Pheasant Tail Nymph (American (Troth))

Nymph imitating mayflies, for trout and grayling. Beginner. Al Troth.

Pheasant tail tail and abdomen with a counter-wound copper rib, a weighted peacock herl thorax, a pheasant tail wing case and legs.

Materials

Steps

  1. Add weight: lead-free wire Wrap the lead-free wire in touching turns from 62% of the way along the shank to 88% of the way along the shank. Under the thorax only.
  2. Attach thread Attach the thread at 90% of the way along the shank with a few turns and trim the tag end.
  3. Wrap thread Wrap the thread to the start of the bend in touching turns.
  4. Tie in: pheasant tail fibres Tie in the pheasant tail fibres, leaving the gape sticking out behind. Tips aligned, on top; keep the butts for the abdomen.
  5. Tie in: copper wire Tie in the copper wire with a few firm thread turns.
  6. Wrap thread Wrap the thread to 62% of the way along the shank in touching turns.
  7. Wind: pheasant tail fibres Wind the pheasant tail fibres forward to 62% of the way along the shank in 8 turns. The butts as a flat ribbon over the rear two thirds.
  8. Tie off: pheasant tail fibres Tie off the pheasant tail fibres with a few thread turns and trim the excess.
  9. Wind: copper wire Wind the copper wire forward to 62% of the way along the shank in 5 turns. Counter-wound, in open turns.
  10. Tie off: copper wire Tie off the copper wire with a few thread turns and trim the excess.
  11. Tie in: pheasant tail fibres (wing case and legs) Tie in the pheasant tail fibres (wing case and legs) with a few firm thread turns. On top at the front of the abdomen, tips forward.
  12. Tie in: peacock herl Tie in 3 strands of peacock herl with a few firm thread turns.
  13. Wrap thread Wrap the thread to 88% of the way along the shank in touching turns.
  14. Wind: peacock herl Wind the peacock herl forward to 88% of the way along the shank in 5 turns. Twist the herls lightly and wind in touching turns.
  15. Tie off: peacock herl Tie off the peacock herl with a few thread turns and trim the excess.
  16. Pull over: pheasant tail fibres (wing case and legs) Pull the pheasant tail fibres (wing case and legs) forward over the top of the body and tie it down at 88% of the way along the shank. Trim the excess.
  17. Tie in: pheasant tail fibre tips (legs) Tie in the pheasant tail fibre tips (legs) under the shank as a beard, reaching three quarters of the gape back. About as long as the thorax.
  18. Whip finish Form a small head, whip finish with 5 turns and cut the thread.

History

Al Troth, the Montana tyer behind the Elk Hair Caddis, wanted a heavier-looking nymph than Sawyer's, with legs that show, and weighted it with lead wire. His version has a peacock herl thorax; Dave Hughes lists it as the Pheasant Tail Peacock Thorax, and in the United States it is known as the Pheasant Tail Nymph, American version. Ben Spinks, though, credits the idea of the peacock thorax to John Gierach's Good Flies (2000). The gold bead (Theo Bakelaar, 1988) and the flashback (Andre Puyans) came later.

Fishing it

A staple searching nymph, tied in the size of whatever mayfly nymphs are about; Orvis presents it as a Baetis imitation. Rogue Fly Fishers rate it for winter trout in western streams, and on lakes it does well when Callibaetis are hatching.

Sources