American Pheasant Tail Nymph

This American Pheasant Tail Nymph pattern is an all season pattern depending on elevation. This American Pheasant Tail Nymph is broad spectrum pattern used to imitate many different mayfly nymphs, including Pale Morning Duns, Blue Winged Olives and most commonly in lakes Callibaetis mayfly nymphs. The Callibaetis mayfly has multiple species ranging in geographical location, but predominantly in the Western United States. Hatches occur throughout the season depending on location and this extends the life of the use of this pattern.  

The original “Pheasant Tail” pattern is credited to an Englishman, Frank Sawyer, who composed his nymph pattern to imitate a number of nymphs, with the American Pheasant Tail Nymph variation being largely credited to Al Troth.   These nymphs will typically inhabit slower waters with more aquatic vegetation. They can be found in multiple elevations and in streams, rivers and lakes alike.

In a lake or still body of water fish this pattern just below the surface on a sink and retrieve figure of eight, pausing intermittently to allow the nymph to remain submerged. When fishing this American Pheasant Tail Nymph, in streams or rivers, this pattern can be presented in a number of ways the most successful being a cast up stream like a dry fly and then allowing it to dead drift drag free. Alternatively, allow the nymph to sink slowly to the bottom just above the vegetation it often seeks and slowly raise the line on the drift, through the water table to attract attention. A slight variation on this is to actually tighten up the line or pull the line as your nymph approaches the lie of a fish you are sight fishing, and this will imitate the natural movement of the nymph through the water table. When fishing this pattern in lake allowing the pattern to drift to the bottom above the vegetation and retrieving the nymph in sharper, quicker pulls though the water table will attract attention.

All flies are tied with American sourced materials including Hareline Dubbin Materials and Whiting Farm's Hackles & Capes and are tied on premium hooks.