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



Monday, December 3, 2012

Mike Decoteau's Fifth Element



Shank: 25mm black Senyo's Articulated Shank
Wire: Senyo's Standard Intruder Wire - Purple
Thread: 6/0 purple Uni-Thread
Weight (optional): Small Lead Eyes
Rear Dubbing Ball: UV Purple Ice Dub
Body: Flat Pearl Diamond Braid
Wing: White Fox Tail Hair
           Pink Mirage Flashabou
           Purple Arctic Fox Tail Hair
           Pink Angel Hair or Ice Wing
Collar: Shrimp Pink Laser Dub
           Golden Pheasant Tail Fibers
           Red Golden Pheasant Body Feather
Topping: Purple Haze Holographic Flash Fibers
Head: Black Stone Kaufmann SLF Blend
Cheeks: Jungle Cock (optional)


STEP 1: Tie onto the shank and secure the rear loop.



STEP 2: Cut a piece of wire approximately 3" long. Tie it in on either side of the shank allowing the tag ends to just pass the return eye. Lash down to the front of the rear loop, then fold the tag ends back underneath the shank and secure. Zap-A-Gap the connection point.



STEP 3: Tie in the lead weight on the underside of the shank as shown above. 



STEP 4: Dub a ball of UV Purple Ice Dub around the weight.



STEP 5: Tie in the Pearl Diamond Braid and take two or three wraps around the shank just to the end of the return eye. Tie it off and leave a 3/4" tag of the diamond braid sticking up. Separate the fibers with your scissors or bodkins as shown above.



STEP 6: Cut a bunch of white fox fur for the wing. Pull the smallest fibers from the bunch and discard. Pull the guard hairs out and stack on top of the bunch and tie the whole bunch in. Double over 6 strands of pink Mirage flashabou and tie in on top of the fox hair.



STEP 7: Cut a small bunch of purple fox tail hair. Remove the guard hairs from this bunch and discard. Tie in all the way around the shank as shown above. The butt ends should be sticking out beyond the eye.



STEP 8: Fold the butt ends back and tie ahead of them. Sculpt the butt ends around the wing  to eliminate the "chopped" look of the squarely cut ends. This will help create a little bulk in the head.



STEP 9: Fold and tie in a bunch of pink Angel Hair (or Ice Wing). 



STEP 10: Center tie clumps of Shrimp Pink Laser dub on the top and on the bottom of the shank. Advance the thread ahead of the clumps and make several wraps to hold the Laser Dub back.



STEP 11: Cut a number of long fibers from a golden pheasant tail and separate them into eight or nine parts consisting of two fibers a piece. Tie these in all the way around the shank. Double over four strands of Purple Haze Holographic Flash and tie in on top.



STEP 12: Tie in a red golden pheasant body feather by the tip and wrap around the shank creating a collar.



STEP 13: Center tie clumps of black stone Kaufmann SLF Blend at the head. Advance the thread ahead of the clumps and make several wraps.



STEP 14: Tie in the jungle cock nails on either side of the fly. Before cutting the butt ends, fold them back and tie over them to secure them in place and to prevent the nails from pulling out. Zap-A-Gap or lacquer the head and attach your favorite hook.


Fifth Elements tied without jungle cock. Large bead chain eyes are tied in front just behind the SLF Blend in place of the lead eyes in back.


A few different color combinations.


The prize…

If you have questions about this fly that were not addressed in the tutorial or are interested in ordering, please feel free to contact me at mdecoteau@gmail.com. More of my work can be viewed at:  https://www.facebook.com/redspotfly

Michael Decoteau
RedSpotFly
HMH Signature Tyer