Nymph question...

[JakeGerardKud 0]

I have been tying a lot of pheasant tails lately. I am having a hard time getting the legs tied in neatly and evenly. I am laying partidge over the peacock herl and tying the pheasant butts over it to create the wing case while also pushing the partridge down for the legs. But for some reason it looks like crap every time. Anybody have any pointers of different techniques? Thanks a lot. I can post pics if needed.

[smallieFanatic 0]

i think i know what you mean and i have had the same problem

all the recipes i've read say "Don't trim the pheasant butts because they will be used for the beard" or something like that

Is what i do is just go ahead and cut the excess off and then tie it in seperatly as a beard

works for me

Hope this helps

 

Jan

[Scud 0]

I don't use partridge for the legs. When I fold over the wing case I hold it down with 2 thread wraps and then split the tips of the wing case. Pull them back and down a little and add a few more wraps. They should stick out to the sides. Make suer you dont crowd the eye. I leave almost 1 eye lenght when I lie off the peacock. you need room to tie off the legs and add a little head.

 

Jeremy

[carlp5351 0]

Here is a great tutorial for a pheasant tail nymph. Check it out it should help

 

 

http://www.charliesflyboxinc.com/flybox/de...cfm?parentID=71

 

 

carl

[redietz 0]

I have been tying a lot of pheasant tails lately. I am having a hard time getting the legs tied in neatly and evenly. I am laying partidge over the peacock herl and tying the pheasant butts over it to create the wing case while also pushing the partridge down for the legs. But for some reason it looks like crap every time. Anybody have any pointers of different techniques? Thanks a lot. I can post pics if needed.

 

 

Are you notching the partridge feather or tying in by the tip before wrapping the peacock? Are you using the right number of barbs and stripping the rest? Are you using the right size feather?

[Old Hat 0]

The tier Shane Stalcup uses partridge on his nymphs in the way I think you are trying.

 

Prepare the partridge by cutting out the center tip of the feather to create a notch in the tip. Cut down the stem from the tip until the hackle fibers are the length you need. Before the shellback is brought forward over the thorax, tie in the partridge just behind the hook eye so that the fibers point backward along the top of the thorax and the bottom of the notch is snug against the shellback material. As you pull the shellback material forward it should push partridge legs out and down just a bit creating an even leg length coming out of the sides of the thorax. The important thing here is that the you are using enough shelllback material to cover the top of the thorax and you cut the notch. If you dont have enough shellback material the legs wont spread like they should and won't be secured correctly. Stalcup uses medallion sheeting instead of pheasant fibers a lot which does a little better job of splaying the legs.

 

Hope this helps.

[CM_Stewart 0]

Simplify. Pheasant tail nymphs don't need legs. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFYlIwDuPiE

[TxEngr 0]

I also use the pheasant tail for the legs. I tie the wing case with a fresh group of tail fibers using the ends to form the legs. Here's a video demonstrating the method I was taught and use:

 

TxEngr

[JakeGerardKud 0]

Thank you all for you replies. Sorry I haven't responded...I was aways for a bit. I do notch or cut the center of the feather tip. I wish I could post a photo, but my camera will not take a decent looking photo. I guess I just need to work on it. I know that legs are not necessary, but I like the way it looks.