Tying the Pheasant Tail Nymph | Schollmeyer & Peterson

How to tie the Pheasant Tail Nymph by Jim Schollmeyer & Tracy Peterson

Hook: Nymph, Standard to 2X Long #12 - #18

Thread: Brown 6/0 or 8/0

Tail: Pheasant-Tail Feather Barbs

Rib: Fine Copper Wire

Abdomen: Pheasant-tail Feather Barbs

Wing Case:  Pheasant-tail Feather Barbs

Thorax: Peacock Herl

Legs: Pheasant-tail Feather Barbs

1. Mount the thread on the hook, and wrap back to the tailing point. Align 3-8 pheasant-tail barbs and mount them, with the tips extended rearward one hook-gap in length, on top of the hook shank using 3 tight thread wraps.

2. Fold the barbs rearward; wrap the thread back over the folded barbs to the rearmost thread wrap. Mount the ribbing wire over the rearmost thread wrap. Keeping the tag end of the wire on top of the hook shank, wrap the thread forward forming a smooth underbody to the midpoint of the hook shank. Clip the excess wire.

3. Gather the barbs and preen them downward so they form a flat band. Clip the butt ends with hackle pliers, and wrap the barbs forward. Tie them off at the midpoint of the hood shank, and clip the excess. Counter-wrap the wire forward over the abdomen with evenly spaced wraps. Tie off the wire, and clip the excess.

4. Align and cut 6-12 pheasant-tail barbs. With the barb tips pointing rearward, mount the butt ends on top of the hook shank in front of the abdomen. Clip the excess.

5. Mount 2-4 strands of peacock herl by the tips and a 6" length of olive 6/0 thread in front of the abdomen. Position the tying thread 5 wraps back from the hook eye.

6. Gather the herl strands and thread together and clip butts with hackle pliers. Twist the bundle clockwise forming a single strand. Wrap the peacock strands forward to the tying thread, preening back the fibers with each wrap; pause to twist the bundle back into a uniform strand if needed. Tie off the herl, and clip the excess.

7. Draw the pheasant-tail barbs forward over the hook eye forming a flat band over the top of the thorax. Use your left hand to make 3 tight thread wraps to secure the barbs. Clip the excess.

8. Mount 3-5 pheasant tail feather barbs on each side of the hook shank, with the tips extending to the mid point of the abdomen, as shown here from the top. Clip the excess and finish the head.

Excerpt from "Basic Stream Flies" by Jim Schollmeyer & Tracy Peterson