Bodkin / Patterns

Pheasant Tail Slim

Nymph · Trout · Intermediate · 1 version

Reference Recipe

  • Hook Standard nymph, 1XL, 14-18
  • Thread Brown 8/0

Materials

  • Tail / abdomen / wingcase Natural cock pheasant tail (3-4 fibers)
  • Rib Copper thorax stripe (fine wire)
  • Thorax Peacock or pheasant (1-2 herls)

How to tie it

  1. Cover the shank with a smooth thread base down to the bend. Tie in 3-4 pheasant tail fibers by the tips for a tail half a shank length long. Keep it sparse for the slim profile.
  2. Bind in the copper wire at the bend along the near side.
  3. Twist the same pheasant fibers into a loose rope and wrap forward to the 65% mark for a thin abdomen; tie off and leave the fibers.
  4. Counter-wrap the copper rib forward 4-5 evenly spaced turns (opposite the body wrap so it locks the fibers) and secure.
  5. Fold the remaining pheasant fibers rearward as a wingcase and pin them; dub or wrap a slim peacock thorax to just behind the eye.
  6. Pull the wingcase over the thorax, tie it down at the eye, snip the excess, whip finish and add a drop of head cement.

Tying videos

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