Coyote Micro Dace
Hook:
Size #8 - #12 4X Long Streamer Hook.
Thread:
Black 6/0.
Body: Silver or Holographic Silver Tinsel.
Belly: White Bucktail.
Wing: Coyote Fur over Black Bucktail.
Head: Black Thread coated with Head Cement,
Hard As Nails, or UV Resin.
While many fly fishers out there have concentrated on tying large articulated streamers in search of big trout, personally I’ve taken a different approach, tying and fishing smaller ones. Many times, tied on a jig hook. This fly is more of a traditional ‘New England’ type streamer. Just tied on smaller size hooks. I think the reason I’ve gone with smaller streamers is that it’s easy to fish them with small changes to my ‘euro-rigs’ on a lighter rod.
To tie this fly, start your thread an eye length or two behind the eye and wrap back down to the bend. Bring your thread back up to the tie in point. You are now ready to tie in your Silver Tinsel body. Tie it in at your initial ‘tie-in’ point, wrap down to the bend, then back up to the ‘tie-in’ point. Now make touching wraps up the hook shank. Tie it off and cut off the butt end. Traditional New England streamers are tied this way so that an even and slender body is created.
Next, prepare a small bunch of White Bucktail for your belly. The belly and wing materials should be on the sparser side. Do not overdress this fly. To tie in the belly, invert the fly if you have a rotary vice, or do it manually. Tie it in under/behind the eye. It should extend approximately 2 hook gap lengths behind the bend. Once secured you can cut off the butt end of the belly. Invert your fly again and tie in a small bunch of Black Bucktail for the first layer of your wing. It should mirror the lower belly that you just tied in. Once affixed you can clip off the butt end and ‘clean up’ the fly head with thread wraps.
Finally, prepare a bunch of Coyote Fur for your top wing. Again, don’t overdress your fly. The Coyote should have a mix of long guard hair as well as some under fur. Tie it in on top of your Black wing. Cut off the butt end and create a nice little head on the fly with your black thread. Whip finish it, cut your thread, and finish the head with head cement or UV resin. Your fly is done. One final note here. You could substitute other natural furs for the top wing, but I really love using coyote. It not as stiff as Bucktail or as flaccid as squirrel. Coyote has the perfect mix of stiffness and movement that makes this streamer attractive to fish.
Savage Flies has a great video on how to tie this fly below:
If you have any questions about this fly or would like to submit a Fly of The Month I can be reached at pdinice@frontier.com .
