Bodkin / Patterns

Parachute Pheasant Tail

Dry Fly · Trout · Grayling · Intermediate · 1 version

Reference Recipe

  • Hook standard dry fly, 14-18
  • Thread brown 8/0

Materials

  • Dry fly hackle Brown or grizzly hackle (1 feather)
  • Poly yarn (post) White or hi-vis (small clump)
  • Pheasant tail fibers (tail and body) Natural pheasant tail fibers (small bunch)
  • Fine wire (optional rib) Copper wire (1 strand)

How to tie it

  1. Lay a thread base and tie in a few pheasant tail fiber tips as a tail one shank length long, leaving the butts long.
  2. Stand a post at the 65% mark with criss-cross turns and a front thread dam.
  3. Wrap the pheasant tail butts forward as a segmented body to the post, then optionally counter-wrap fine copper wire for durability and secure.
  4. Wrap a few more pheasant tail turns as a thorax in front of the post, or dub a peacock-ish thorax if preferred.
  5. Tie in the hackle at the post and wind 4-5 turns down the post, then secure.
  6. Sweep the fibers up, whip finish at the eye, and cement the post base.

Tying videos

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