Thank you for visiting our fly tying blog! Here you will find free step-by-step instructions for fly patterns that we have found to be very successful while fishing on the Tributaries of Lake Erie known as " Steelhead Alley." You will also be able to see step-by-step instructions for warm water, tube, trout, and destinational fly patterns. If you would like to request a pattern tutorial that you do not see, please send requests to team@steelheadalleyoutfitters.com



Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Mikes Stinky Mayo

It is streamer chucking time for big browns and this is a pattern that fits the bill, especially in off color water. The fly is realtively easy to cast for a fly of it's size and the big head pushes around a lot of water. Fished on a full sinking line this fly gets down and boogies.

Thread: UTC140 denier, tan
Hook1: Gamakatsu SP11 3L3H size 4
Hook2: Gamakatsu B10S size 1/0
Tail: Marabou, tan
Body1: Marabou, tan and yellow
Body2: Schlappen, yellow
Body3: Bucktail, tan and yellow
Body4: Cactus Chenille, yellow
Flash: Holographic Flashabou, Brown and yellow
Head: Senyo Laser Dub, Rusty Bronze and Dark Tan
Eyes: Large Lead barbell, white
Connect: Beadalon, 19 strand .018"

STEP 1: With your Gamakatsu SP11 3L3H size 4 in the vise get your thread started and wrapped to the back of the hook shank. Once at the rear tie in point, located above the midpoint of the hook spear, tie a single marabou feather hanging approximately one hook length off the back of the hook. Tightly wrap the material forward about two thirds of the hook shank then return your thread to the mid-point of the shank.

STEP 2: Prepare a single schlappen feather by carefully stroking the fibers back about an inch from the tip and tie it in at the rear tie in point with a few secure wraps. With the schlappen feather in place tie in a piece of cactus chenille and advance your thread forward towards the hook eye.

STEP 3: Wrap the cactus chenille forward with evenly spaced wraps, usually around 7 wraps, then tie it off one eye width back and trim the excess. With the under body on place palmer the schlappen feather forward and tie it off at the same point as the underbody.

STEP 4: Over the top of the hook shank tie in a second marabou feather. The tips should extend a little over halfway between the bend off the hook and the end of the tail to give it a proper taper.

STEP 5: Place your Gamakatsu B10S size 1/0 in the vise and attach the back hook using 5 size 'E' beads and 19 strand .018" Beadalon. Be sure to tightly wrap from back to front, then front to back, thenup to the middle to ensure a good connection.

STEP 6: To create a little internal flash in the body you will tie in yellow Magnum Holographic Flashabou. I usually take four strands and fold them in half then cut the loop so I have eight strands. Tie them in by the middle and the mid-point of the front hook then reverse over itself and tie tightly back to the rear tie in point.

STEP 7: About half way forward on the front hook tie in a tan marabour feather on top of the hook shank and a yellow feather underneath the hook shank, then trim the butts. The tips of the marabou, top and bottom, should extend to the approximate mid-point of the rear hook to continue the nice body taper.

STEP 8: The next step is to add a little exterior flash and darken up the dorsal area. Take two or three strands of brown Magnum Holographic Flashabou and tie them in by the middle then reverse them backwards and tie them down. Trim as necessary to approximately the back of the tail.

STEP 9: To give the fly a bit of girth the next step is to reverse tie insome bucktail. Over the tie in point you will tie in tan bucktailon top of the hook shankand yellow bucktail under the hook shank with the tips facing out over the hook eye. Then reverse the hair back and tie off with ten or so good wraps. The tips should extend about s far as the marabou on the front hook.

STEP 10: Directly on top of the bucktail wraps tie in a clump of Rusty Bronze by the mid point and reverse it back over itself and brush out. Tying in the clumps here gives a nice gill effect but more importantly it serves to add some structure for the rest of the head. This stepp builds up the 'under head' so that there is a nice transition from the Laser Dub head back in to the body...maintaining a profile without gaps.

STEP 11: The head will consist of a large center tied clump of tan Senyo Laser Dub. Pull out a clump and work it with your fingers so that the fibers go generally the same direction. Push the clump directly over the eye of the hook then use a pair of tight wraps in the middle of the material to hold it in place, and fold the material back over itself. Finish off the fly by figure-eighting large lead barbell eyes between the hook eye and the Laser Dub head.



If you have any questions about the pattern that were not addressed, please visit http://www.anglerschoiceflies.com/ or find me at the Anglers Choice Flies News Feed at http://www.anglerschoiceflies.blogspot.com/.

-mike schmidt
http://www.anglerschoiceflies.com/