Pheasant Tail

[salmo]

When I try to tie a larger PT nymph I often run out of tail fiber before I get to the thorax. Am I using poor quality PT?

 

[Jay_H]

What size hook?

 

[albatross]

Try adding more fibers, say 4-5. This will have a wider footprint for each wrap needing fewer wraps to get to the thorax.

 

[Jay_H]

I would think you should not be running out of fiber unless the hook is very large.

 

[poopdeck]

how big? I tie mainly 16 and 14‘s with an occasional 12’s and never run out. I just use run of the mill off the shelf pheasant tails so I don’t think your problem is poor quality tail feathers. perhaps you are not using enough fibers. Generally, I’ll use 3 different bunches of fibers. One bunch for the tail, a new bunch for the body and another new bunch for the wing case and legs. however you tie yours you shouldn’t be running out of fiber.

 

[troutbert]

You can use hackle fibers for the tail, then tie the body with pheasant tail fibers.

 

[salmo]

What size hook?

10-12

 

[joebamboo]

Kind of big for Pheasant Tails!

 

[Old Town]

Use a turkey tail feather. Work great!

 

[PennKev]

10-12

If you really need it to be a traditional PT, be very selective about what feathers you buy. You want the biggest, best looking tail feathers. You may have to sort through quite a few to find what you need. The feathers will also have a sweet spot where the fibers are the right length, color, texture, etc to complete a good looking fly in those sizes. You should be able to do #12 with a good feather, #10 will probably be tricky. Tie the fibers in by the very tip, use an adequate number of fibers, and uses hackle pliers to grab the very end of the fibers when wrapping so that you get the most out of the fiber length. Do not try to tie tails, wingcases, and legs from the same fibers as the body. Use separate bundles for each part of the fly. Even then it will be tough to make a #10, especially if you are using a 1x long nymph hook.

Also, other feathers can be used in the same fashion but will produce a different look. Golden pheasant has longer fibers but has a distinct dark brown and golden brown mottling that shows in the finished fly. It actually produces a very nice sulphur imitation in smaller sizes.

Similarly, turkey tail can be used. The fibers are long and heavier so that they build a proportionally thick body. They produce a dark mottled brown fly. This makes a nice body on stonefly patterns.

Really, any large feather can be used in this manner.

 

[bigjohn358]

Kind of big for Pheasant Tails!

Not at all...I use a size 12 90% of time. Its usually my heavy nymph to get me down. I'll have some smaller fly often tied on above it but a size 12 PT is on my line the vast majority of the time at all times of the year! I'm really picky with what feathers I use to tie my phesant tails. The longer the feathers with thicker barbs (or whatever you call them) the better.

 

[hooker-of-men]

I know folks who say that a PT cleans up when used for October Caddis out in Montana. I reckon that would be tied on the bigger side.

 

[McSneek]

Just use some fibers for the tail and cut the butt ends off. Tie in new fibers for the abdomen. I know it’s not using the same fibers for the entire fly but it will look just the same as if you did.

 

[redietz]

Kind of big for Pheasant Tails!

Not really.

The Endrick Spider (aka pheasant tail soft hackle) was originally a sea trout/salmon fly, tied in sizes 8-10.

When Yvon Chouinard famously fished nothing but pheasant tail soft hackles in various sizes for year, that included fishing for bone fish with them. Those were larger sizes.