The Intruder is more sculpture than fly — a massive, articulated creation that moves like a living thing in the current. Here's how I tie my version for PNW steelhead.
The Intruder is not a subtle fly. Developed in the 1990s on the Skagit River by Jerry French and Ed Ward, it's a massive, articulated creation designed to push water and provoke aggressive strikes from steelhead that have seen everything. When I first saw one, I thought it looked absurd. Then I watched it swim.
Why the Intruder Works
The key to the Intruder's effectiveness is movement. The combination of marabou, ostrich herl, and webby hackle creates a fly that breathes and pulses with every micro-current. In the slow, deep pools of winter steelhead rivers, this movement triggers the territorial aggression of fish that aren't actively feeding.
The articulated design — two hooks connected by a loop of heavy monofilament — also improves hookups. Steelhead often grab a fly short, and the rear hook catches fish that would otherwise be missed.
My Recipe
Here's the recipe I've settled on after years of experimentation:
*Rear section:*
*Front section:*
Tying Tips
The most important thing about tying Intruders is proportion. The fly should be 4-5 inches long when finished, with the bulk concentrated in the rear third. A common mistake is making the front section too heavy, which kills the fly's movement.
Use the softest materials you can find. The goal is maximum movement with minimum water resistance. Cheap, stiff hackle will produce a dead fly; quality soft hackle will produce something that looks alive.
On the Water
I fish this fly on a Skagit head with a 10-foot T-14 tip, swinging through the tailouts and seams of winter steelhead rivers. The presentation is simple: cast across and slightly downstream, mend to slow the swing, and let the fly work through the current. Takes are usually unmistakable — a solid pull that builds into a run.
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Born in Portland and raised in McMinnville, Oregon, Allan has been fishing for most of his life — from the rivers of the Willamette Valley to the Oregon coast, Cabo San Lucas, and the California Pacific. His oldest brother Steven runs a sports fishing business in Oregon. This blog is his way of sharing what he's learned.
