[Hamish Young]

Oh and thanks for reminding me about Ron Sutherland. I had some of his Sutherland specials in my youth that had his add on bits that you didn't find in the shops.

If you're thinking about the Sutherland Special spinning lure... different Sutherland. Ron Sutherland was, until recently, based up at Helmsdale. The Sutherland Special spinning lure was around when Ron was a glint in his fathers eye 

[Euan Innes]

Steven,
I have read and heard (podcasts) a lot about Jerry French, Ed Ward and the rest of the Testosterone Gang that came up with the Intruder and Jerry still prefers them tied on shanks for the mobility. There are several reasons that help with the movement-
The shank could be weighted with dumbells to form a keel and keep it orientated.
The hook can pop out from the shank once the fish is hooked and the shank is then free to not interfere with playing the fish.
With the nylon running down effectively above the shank like a tram or cable car, it imparted more movement in the fly, whereas a tube swims a bit more rigidly.
The design really suits single hooks.

I have tied all my patterns on tubes as well as shanks and will be experimenting with both. Without sounding like a stuck record, I can highly recommend going to www.aprilvokey.com and checking out the podcasts. The two part Jerry French interview covers the Intruder and then the development of the Skagit line and it is really worth a listen. I play them in the car all the time 

Also check out any video by OPST on Youtube about the Commando heads and Intruder fly tying, and the www.opskagit.com website. I really have a hankering for a Commando head for my 10' #4 Orvis Access!

Euan

[Allan Liddle]

That's broadly true if you're tying with anything other than with plastic tubes Allan.

With decent plastic tubing you can easily create the same sort mobility and size as is possible and associated with shanked  intruders.

I'm looking at incorporating a tungsten head in some of my larger plastic tubes to help 'get em moving' a smidgen more and in an effort to resolve the one issue I've noticed with tube-based intruders..... and that problem is if the pattern is orientated (as in it has a defined top or bottom) tubes often develop a habit of not fishing as you intended. Now you could always adopt Ron Sutherland's 'mosquito' fins to a fly and to be fair I haven't actually tried them yet.... but incorporated into a tube-intruder with a defined top and bottom it should be possible to get them to 'swim' nicely.  I may actually have to try that out... for the craic.... 

For me that's the key, intruders are about action and mobility.  I'd suggest that it's in the smaller sizes that an intruder tied on a shank would come into its own.

H

Spot on H, looking forward to hearing about the fin experiment

[Hamish Young]

Spot on H, looking forward to hearing about the fin experiment

I confess, it tickles my sense of humour incorporating fins into a fly.... spinning by another name    

[James Laraway]

Sutherland specials....actually not from sutherland at all  - more like the River Don . If you find any they are worth a few squids now ! A few years ago i was lucky to get my paws on 3 un-used ones - still in the orginal camera film tubes.
they will never get a swim. I also got one that has been used....amazing for the seat trout..

[Steven Sinclair]

Sutherland specials....actually not from sutherland at all  - more like the River Don . If you find any they are worth a few squids now ! A few years ago i was lucky to get my paws on 3 un-used ones - still in the orginal camera film tubes.
they will never get a swim. I also got one that has been used....amazing for the seat trout..

Indeed  I was fortunate to have been gifted some of the more special specials  I was at Ronnie's house with my old man (they had the cruives fishing together at the time) and was handed his blue and silver Sutherland's that had blue hackle feathers glued down the flanks. According to my Dad these are the ones that he fished himself (i was low single digits at the time and was only just told of this story).

I really must see if I can find them 

 

Steven.

[Eddie Sinclair]

James, the reason that Steven got the specials with Ronnie’s own adornments was that I used to rent a beat with Ronnie and I took Steven to visit Ronnie at his house a long time ago. Steven was still at primary school back then and Ronnie gifted Steven a few of his own lures and explained to Steven how to fish them. We should still have them somewhere amongst all the other stuff that we have gathered over the years. You are right about the don however they probably accounted for more seatrout in the Ythan estuary than most lures.

Eddie

[Dave Robb]

Can anyone recommend good quality beads?

Been trying to make up some size 12s with larger beads but the pack I have are inconsistent to say the least when it comes to the size of the holes.

Many of them slid straight past the eye so I’ve had to sift through the entire lot managing to find 20 out of the 50 that would fit.

[Allan Liddle]

Build up a 'head' of tying thread Dave and keep checking the bead until it sits tight over the thread, spot of superglue if you want for belt n braces.  A bit of a faff i know but at least the beads that are too big can still be used.

[Dave Robb]

Cheers, can give that a go but yeah a bit of a faff.