There are some flies everyone should know how to ty because they work in a magnitude of colors and sizes, and for any variety of fish. Intruders are such a fly, These flies have become not so much a specific patterns but an idea free for the tyer to base from and use his or her imagination and artistic skills to create whatever comes to mind.
Bead heads, cone heads, waffle heads, spinner blades, monster heads, heavy tubes light tubes every material known to mankind and a couple casts in a cold river…..all adds up to STEELHEAD for me..and heres where it all starts…..
Attach the tube however you wish. Some tyers use super glue, thread base soaked with crazy glue, gorilla glue, head cement, or thread wraps to pin the hook sleeve to the tube……I like to leave the hook sleeve off and add it on the water choosing from an assortment of colors I keep in my vest.
Forming a dubbing loop and using a material that breathes yet creates bulk will help set the foundation for a full wing that breathes well in the water and wont lay flat or stick to itself….Arctic fox Tail, Badger, Coyote tail, opossum, or some synthetics will make for a breathable material and dyed in many colors there are many to choose from.
Once I have formed this base I start layering different wing material with various fiber length, starting with the shortest like dyed Amherst, Silver or Golden Pheasant tails. Then adding dyed Pea Fowl, Rae or Blue Eared pheasant fibers…and then for longer fuller feathers I use stiff stemmed Ostrich dyed to my liking..
Working these fibers into a dubbing loop seems to help them “stand up” better than tying them in separately…
Tying the dyed Pea Fowl in separately allows for specific placement….
I like the fuller body Ostrich and ty it in separately so I can get the most out of the stem angle adding to the action of the fly in the water…
The body of the Tube can be as simple as the tyer would like it to be or it can be a place to practice some skills needed to dress more difficult flies later…..Either way this is a fun change of pace literally right in the middle of tying this fly…
This dyed deer hair collar makes for light weight bulk and a sure-fire way to keep your front wing formed up and out allowing it to breathe and create action away from your body and rear wing…..
Adding dyed Badger or Arctic fox will place a layer of color and add movement in the foundation of the front wing..Then I add Amherst fibers spacing them individually for a more symmetric layered wing…
finish adding what ever wing material desired and then finish the head with Hackle, spun dubbing, spun synthetics or as in this case a spun deer hair head will push more water and with a monster cone can add a lot of movement…
Almost finished..Just in time to call in dead to work and head to the river….
Some tricks may be needed depending on the length of tubes you use and the equipment you have to ty with….I enjoy tying long tube flies holding the tube and dressing the fly in my hands without a vice, However this may not work well for others and being fluid in your approach to tying will improve your skills…
Gotta love big fishy flies and the chance to apply multiple skills during the same project…and flies this size are Projects…
When tyed on light tubes like plastic or aluminum these huge flies are lighter than their counterparts when tyed on hooks or waddington shanks with stingers…
Terry Can be contacted at http://fisheadsfliesnlore.wordpress.com/
