[SteelieStudent]

For your amusement, I'll share this story...

I just started fooling around tying a few Intruder-ish things. Made a few shanks out of piano wire (with the rear loop rotated 90 degrees like the Senyo 'articulated' shanks). Found some old lead-core line in a drawer that looked like it might make good hook wire. Tied one up and it went OK, looks great with an old hook I had laying around. So did a few more, different sizes etc. Thinking I can use some for smallies in my river here, with smaller hooks like size 6-8.

Finally got to the store and bought some Gamakatsu Octopus size 2,4,6 hooks tonight and when I tried to put them on the flies.. OOPS!. The lead core wire loop won't go through the hook eyes. Not even a size 2, which is I thought was what I used on the test fly.

I can probably salvage the flies by attaching hooks to the rear loop on the shank.. but generally speaking and for future reference, are those particular hooks good for this sort of fly? And should I get some 'Intruder wire' or can I use some 30 lb braid I have laying around, it fits all the hooks.

Guess there is more to this than I thought...

 

[Honyuk96]

If I'm not mistaken, Senyos intruder wire is labeled w what hook sizes work w the wire. Obviously too late now, but in the future, test before lashing that wire to the shank. I just tied some shanks tonight, using Senyos wire, and #6 Gamas slide through no problem. I also like FUSED Fireline. Thin diameter, but stiff enough to prevent droopage. Good luck on future batches.

 

[spfd jason]

I'm new to tying but found that the Gamakatsu Octopus eyes are smaller than any of the other hooks I have (mostly hand me downs). The Owner SSW 5111-091 work much better in my experience.

 

[Fish Tech]

John: I love the Gamakatsu Octopus hooks. They are needle sharp and fairly inexpensive so you can replace a used hook often without breaking the bank. Try tying your Intruders on cut-shanks made from size #2 Mustad streamer hooks that are 7XL.

Just put a small loop of Beadalon Beading wire 1/4" from the end of the shank when tying the fly.

Then you can add a hook on-stream without having to mess with tying all your flies with a wire or piece of Fireline. You just run the tippet though the eye of the cut-shank, out the rear loop, through a piece of tubing and the attach the Octopus hook with a non-slip loop knot. Carefully draw everything up on the stub at the rear of the shank and you are good to go.

 

[Marty]

I gave up on the trailer hook system as well. I started using The Ed Ward shank system, now without the small loop at the rear. 100 times easier to change out hooks on the river. As for your flies you have already tied, you could loop Dacron to the rear of the shank, then tie the hook on with some type of a blood knot.

 

[Bill S]

Shank style flies tied using wire, PowerPro, Fireline, etc. to mount the hook have one advantage over those tied Ed Ward style. More times than not you can break or bend the hook and recover the fly when pulling free from a snag. Depending on the water you fish this can be either a minor or a major factor in deciding how to fasten the hook to the fly.

 

[SteelieStudent]

Paul - When I previously read 'attach a loop of Beadalon wire to the shank' I thought it meant a long loop of flexible wire to attach the hook to. Your photos explain a lot! Thanks for posting.

 

[James C]

Shank style flies tied using wire, PowerPro, Fireline, etc. to mount the hook have one advantage over those tied Ed Ward style. More times than not you can break or bend the hook and recover the fly when pulling free from a snag.

That is true sir. But one advantage that Ed's style has when you have large lead eyes tied in has is, that the fly slides up away from the fish when it's hooked and the lead eyes don't create leverage possibly unpinning the hook from the fish.

 

[SLSS]

Shank style flies tied using wire, PowerPro, Fireline, etc. to mount the hook have one advantage over those tied Ed Ward style. More times than not you can break or bend the hook and recover the fly when pulling free from a snag. Depending on the water you fish this can be either a minor or a major factor in deciding how to fasten the hook to the fly.

In our snaggy water I fish mostly tubes or Ward-style shanks. I've been fishing sickle hooks for exactly this reason. With 10lb + maxima, I find the hook breaks at the sharp bend when snagged, saving my bug. I've never had one break on a fish.

 

[MT-]

I can probably salvage the flies by attaching hooks to the rear loop on the shank...

Could you pinch that back loop with some pliers down to where it will fit inside a piece of junction tubing? Just run the leader through there, kind of like the Ed Ward rigging though not exactly. It works well with the back loop on waddington shanks.

 

[Gray Ghost]

Uni Knot

Shank style flies tied using wire, PowerPro, Fireline, etc. to mount the hook have one advantage over those tied Ed Ward style. More times than not you can break or bend the hook and recover the fly when pulling free from a snag. Depending on the water you fish this can be either a minor or a major factor in deciding how to fasten the hook to the fly.

Using a large enough lb. diameter mono. piece, add a three wrap uni knot (float stop knot) onto the leader in between the shank eye and the trailer hook. Position the uni knot close to shank eye.

After breaking the trailer hook off, a lot of the time the uni knot will still be on the leader, saving the fly.

Also don't use a rear loop on the shank when using a uni knot on the leader, thus allowing the fly to slide freely up the leader after disengaging from the tubing.

GG