Hook- Standard or 2x nymph hook sz. 12-20
Thread- Black 6/0
Tail- Fibers from a ringneck pheasant
Rib- Copper wire
Body- Tag end of tail wrapped around the shank
Abdomen- Peacock
Wingcase- Tag end body material folded over peacock
Legs- Tag end of wingcase, folded back and bound down
1-Start your thread and tie in 7-8 pheasant tail fibers about the length of the hook shank do not trim
2-Tie in the copper rib at the base of the tail
3- Now wrap the tag end of the pheasant tail fibers forward over the back 2/3�s of the hook creating a body and tie off, but don�t trim it, we still need these fibers for the wing case and legs
4-Wrap the ribbing forward with evenly spaced wraps over the body, tie of at the front of body and trim any excess
5-Tie in peacock for a thorax and wrap forward just short of the eye
6-Fold the pheasant tail fibers over the top of the peacock and tie down, creating a shell so to speak over the thorax. This is the wing case.
7- Now divide the fibers into two even bunches and pull back along the sides of the fly, lay down two or three wraps to ensure that the legs stay facing back. Now you may trim off any excess pheasant tail fiber, I prefer to trim the legs even with the back of the thorax, but you can do whatever you like
Eric Staswick
Fly tying and Warmwater editor of Fly Fish the West
Pheasant Tail
The pheasant tail is a fly that can be used in almost every river I have fished. Its recommended for the Fryingpan River near Aspen, Colorado, the South Fork of the South Platte near Deckers, Colorado, the South Fork of the South Platte below Spinney Mountain Reservoir, and below Dillon Reservoir on the Blue River in the middle of Silverthorne, Colorado. It is best fished below an attractor nymph that the fish sees but decides to take the PT instead. Or if you have a Flashback PT you can use it as an attractor fly and have a smaller fly on the bottom such as an RS2.
There are many variations to the PT there are Flashback Pheasant Tails, Beadhead pheasant tails (helps it sink faster) flashback beadhead pheasant tail. The flashback has a little bit of iridescent bit of plastic ribbon on the back to help it shine on a sunny day, so as to attract fish. The one most commonly used from what I can tell is just the FB, so I would recommend that.
Jeff Goncalves
Trout Fishing Editor for Fly Fish the West
