Pheasant Tail Nymph variations (poll)

[tcorfey]

So I have some fresh Pheasant Tail feathers and am getting ready to tie some Pheasant Tail nymphs up. I am considering what variations of this nymph to tie. There are many variations and I thought heck we have not had a poll in awhile. I chose 6 generic varieties although I am sure there are more, was wondering what variations people use the most. I know I have more of the American variety and bead head variety than any other but, was hoping to gain some more insight in to what others are using and why. I am intrigued by the simplicity of the original Frank Sawyer tie that just uses a hook, wire and Pheasant Tail fibers (no thread and no peacock herl.) I realize that the Frenchie is kind of a similar tie so I might try my hand at those too.

Love to see what others are tying/using and their reasons for the style they use. (you can have multiple answers.

Regards,

Tim C.

 

[silver creek]

I would say that a common variation is the flashback PT.

 

[comeonavs]

Franks Flashy version, no recipe on line but there are photos and our own PT explains how he ties them

FRANK’S FLASHY FLY PATTERN | PlanetTrout


My go to nymph for spring and early summer

 

[jspfishing]

Tungsten Jig Frenchie is my sub for PTs. You can do it with a variety of dubbing and hot spots. I like FL. Orange and Red. With UV shrimp pink ice dub and UV tan ice dub. You can even add a strip of flash. I think I'll some with a flash back now.

 

[redietz]

I voted Sawyer and "other," the other being a pheasant tail soft hackle.

Adding herl and tying with thread instead of wire misses the whole point of the fly, which is to be a slim, but weighted nymph.

If I want appendages, I'll use a hackle collar.

I never use beads any more.

 

[dillon]

https://www.beartoothflyfishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Delektable-Fly-Catalog-2019-Final.pdf

There are lots of pheasant tail variations in the above linked catalogue. My favorite is the Delectable Rootbeer Float Yellow (the last fly on p.13). It's a floating softhackle that fishes well when fish are feeding on emergers Or floating nymphs early in a pmd hatch. Fish it when fish can be seen feeding just under the surface bug there are no bugs visible on the surface. Present it to a riser dead drift hanging in the film or grease it and fish it as a dry.

 

[Meadowlark]

I voted "other".

The addition of rubber legs to a BH PT increases their effectiveness here in my Texas ponds easily by 10x. The big bluegills can't resist those rubber legs

 

[planettrout]

This pattern, which is a Sawyer Variant, has worked well for me:

I don't have a photo of one, but a PT tied like Silver's version above - tied with a Silver Firefly wing case in #20, took some really nice fish for me right here about 6AM in the morning one August day:

PT/TB

 

[flytie09]

Looks like a picture from Fly Fisherman magazine. Beautiful.

The subtle variations to the old reliable pheasant tail nymph catch fish. One more than another? That's debatable.

I've swung a hot bead flash back pheasant tail in size 4 and caught mucho Steelhead. It's one of my preferred nymphs....black is my personal favorite.

We all should keep in mind that we owe all our glory to the original pattern from Frank Sawyer..



TYING THE PTN TO THE ORIGINAL PATTERN - TomSutcliffe - The Spirit of Fly Fishing

 

[coug]

Wow, some nice patterns! I am not a big user of nymphs but I must tie 6 or 7 variations of the PT (and WD40). About every combination of nymph hook, scud hook, peacock, flashback, weighted, unweighted for the film, beadheads, sizes 10 to 20. What a great pattern.

 

[MCHammer]

I would say that a common variation is the flashback PT.

I would say that the flashback pheasant tail is my favorite.

 

[tcorfey]

Kind of interesting (at least to me) that most chosen are the beachhead variety and several people like the flashback or hot spot. Flashbacks and hot spots are not what I usually use but Bead heads are. Have to see where this goes. I was hoping for more people justifying the original Frank Sawyer tie and learning how they used them, but definitely understand that it is easier to add a bead rather than wrap wire.

Regards,

Tim C.

 

[Yooper Fly Tyer]

Lively legs american pt

 

[bumble54]

Black, black and black in 90% of the places I fish, #12>#18. Thorax can be black, claret or peacock herl, I don't bother with a back over the thorax because the fish don't care one way or the other. I do tie some with red goose biots at the side (aka prince).

 

[moucheur2003]

I voted "other".

The addition of rubber legs to a BH PT increases their effectiveness here in my Texas ponds easily by 10x. The big bluegills can't resist those rubber legs

Holy s***, I guess everything really IS bigger in Texas.

 

[moucheur2003]

I voted for the bead head but I also like they original Sawyer and a Frenchie (which combines a bead, a hotspot, and usually a jig hook).

 

[ontheflymn]

I tie quite a few variations of the PT. Some of the stuff I tie basically only calls for pheasant feathers for the tail; the rest is synthetic. Most, if not, off my wing cases are flat flashback material. Uni makes some cool colors (some two sided) on spools that make wing cases a breeze. Using a bunch of different colored rib wires to go along with the wing cases and there's not much left from the original pattern other than the concept.

 

[jonbo]

Been going with the "Frenchie" lately (See jspfishing's post). But I might use UV Peacock instead of the UV Shrimp for the thorax and have it look more like a PT, but with a hot-spot (I'm unpredictable!).

 

[jonbo]

One of the places I fish I drive around some in a park. I keep my waders on when I drive. To protect the seat I lay a towel down on it. I fished there last about 2 weeks ago. Well today I picked up that towel from where I'd tossed it behind the seat. Stuck to it was a mayfly nymph that must have stuck to my waders while I fished, then transferred to the towel. It was all dried up, but otherwise very well preserved. It looked in color and proportions just about like a Hare's Ear nymph. This reminds me. Several years ago I was catching quite a few fish on a Hare's Ear. Somehow I had gotten away from them Hmmm. May be time to revisit.

Oops, I just realized that this thread is dedicated to Pheasant Tails and isn't an all-nymphs' thread. Sorry about that, Chief!

 

[Upstate08]

As I posted in another thread, I'm a big fan of soft hackle and have been adding partridge to a variety of patterns with good success - pheasant tails being one of them. I like Matt Grobert's design as shown on Tim Flagler's Youtube channel. I've tied them both with and without the bead:

 

[LePetomane]

I like this version. The copper wire thorax helps it sink faster and it can be fished under a dry fly without dragging it under. It has been a good producer for me this year on a lot of different waters.