Ringneck pheasant feathers

[dc410]

I accomplished restocking my pheasant feathers today. I came across a real fresh male ringneck pheasant along Rte 183 near Blue Marsh Lake. This is the time of year that I often find some stocked pheasants killed on roadways near State Game Lands. I tie a very productive nymph pattern that totally uses pheasant feathers for the material list. I generally look for two types of feathers. The pheasant marabou (a real nice short brown marabou type feather) located between the legs of the male ringneck are used for tail material. The "church windows", which are the irridescent bluish-green, nicely marked feathers located low on the back not far above the tail that I use as hackle tied in soft hackle style. The phylo feather (palmered as a head) is found attached to the back side of each church window feather. The tail feathers (the most well known ringneck tying material) on a stocked bird often are damaged much like the fins on a stocked trout and are generally not very useful for tying, in fact today's bird didn't even have a tail. Keep your eyes open out on the road, you may come across some real good tying materials that otherwise would just go to waste.

 

[WildTigerTrout]

My son killed a real nice ****bird on the first day of the youth season. It had very nice long, full tailfeathers that I have added to my flytying materials. ;-)

 

[barrybarry]

Any chance you could throw up a picture of your nymph pattern?

 

[dc410]

Barrybarry,

It certainly isn't my own pattern. The pattern, I believe was originally designed by Jack Gartside and used as a western pattern. There have been many,many variations of this pattern tied over the years. I have added a few of my own twists to the pattern and have fished them for many years and found them to be a real productive pattern. I will try to get a picture of it up on the forum as soon as I can.

 

[barrybarry]

Don't worry about it. Sounds like a great use for Pheasant backs.

Thanks.

 

[dc410]

This is my version of Jack Gartside's Sparrow Nymph. The original body for this pattern calls for a mixture of rabbit and squirrell fur dubbed on as the body. One day when I was tying them, out of pure laziness, I started using the fuzzy feathers on the bottom of the marabou feather that I use for the tail as the body. I really wax up the thread, and sort of form a fuzzy feather rope by twisting it on the thread. I have been tying them that way ever since. For a darker brown body I use the marabou fuzz. For a lighter gray body I use the fuzz off the lower portion of the "church window" feather. I tie these fairly large on a #8 or #10 1 XL nymph hook. I generally fish them dead drift on the bottom, but occasionally I will swing them like a wet fly. When you pull one of these out of the water on the end of your leader it will look like a stick on the end of your line. When you put it into the water they literally come to life. The movement of the materials on this fly is what I feel makes it so effective. Below is a picture of the sparrow nymph tied on a size 8 Mustad 9671 hook and a picture of the materials used to tie one of these flies. They are an easy tie and really catch fish!

 

[barrybarry]

Thanks. With the weather coming, I'll be tying.

 

[barrybarry]

Any chance the pictures are of your nymph pattern are included?

I'd fish that second image all day long.

 

[barrybarry]

I see where your going. THANKS.

 

[barrybarry]

Thanks for the pattern. Very buggy looking. Reminds me of a hares ear soft hackle. Great way to use the feathers I would normally throw away

I had some trouble with the head. I need to work on getting the phylo feather to have a a little bulk. I started using two. I think that's starting to work.

Get your chainsaw ready to go. I think we're going to need it over the next couple days.

 

[dc410]

They look good. I use one phylo feather for the head. I tie it in by the butt end of the feather. When you wrap them they will want to seperate into two parts with the stem of the feather in the middle. I usually stroke the front section to the back before making my next turn. This usually will form a fuller head. I generally only make about 3 turns with the phylo feather and then finish the fly. Give them a shot and I am sure you will be happy with the results. They have definitely become one of my "go to" nymphs over the years. Good luck!