I would have seen more of the fish Juro hooked if he would use reels without a silent drag. The intruder is not easily described or tied for that matter. I don't know Ed's thoughts to having the formula published as I haven't seen pictures anywhere other than Dec's S/S journal. Those pics should give a fairly accurate model to build from.

andre

For those of us who don't have a clue as to what the Intruder looks like, how about some hints at least?

How big, what color, what theory lies behind its design, how is it fished? We survived those god awful bunny leechs; we should be able to handle The Intruder.

Eric

Eric,

Premise for the intruder it invades your space, triggers some feeding reflex/reaction, and is tied large 3-5 inches in length. It is tied in two segments with a dubbed sparse body. Both segment have "boo" and a hackle in front of the "boo". Pretty simple when you look at it.

If a bunny leech is like a streetwalker in a tacky leather jacket when compared to your more civilized han-hacked matuka , then you can probably visualize the Intruder as a steriod-enhanced wolley bugger having a Very Bad hair day and not be far off!

Guys who like to fish small flies might want to steer clear of this one! <g>

Wait... it's a diversion - that's not the same intruder Ed Ward had me fish!?!? }>

Did the pic in the Sauk/Skagit Journal look like the fly you fished??

Another thing about Ed's intruder. It is considered more a style of fly than a particular fly. At least by the locals. I have been talking to some local fly fishers and most agree on this style thing.

Can't recall the issue but one of the last few issues of the "old" Wild Steelhead and Salmon mags has a pictiure of Ed Ward, a steelhead and a tube fly that just might be an Intruder. Hang on, let me look it up...

[5 minutes pass as Dana rifles through his magazine pile]

...okay, I have it--page 12 of the Spring 1999 issue (Dec is on the cover preparing to beach a chromer). The tube is pretty big and looks similar to the one pictured in Hogan's Skagit Journal book, but not exactly. No matter--it's a B-I-G fly, certainly an intruder, whether it is THE fly or not!