Bodkin / Patterns

Hotspot Pheasant Tail

Nymph · Stillwater · Trout · Intermediate · 1 version

BCFlyguys

  • Hook Ahrex FW550 Mini Jig
  • Thread Fluorescent orange

Materials

  • Head Turner bead Copper bead (1)
  • Coq de Leon fibres Natural coq de leon fibers (7-8 (tail))
  • Flashabou Pearl flashabou (One strand)
  • Pheasant tail fibres Natural pheasant tail fibers (7-8)
  • Peacock herl Natural peacock herl (1 strand (thorax))

How to tie it

  1. Set a copper Head Turner bead on an Ahrex FW550 mini jig and start fluorescent orange thread. The orange is not just thread here. It becomes the hot spot at the end.
  2. Tie in seven or eight Coq de Leon fibres for the tail. Coq de Leon is stiff and barred, so the tail splays and holds its shape rather than collapsing.
  3. Add a strand of pearl Flashabou and seven or eight pheasant tail fibres at the rear.
  4. Wind the pheasant tail forward to behind the bead, tie it off and trim.
  5. Counter-rib the pearl Flashabou for both flash and segmentation, then trim it out. Counter-wrapping is what stops a fish from stripping the pheasant tail off in one bite.
  6. Wrap a strand of peacock herl to form the thorax, tie off and trim.
  7. Whip finish, deliberately leaving a band of the orange thread showing behind the bead. That band is the hot spot and the reason this version outfishes a plain PT.

Tying videos

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