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Crystal Coyote
Text and photos by Mike Birdsong

It's time to start beefing up your bass, striper, and saltwater fly boxes! This fly is nothing more that a rip-off of Feathercraft's Coyote series. The original coyote uses a rabbit strip for a tail, pearl or gold mylar for the body, and streamer hair for the wing. I tied mine with super cheap material but by all means feel free to experiment.

Materials for the Crystal Coyote:

    Hook: Size 2 Mustad 3366.

    Spinner: 00 indiana or 0 indiana, size 1 split ring, and a size 12 or 14 crane swivel.

    Thread: Whatever you like.

    Eye: Dumbell or beadchain.

    Tail and wing: Synthetic "feather" dusters. I bought a lifetime supply at the Dollar Tree for a dollar a pop.

    Body: White Ice chenille or doll hair, doll hair is found at hobby stores under the doll making supplies, again a life time supply can be had for little cash.

Tying Instructions for the Crystal Coyote:

    Step 1: Attach a size 00 or 0 Indiana spinnerblade and a size 12 or 14 Crane swivel to a size 1 split ring. These are very tiny spinner blades, a size 1 or larger blade would extend past the hook point and reduce hook-ups. The Crane swivel is a great piece of hardware for flyrod lures, it's alot smaller and more compact that a standard barrel swivel. A barrel swivel the same size would again be longer than the hook point. The original coyote used crane swivels as well. When done, slide the free end of the swivel on the hook.

    Step 2: Start your thread and tie in the eye. I'm using bead chain for the extra rattle it provides.

    Step 3: Clip some of the synthetic featherduster and tie in the tail of the fly so that part of it extends past the hook. This will be the wing when done.

    Step 4: Tie in doll hair or chenille.

    Step 5: Wrap the doll hair up the shank and tie off.

    Step 6: Using a figure 8 wrap and secure the tag end of the wing to the eye.

    Step 7: Invert the fly and fold the wing toward the tail of the fly. Secure with thread.

    Step 8: Tie in a topper for the fly. I used Chartreuse synthetic feather duster fibers. Use your imagination!

    Step 9: Whip finish and cement the head and eye.

    Step 10: Finished fly, out of the vise.

Have fun. ~ Mike


For more great flies, check out: Beginning Fly Tying, Intermediate Fly Tying and Advanced Fly Tying.