Bodkin / Patterns

Mercury Flashback Pheasant Tail

Nymph · Trout · Intermediate · 1 version

Reference Recipe

  • Hook standard nymph (Tiemco 3761), 16-20
  • Thread brown 8/0

Materials

  • Silver-lined glass 'mercury' bead Clear/silver-lined (1)
  • Pheasant tail fibers Natural pheasant tail fibers (tail, body and legs)
  • Fine wire Copper wire (rib)
  • Mylar/Flashabou Pearl flashabou (flashback)
  • Peacock herl Natural peacock herl (thorax)

How to tie it

  1. Slide a mercury glass bead to the eye and start thread behind it.
  2. Tie in 3-4 pheasant tail fibers at the bend as a short tail, quarter-shank long, and catch in fine copper wire.
  3. Wrap the pheasant tail fibers forward to the 60% mark for the abdomen; counter-rib with 4-5 open turns of copper wire and tie off.
  4. Tie in a strand of pearl Mylar for the flashback and a few pheasant tail fibers pointing forward for the legs.
  5. Wrap a peacock herl thorax up to the bead.
  6. Pull the pheasant tail legs back along each side and the pearl Mylar over the top of the thorax, bind behind the bead, whip finish and cement.

Tying videos

← All fly patterns