Pheasant tail

[Bryan Wright 0]

This was harder than I thought it was going to be.

 

this is the link to the instructions I followed : http://community.flyfisherman.com/fly-recipe/pheasant-tail-0

 

tied on a size 14 hook

utc 70 denier black thread

tail pheasent

rib gold wire

body pheasant tail

thorax peacock hearl

wing case phesant tail

legs pheasant tail

 

 

[boynabubble 0]

The pheasant tail was a hard one for me too. It took me a couple of years before I felt satisfied with the results. I think the hardest part is getting the abdomen to taper to the thorax and not look too bulky in the end. Just try to be minimal with the number of thread wraps you use to tie in your materials and things will eventually get easier. I can't tell from the photo, but did you counter-wrap your wire? It makes the abdomen more durable, otherwise the wire tends to work its way between the PT fibers.

 

It's just one of those patterns you need to tie a million times to get it to turn out right. Overall a nice first attempt!

[Bryan Wright 0]

I did not counter wrap the wire. Next time (as in tonight) I will try that. I don't know why I am stuck on this one but I want to keep working on it and get it down. I think it will be a killer with the trout.

 

What sizes do you tie this in. Like I said this was a 14 I tied it in a 10 but thought it was too big.

[boynabubble 0]

I see you live in Omaha. Where do you fish for tout? Have you ever fished in the Black Hills?

 

I tie my PTs in sizes 16-20, the trout around here like smaller bugs. When I tie them that small I don't usually add legs. I think the difficulty of tying in legs on the smaller PTs outweighs the benefits. It is definitely a pattern to practice and tie well if you ever fish for trout. It works everywhere. You might want to tie some with beadheads too.

 

Even though it's an old and very general pattern, it's still one of the best 'bread and butter' everyday nymphs IMO.

[Slate_Drake_9 0]

I think it will be a killer with the trout.

 

If you can't catch a trout on a PT, then you should turn in your flyfishing equipment and get a can of worms.

[Moscow 0]

Nice tie Brian!

 

I was surprised the instructions do not show the rib being counter-wrapped. That just seems like a given. I always counter-wrap as boynabubble mentions for durability. A variation I've been tying lately is to add a clear olive bead. They make great dropper flies (hopper/dropper setup) in sizes #16-18.

 

Moscow

[NJ All Day 0]

I only tie mine with wire now. I like the look better and I think I catch more fish. it also helps with the weight of the fly. When you get a chance just look up Frank Sawyers PTN and it's the original with wire that I like to tie. Every now and I'll add some dubbing strait from a Hares mask and make sure it's nice and buggy.

[Bryan Wright 0]

I see you live in Omaha. Where do you fish for tout? Have you ever fished in the Black Hills?

 

I tie my PTs in sizes 16-20, the trout around here like smaller bugs. When I tie them that small I don't usually add legs. I think the difficulty of tying in legs on the smaller PTs outweighs the benefits. It is definitely a pattern to practice and tie well if you ever fish for trout. It works everywhere. You might want to tie some with beadheads too.

 

Even though it's an old and very general pattern, it's still one of the best 'bread and butter' everyday nymphs IMO.

I have only lived here for about 8 months. I have never fished the black hills. I also am very new to fly fishing/tying. This is my first year doing both. I will keep tying it and see if I can't clean it up a bit.

 

Thanks

[bgause1 0]

I actually just sat down and threw together a few pheasant tail type variations...so this thread seems like a good place to put up some pics. These are all done on size 10 mustad 3906B which is a shorter shank hook. Coopper cone heads and pheasant tail/body with copper wire rib are the common theme. The two on the left use the peacock herl for a wingcase and some brown-olive life cycle dubbing for the thorax. The two on the right have the peacock as the thorax and I continued the copper ribbing all the forward.

 

 

And another view of the same 4 flies

 

[Bryan Wright 0]

Those look great!!! Awesome :yahoo:

[Mr. Vegas 0]

im tying some bead body pheasant tails tonight and i'll throw some pics

[Bryan Wright 0]

Can't wait to see them.

[Mr. Vegas 0]

i got some tied i just misplaced my camera charger :/ so when I find that I will get them up. I think they turned out good