Pheasant Tail - Todd Manz

HOOK:

Mustad 9671 Nymph Hook, #12 - #16 (Standard Nymph Hook)

THREAD:

Black or Brown.

TAIL:

Pheasant tail fibers.

RIB:

Fine Gold Wire, reverse wrapped through body.

BODY:

Pheasant tail fibers wrapped around the shank (approx. 4 strands)

WING CASING:

Pheasant Tail fibers, butts wrapped in, then brought forward over the thorax.(Tips can be left for the wings).

THORAX:

Can Be pheasant tail again, but I prefer to use some peacock herl (About 2 strands).

WINGS:(Optional)

Use the tips of the over-wing once you bring it forward. Tie it down with one to two wraps of thread, then split and tie out both sides of the hook.

HEAD:

Finish with thread.

Move the fly slowly with quick, yet small jerks of the line. Very effective in slack waters of spring creeks, lakes and ponds. Work the fly along the bottom with slow, short jerks and letting it drift down to the fish. Excellent all around wet fly. Used year round.

Attach the pheasant tail fibers so that the tips stick out the back of the hook roughly 1/2 the length of the shank. Tie in the gold wire and leave it extended out the back of the hook. Tie in a clump of pheasant tail fibers to wrap the body, wrap forward just past 1/2 of the shank. Tie off. Reverse wrap the gold wire rib to the same point as where the body ended, and then tie off. Tie in another clump of pheasant tail with the tips pointing to the back of the hook. Once secured take two strands of peacock herl and wrap to form a thorax about double the thickness of the body, tie off. Pull forward the pheasant tail fibers that you used for the over wing, and tie off. If you don't want wings or "legs" on your fly clip off the excess and finish with a thread head. If you do want the wings, secure the over wing with a couple of wraps and then divide the tips so that you can place 1/2 on each side of the hook. Secure their position with several wraps of thread and then tie off and finish your head with thread.

Back