Sawyer's Pheasant Tail Nymph
Fly: Larry Medina, Photograph: Hans Weilenmann
Hook: TMC 3769 or Mustad 3906, size 10-22
'Thread': 3 feet of Copper wire, .006 or .0055
(Red and Green work well also)
Tail/abdomen/thorax/wingcase: 4-6 fibers from a Ringneck Cock Pheasant Tail Center Feather
(Longer fibers from middle of feather are best)

Pattern originated by Frank Sawyer, taught to me by Andre Puyans

This fly is an old standard tied without thread. It represents a Mayfly Nymph, and some prefer to tie it with a longer shank, but finding sufficiently long Pheasant Tail fibers becomes a problem. Throughout the instructions, reference is made to a "rear and front" wire. The fly is tied with one continuous length of wire. The "rear" wire is the tag you form in step #1, locking in place in step #4.

Selection of the proper fibers from the tail is essential to forming the correctly colored fly. Look at the back of the tail and locate fibers that are about half black and half brown, which will result in the abdomen being brown and the thorax being black.

Tying instructions:

  1. Place hook in vise and hold wire so it extends 4-6" beyond the bend of the hook.

  2. Pinch wire tight at mid-shank, hold with left thumb and forefinger along the shank.


  3. Begin wrapping long end of wire forward with right hand and stop at a point which will allow 10% of the shank for head space.

  4. Reverse direction and wrap wire to back of thorax (and dependent upon hook size) forward and back again to make thorax appropriate size.

  5. Pull rear wire tag backwards until tight, forming "open wraps" .

  6. Wrap front wire over rear wire forming "diamonds".

  7. Tie in pheasant tail fibers with tips forming tail 3/4 to 1x gape of hook using 2 wraps of the front wire to secure fibers.

  8. Take one wrap under tail fibers to "set" tail upwards.

  9. Wrap front wire forward to front of thorax.

  10. Apply thin coat of head cement to wire underbody.

  11. Wind pheasant tail fibers forward to front of thorax in parallel wraps.

  12. Lock fibers in place with two wraps of the front wire, bringing fibers to top of the hook.

  13. Bring rear wire under tail and lift to spread tail fibers.

  14. Rib forward with rear wire to back of thorax.

  15. Pull fibers to rear of thorax to form wingcase and bind down with one wrap of rear wire.

  16. Take rear wire forward with one wrap diagonally over thorax and "tie off" rear wire in front of where the front wire is positioned. Snap off excess rear wire.

  17. Pull fibers forward over thorax to form final wingcase, bind down with two wraps of wire.

  18. Snip off remaining fibers and tie a two wrap whip finish with wire, making second wrap in front of first and snap off remainder of wire.


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    © 2002 Hans Weilenmann
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