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Trampus

Pheasant Tail Colors

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As I slowly collect the materials I will need for tying I have come to the point where I need Pheasant Tail feathers for tying soft hackle flies. Since I have to order online since I have no shop near me, I would like to order whatever colors I will use the most to take advantage of the shipping charges. I plan on fishing these flies for trout and so I am only interested in colors for trout flies. Also, a recommendation on Partridge feathers would be appreciated as well.

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Tail-

Natural

Olive

Black

 

Partridge-

Natural

Olive

 

But to be honest, the only colors of either that you really need are natural.

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OK, I'm not quite sure what you want. Normally, pheasant tails aren't used for soft hackles.... For partridge, I'd suggest ordering a full skin. Ruffed Grouse, Sharp Tail Grouse or Hungarian Partridge are pretty much interchangeable. You use the body feathers for the hackle on a soft hackle. I only use natural colors.

 

Pheasant tails are used on a lot of nymph patterns. There again, I use mostly natural, but olive, golden olive and black are useful as well.

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Same here, my vote is for natural.

 

Though I must say I don't tie many of these flies. I'm a fan of peacock and hen soft hackles, again natural. I've been very pleased with a little Wapsi natural hen cape I picked up for tying these.

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OK, I'm not quite sure what you want. Normally, pheasant tails aren't used for soft hackles.... For partridge, I'd suggest ordering a full skin. Ruffed Grouse, Sharp Tail Grouse or Hungarian Partridge are pretty much interchangeable. You use the body feathers for the hackle on a soft hackle. I only use natural colors.

 

Pheasant tails are used on a lot of nymph patterns. There again, I use mostly natural, but olive, golden olive and black are useful as well.

phg, I suspect he is tying these : https://youtu.be/n7vpfcKPvzo

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Correct Dave...I will be tying those with and without the beadhead. The Partridge is for the hackle and the Pheasant tail is for the body. Peacock for the thorax.

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4 basic colors

 

black

brown (natural)

olive

tan

 

but for as many dyed pheasant colors as there are i'd get 1 each of all colors. they can always be used for flies other than soft hackles

 

and dont forget about tails from other pheasants

 

80-90cm-Pheasant-Feather-30-35inch-Dyed-

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I tie all my PT Nymphs as bead head soft hackles. I use natural, black, two shades of olive and a dark brown. The only difference is I use starling rather than partridge for the soft hackle.

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Most of my PTN are now tied taking one barb off from 6 to 8 colors of pheasant tails to make the body and wingcase.

Usually two colors of peacock herl for thorax. They work for me.

 

Rick

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I don't tie pheasant tail soft hackles, but I do tie a lot of PT nymphs. Two of my favorite PT colors that have not been mentioned yet are orange and yellow. On my local trout stream orange PT's are my absolute favorite color. My local stream is heavily pounded so the orange may be effective because it is different from what other anglers are throwing. But for whatever reason, orange works really well. I mention yellow because yellow PT's are effective imitations for callibaetis. Yellow PT also work very well on my local stream.

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Natural. Have had dyed ones and think altering bead colour or having a coloured wire rib is far better than coloured feather.

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when buying partridge, i'd also recommend buying a whole skin. i bought a bag, and there's such a low percentage of good feathers, it's quite aggravating.

 

eric

fresno, ca.

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Thanks Eric..I will. Also thank you to everyone's opinions and advise. I decided to keep it simple to start with and just ordered the natural feathers. There will be time enough to explore other colors down the road.

 

Tight Lines

Dan

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Sure thing, Dan. I tie trout flies and try to keep expenses down. I started with natural pheasant tails, but felt i really (really) "needed" dark brown too. just HAD to have it. so those two would be my minimal suggestion for starting. Also, I found a few patterns that used yellow for golden stones. The mention of orange sounds intriguing and i bet black would come in handy too later down the road. And of course, olive. But def natural and brown. :)

 

also, while you're ordering, consider some goose biots for biot bodies. dries and nymphs. adams grey, olive, brown.

 

and don't forget CDC, in dun, white...

 

oh, this can be a sickness.....

 

eric

fresno, ca.

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