Winter steelhead season is right around the corner, and for many die-hard anglers that means swinging big, gaudy flies for big anadramous fish.
Intruder style flies are all the rage these days when targeting sea-run fish in cold water, or in any other situation where a large profile is desired. However, the cost of materials needed for many intruder style patterns can discourage the average tyer from tying their own, particularly those getting started!
Luckily, our buddy Stuart Foxall agreed to put together a two-part series on some intruder style patterns that aren’t only easier to tie, but use substantially cheaper materials as well. Not to mention they catch fish.. Check out Stu’s step by step below for part 1 of our ‘Intruders on the Cheap’ mini series!
Tying the Marabou Intruder
One of the cheapest materials that all fish find irresistible is marabou. If you’re finding it hard to find rhea or other expensive materials, do not be afraid to use marabou.. The fish certainly won’t turn their nose up at it and neither should we! If you are new to tying intruders, marabou is also a great material to start with as it’s a lot cheaper than most materials, and messing up with rhea can be costly!
To be honest, in really cold water when fish tend to rest in softer water, these marabou style flies often out fish other more expensive fly styles as well.
Note: See this step in detailed form by checking out our post on tying intruders without a dubbing loop.
I’d be happy to swim that one at the tail out of Zoo Bar.
Agreed Fred! Good to hear from you, hope all is well in God’s country!
I’m newer to steelhead fishing and spey casting. Thanks for the great tips and blog entries! I read them everyday during my lunch break!
You’re most welcome! Glad you have found the tips helpful and thanks for reading!