Pheasant Tail
Fly of the Month 06.10 Pheasant Tail Nymph
The pheasant tail has stood the test of time. Created by Frank Sawyer to fish the chalk streams in the south of England, it is used on other rivers and streams across the world and is a killer.
Sawyer’s original pattern was tied using only two materials: copper wire and fibers from the tail feather of a pheasant. The copper was used as weight and, substituted for thread, was what tied the pheasant fibers to the hook. There are a number of variations to this pattern including one tied by Tim Landis of Bristol, Tennessee called the Landis Leggo and another inTennessee that substitutes orange thread for the thorax. (For some reason orange is a very popular color in Tennessee.) The pattern presented here is commonly referred to as the American Pheasant Tail.
Fly of the Month 06.10 Pheasant Tail Nymph
Hook: Wet fly, 2x long and 2x heavy. Tiemco 5262, Mustad R 20 or equivalent, Size: 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20
Thread: brown 8/0
Tail: Pheasant Tail fibers
Abdomen: Pheasant Tail fibers
Thorax: Pheasant Tail fibers
Wingcase: Pheasant Tail fibers
1) Overwrap (ten or twelve turns total) of lead or lead substitute of approximately the same thickness as the hook shank, starting at the halfway point, wrapping from the bend toward the eye. Stop four eye lengths back from the eye and wrap back toward the bend to form a “hump” with lead.
2) Tie on brown thread at the eye and slightly cover the lead with thread wraps. By wrapping ahead and behind the lead, the lead will not slip or spin on the hook. It is not necessary to “coat” the lead with thread but wrapping diagonal turn of thread forward and back will fill in the gaps of lead. Finish the wraps ahead of the bend.
3) Using four or five pheasant tail fibers, tie in tail with three or four wraps, let bobbin hang.
4) Tie in two or three inches of copper wire where the tail is tied in, pushing the copper out of the way let the bobbin hang.
5) Select three of four pheasant tail fibers grasping by their tips, pull together, making them even before cutting. Tie in at hook bend with three or four thread wraps and advance the thread to behind the eye. Let the bobbin hang. Gather the pheasant tails and as a group wrap forward as the abdomen stopping at the thorax. Tie in a trim excess.
6) Wrap the copper wire forward. Past the hump and tie off well behind the eye. Trim excess.
7) Select four to six pheasant tail fibers, as before, and tie in forward of the abdomen at the back of the thorax on the top of the hook shank. Tie in by the lower part of the fibers. This is tricky in that these will form the wingcase and the legs in one tie in. This means the length is somewhat critical. Allow for the advance over of the fibers over the peacock (next step) and the turn back for the legs. Approximately twice the length of the thorax. Legs are an option, but, worth the trouble.
8) Select two peacock herls and tie in, forward of the abdomen, to form the thorax. Do not tie the herl at the tip of the fiber, but trim enough of the length so that the herl is stronger to prevent breaking while wrapping. Twist the two fibers and wrap forward over the hump stopping well behind the eye. Do not crowd the eye. Tie off and let the bobbin hang.
9) Fold the pheasant tail over the top of the thorax to form the wingcase. Make three or four wraps as close to the forward part of the hump as possible advancing. Wrap the thread back to the finish tie point of the wingcase . Let the bobbin hang. Divide the extra length of pheasant tail (wingcase) to form the legs, holding them back toward the bend. Wrap the legs on the far side of the hook by holding the selected fiber tips (two or three fibers) and bind with two thread wraps. Repeat on the close side. Wrap forward to the eye and whip finish to form the head. Apply head cement.
- Tim Wilhelm, Tom Adams
The pheasant tail has stood the test of time. Created by Frank Sawyer to fish the chalk streams in the south of England, it is used on other rivers and streams across the world and is a killer.
Sawyer’s original pattern was tied using only two materials: copper wire and fibers from the tail feather of a pheasant. The copper was used as weight and, substituted for thread, was what tied the pheasant fibers to the hook. There are a number of variations to this pattern including one tied by Tim Landis of Bristol, Tennessee called the Landis Leggo and another inTennessee that substitutes orange thread for the thorax. (For some reason orange is a very popular color in Tennessee.) The pattern presented here is commonly referred to as the American Pheasant Tail.
Fly of the Month 06.10 Pheasant Tail Nymph
Hook: Wet fly, 2x long and 2x heavy. Tiemco 5262, Mustad R 20 or equivalent, Size: 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20
Thread: brown 8/0
Tail: Pheasant Tail fibers
Abdomen: Pheasant Tail fibers
Thorax: Pheasant Tail fibers
Wingcase: Pheasant Tail fibers
1) Overwrap (ten or twelve turns total) of lead or lead substitute of approximately the same thickness as the hook shank, starting at the halfway point, wrapping from the bend toward the eye. Stop four eye lengths back from the eye and wrap back toward the bend to form a “hump” with lead.
2) Tie on brown thread at the eye and slightly cover the lead with thread wraps. By wrapping ahead and behind the lead, the lead will not slip or spin on the hook. It is not necessary to “coat” the lead with thread but wrapping diagonal turn of thread forward and back will fill in the gaps of lead. Finish the wraps ahead of the bend.
3) Using four or five pheasant tail fibers, tie in tail with three or four wraps, let bobbin hang.
4) Tie in two or three inches of copper wire where the tail is tied in, pushing the copper out of the way let the bobbin hang.
5) Select three of four pheasant tail fibers grasping by their tips, pull together, making them even before cutting. Tie in at hook bend with three or four thread wraps and advance the thread to behind the eye. Let the bobbin hang. Gather the pheasant tails and as a group wrap forward as the abdomen stopping at the thorax. Tie in a trim excess.
6) Wrap the copper wire forward. Past the hump and tie off well behind the eye. Trim excess.
7) Select four to six pheasant tail fibers, as before, and tie in forward of the abdomen at the back of the thorax on the top of the hook shank. Tie in by the lower part of the fibers. This is tricky in that these will form the wingcase and the legs in one tie in. This means the length is somewhat critical. Allow for the advance over of the fibers over the peacock (next step) and the turn back for the legs. Approximately twice the length of the thorax. Legs are an option, but, worth the trouble.
8) Select two peacock herls and tie in, forward of the abdomen, to form the thorax. Do not tie the herl at the tip of the fiber, but trim enough of the length so that the herl is stronger to prevent breaking while wrapping. Twist the two fibers and wrap forward over the hump stopping well behind the eye. Do not crowd the eye. Tie off and let the bobbin hang.
9) Fold the pheasant tail over the top of the thorax to form the wingcase. Make three or four wraps as close to the forward part of the hump as possible advancing. Wrap the thread back to the finish tie point of the wingcase . Let the bobbin hang. Divide the extra length of pheasant tail (wingcase) to form the legs, holding them back toward the bend. Wrap the legs on the far side of the hook by holding the selected fiber tips (two or three fibers) and bind with two thread wraps. Repeat on the close side. Wrap forward to the eye and whip finish to form the head. Apply head cement.
- Tim Wilhelm, Tom Adams