Pheasant Tail Cruncher

Pheasant Tail Cruncher

Hook - Mustad 3399, 3906 or equivalent

Thread - Black

Tail - Furnace hackle fibers

Rib - Fine gold wire

Abdomen - Pheasant tail fibers

Thorax - Peacock herl

Hackle - Furnace hackle (2 wraps)

Ebb's Rusty Ford

Ebb's Rusty Ford

Hook – Nymph style

Thread – Brown

Bead – Amber glass bead

Tail – Pheasant tail

Ribbing – Copper wire

Body – Copper tinsel

Wing case – Copper tinsel

Thorax – Hare’s Ear

Legs – Root beer crystal flash

Red Holographic Cormorant

Red Holographic Cormorant

Hook - Nymph/wet style

Thread - Black

Body - Red holographic tinsel

Wing - Dyed black marabou

Egan's Red Dart

Egan's Red Dart

Bead - Gold slotted tungsten

Hook - Jig style

Weight - Non-lead wire

Thread - Red

Tail - Red hackle fibers

Ribbing - Pearl tinsel

Counter-rib - 6X mono

Body - Peacock ice dub

Hackle - Furnace

Thorax/hot spot - UV pink ice dub

Barney Google

Barney Google

Hook - Nymph style

Thread - Your favorite color

Beads - Red twisted together with copper wire

Body - Tying thread overwrapped with clear zip lock baggie strip

Throat - Grizzly hackle fibers

Reference - Fly Dressing Innovations - Richard Walker

Caterpillar

Caterpillar

Hook - Mustad 9671, 9672 or equivalent

Thread - Black

Hackle - Grizzly

Body - Black-Brown-Black chenille

Honey Ant

Honey Ant

Hook - Dry fly style

Thread - Black

Aft segment - Amber/honey color fringe bead

Hackle - Dyed black

Front segment - Black thread

Thunder Purple

Thunder Purple

Hook – Gamakatsu T10-6H

Thread - Black

Tip – Flat gold tinsel

Tag - Yellow uni stretch

Tail - Golden pheasant crest

Rib - Oval gold tinsel

Body - Black uni stretch

Throat – Dyed orange hen topped by dyed purple hen

Wing - Moose body hair

Yellow Bellied Mattress Thrasher

Yellow Bellied Mattress Thrasher

Hook - 2XL dry fly style

Thread - Black

Body - Black dubbing

Wing - Deer hair

Thorax - Yellow dubbing

Hackle - Grizzly trimmed flush at the bottom

STP Frogs

STP Frogs
Swimming Topwater Popping

Hook - Tiemco 8089 or equivalent

Thread - Flat waxed nylon

Body - Closed cell foam cut with the STP Frog® Foam Body Cutter from River Road Creations or use pre-spotted Frog Foam® material

Legs - Centipede rubber legs

Eyes - Self-adhesive eyes

Star Fly

Star Fly

Hook - Gamakatsu T10-6H

Thread - Black

Tip - Oval silver Tinsel

Tail - Grizzly hackle fibers

Butt - Fluorescent green uni-stretch or floss

Ribbing - Oval silver tinsel

Body - Embossed silver tinsel

Wing - Dyed black squirrel tail

Hackle - Grizzly

Reference - Fish Flies Volume Two - Terry Hellekson

Bradshaw's Fancy

Bradshaw's Fancy

Hook - Mustad 3399, 3906 or equivalent

Thread - Black or red

Tag - Red floss or substitute

Body - Peacock herl

Hackle - Grey cock hackle

Peak - Red floss or substitute

Bi-color Nymph

During a recent clean up of my external hard drive that holds my fly fishing and fly tying files that I have collected from many years of web surfing, I came upon a .PDF file of a pheasant tail nymph tied by a British fly tyer named Alan Bithell.. So I have decided to make this fly a new arrticle for this blog with a step by step tying instructions.

Hook: Nymph Style

Thread: Color to match body

Tail & Overbody: Pheasant Tail

Rib: Fine Copper Wire

Abdomen &amp: Thorax: Dubbing*

Tie in the pheasant tail fibers with the tips facing forward. The Pheasant tail should be about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hook shank long. Eventually these fibers will be pulled back to the hook bend and will make the back of the fly.

Pull the butt ends of the pheasant tail fibers forward and tie down behind the hook eye.

Pull the butt ends back towards the the hook bend and tie down. 

This is now the built up thorax area of the fly.

Trim off the butt ends of the pheasant tail fibers.

Tie in the copper wire and wrap the thread to the bend of the hook. 

Dub the thread with your favorite dubbing.

Dub the abdomen of the fly.

Dub the thorax with a darker color or use the same color as the abdomen. 

Your choice. Tie off the thread behind the hook eye and trim it off.

Pull the pheasant tail fibers from the eye of the hook back to the bend of the hook and bind down with the copper wire.

Spiral wrap the copper wire forward and stop behind the thorax. 

Add a couple of half hitches or whip finish the wire and trim off the excess wire.

Top View

Side View

TYING TIP: When tying this fly, experiment with different colors of pheasant tail and/or different colors of dubbing. Use gold wire instead of copper or use the Ultra wire that comes in a rainbow of colors.

All Black Pheasant Tail

Natural Hares Ear

Autumn Gold

Autumn Gold

Hook – Gamakatsu T10-6h

Thread – Black

Tail – Dyed hot orange hackle fibers

Ribbing – Oval gold tinsel

Body – Gold seal, goat, dubbing or yarn

Hackle - Dyed hot orange hackle

Wing – White polar bear or calf tail

Tie the Autumn Gold with black thread on a No. 4-6 steelhead hook. For the tail, employ hot orange hackle fibers. Build the body with gold seal or goat and rib with gold tinsel. For the wing, use white polar bear or calf tail. Finish with a hot orange hackle. The classic pattern calls for jungle cock eyes, but they are considered optional for the steelhead tie.

Curt's Special

Curt's Special

Hook – Gamakatsu T10-6H – Size 2-6

Thread – Black

Tail - Dyed yellow hackle fibers

Butt - Dark orange chenille

Body – Embossed silver tinsel

Hackle – Dyed orange tied on as a collar and tied back and down or as a throat

Wing – Natural brown bucktail

Reference - Fish Flies Volume Two - Terry Helleckson

Silver Bell

Silver Bell

Hook – Gamakatsu T10-6H – Size 2-6

Thread – Red

Tail - White calf tail

Butt - Peacock herl

Body – Embossed silver tinsel

Hackle – Dyed red tied on as a collar and tied back and down or as a throat

Wing – Dyed red calf tail

Reference - Fish Flies Volume Two - Terry Helleckson

Oso Special

Oso Special

Hook – Gamakatsu T10-6H – Size 2-6

Thread – Black

Tail – Fluorescent orange floss

Body – Rear 3/4, fluorescent orange chenille and the front 1/4, black chenille

Hackle – Dyed black tied on as a collar and tied back and down or as a throat

Wing – Moose body hair

Reference - Fish Flies - Volume Two - Terry Hellekson

Flirt

Flirt

Hook – Gamakatsu T10-6H – Size 2-6

Thread – Black

Tip - Flat silver tinsel

Tail – Dyed purple hackle fibers

Body – Fluorescent orange floss with 2 turns of fluorescent orange chenille at the front

Hackle – Dyed purple tied on as a collar and tied back and down or as a throat

Wing – Natural brown bucktail

Del Cooper

Del Cooper

Hook – Gamakatsu T10-6H – Size 4-6

Thread – Black

Tip -Flat silver tinsel

Tail – Dyed red hackle fibers

Ribbing – Flat silver tinsel

Body – Dubbed with #30 purple lamb’s wool

Hackle – Dyed red tied on as a collar and tied back

Wing – White bucktail tied over the body

Developed by Mike Kennedy of Lake Oswego, Oregon

Tying note: This pattern call for “#30 lamb’s wool”. In Terry Hellickson’s book, the only reference to the numbers indicated is for a material called “Seal Brite”. I have no idea if this dubbing is still available, but I substituted Uni Yarn for the body material.

Reference – Fish Flies Volume Two – Terry Hellekson

Witch

Witch

Hook – Single salmon

Thread – Black

Tail – Dyed black hackle fibers

Ribbing – Oval gold tinsel

Body – Dubbed with #6 yellow lamb’s wool

Hackle – Dyed black tied on as a collar and tied back and down

Wing – Gray squirrel tail tied over the body

Witch, Black

Hook – Single salmon

Thread – Black

Tail – Dyed red hackle fibers

Ribbing – Oval silver tinsel

Body – Dubbed with #1 black lamb’s wool

Hackle – Dyed black tied on as a collar and tied back and down

Wing – Dyed black squirrel tail tied over the body

Witch, Orange

Hook – Single salmon

Thread – Black

Tail – Dyed black hackle fibers

Ribbing – Oval gold tinsel

Body – Dubbed with #9 orange lamb’s wool

Hackle – Dyed black tied on as a collar and tied back and down

Wing – Dyed orange fox squirrel tail tied over the body

Witch, Purple

Hook –Single salmon

Thread – Black

Tail – Dyed purple hackle fibers

Ribbing – Oval silver tinsel

Body – Dubbed with #30 purple lamb’s wool

Hackle – Dyed black tied on as a collar and tied back and down

Wing – Dyed purple gray squirrel tail tied over the body

The original Witch pattern was a product of Mike Kennedy of Lake Oswego, Oregon.

The other three patterns listed wee devised later by tyers in southern Oregon.

Tying note: These 4 patterns call for “lamb’s wool” in certain colors. In Terry Hellickson’s book, the only reference to the numbers indicated is for a material called “Seal Brite”. I have no idea if this dubbing is still available, but I substituted Uni Yarn for the body material.

Reference – Fish Flies Volume Two – Terry Hellekson

Ive's Green

Ive's Green

Category - Steelhead

Hook - Gamakatsu T10-6H

Thread - Red

Tail - Dyed red hackle fibers

Ribbing - Flat silver tinsel

Body - Fluorescent green chenille

Hackle - Grizzly tied on as a collar

Wing - Dyed red bucktail

Reference - Fish Flies Vol 2 - Terry Hellekson

Swift River

Swift River

Hook - Daiichi 2370

Thread - Black

Tail - Golden pheasant tippets

Ribbing - Flat silver tinsel

Body - Bright green wool or uni-yarn

Throat - Dyed red hackle fibers

Wing - Brown over white bucktail

Reference - Forgotten Flies - Schmookler and Sils

Yellow Poric

Yellow Poric

Hook - Daiichi 2370

Thread - Black

Tag - Flat gold tinsel

Tail - Slip of dyed red goose, duck quill or hackle fibers

Body - Peacock herl twisted around a thread core for reinforcement

Wing - Dyed red and yellow bucktail, mixed

Reference - Forgotten Flies - Schmookler and Sils

Gardwin

Gardwin

Hook - Mustad L87-3665A

Thread - Black

Tail - Dyed red hackle tips

Ribbing - Flat silver tinsel

Body - Yellow uni-yarn

Throat - Dyed yellow hackle fibers

Wing - Light brown bucktail

Forgotten Flies - Schmookler and Sils

Muley Chicken

Muley Chicken

Hook - Long nymph style

Thread - Black

Tail and Body - Deer body hair crisscrossed with tying thread

Collar - Dark hen hackle

Wing - Deer hair

Ugly, simple and effective. It’s a good pattern for the beginning fly tier to gain experience with deer hair. It’s a non-descript pattern that works as well in rivers as it does in lakes and ponds. And it can be fished wet or dry.

In still waters, cast and retrieve the Muley Chicken subsurface for crappie, bluegill and perch, or wind-drift it for trout. On the river, fish it with a tight line, down and across, or float it as a small stonefly imitation.

Bjorn's Clearwater Crusher

Bjorn's Clearwater Crusher

Hook – Gamakatsu T10-6H

Thread – Orange

Tag – Green flashabou

Tail – Golden pheasant tippets

Ribbing – Silver wire or oval tinsel

Body – Peacock ice dub or peacock herl

Wing – Sparse mallard or substitute

Hackle – Brown hen

Sword Fighter

Sword Fighter

Hook - Daiichi 2051 #5 Alec Jackson

Thread – Purple

Tag – Flat gold tinsel and chartreuse floss

Tail – Fuchsia or red dyed golden pheasant tippets

Ribbing – Sliver wire

Body – Black dubbing or uni yarn

Hackle – Dyed purple hackle

Wing – Peacock sword fibers

Pritchard's Western Angler

Prichard's Western Angler

Category - Summer Steelhead

Hook - Gamakatsu T10-6H

Thread - Black

Tail - Dyed red calftail 

Body - Black chenille

Rib - Oval gold tinsel

Throat - Dyed purple hackle fibers

Wing - White polar bear or substitute (i used white bucktail)

Topping - Small bunch of dyed orange calftail, shorter than the wing

This variation of the Skunk (which see), was originated by Wayne Orzel for the Kalama River in Washington

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Father Charles

Father Charles

Category - Saltwater/Sea-Run Cutthroat

Hook - Single Salmon

Thread - Chartreuse

Body - Gold Bill's body braid

Throat - White Calf or Bucktail

Underwing - Yellow/Chartreuse Calf or Bucktail

Overwing - Fluorescent Red/Red Calf or Bucktail

Thunderflash

Thunderflash

Category - Atlantic Salmon / Steelhead / Trout / Seatrout

Hook - Double salmon style

Body - Tight turns of oval gold tinsel

Hackle - Three turns of dyed orange hackle

Wing - Dyed black squirrel tail, sparse

Overwing - 6 or so fibers of pearl krystal flash extending beyond squirrel tail

Red Phantom Streamer

Red Phantom Streamer

Casting & Trolling

Hook – Streamer style

Head – Black bead with white eye and black pupil

Thread – Black

Tail – Dyed red hackle fibers

Ribbing – Flat silver tinsel

Body – Red uni yarn

Wing – White marabou

Created by E.H. “Polly” Rosborough

Forgotten Flies – Schmookler & Sills

Wind River Witch

Wind River Witch

Category: Steelhead

Hook - Gamakatsu T10-6H

Thread - Black

Tail - Lady Amherst tippet

Body - Fluorescent yellow-green yarn

Ribbing - Flat gold tinsel

Throat - Dyed black hackle fibers

Wing - Sparse white bucktail or calf tail

UV Resin

Super Renegade (aka Hooligan)

Super Renagade 

(aka Hooligan)

Fly type – Wet/attractor

Hook – Mustad 9672 – size 4-8

Thread – Black

Rear hackle – Soft grizzly

Rear body – White, brown or yellow chenille

Middle hackle – Soft brown

Front body – Peacock herl

Front hackle – Soft white, dun or grizzly

Coal Car

Coal Car 

(Kaufmann)

Category – Steelhead

Hook – Gamakatsu T10-6H

Thread - Black

Tail - Black hackle fibers

Body - 1/4 Fluorescent orange floss/yarn; 1/4 Fluorescent red floss/yarn; 1/2 Black chenille

Rib - Fine Oval silver tinsel

Collar - Soft black hackle

Wing - A few strands of black krystal flash with black squirrel tail over

Freight Train

Freight Train

Category - Steelhead

Hook – Gamakatsu T10-6H

Thread - Black

Tail - Purple hackle fibers

Ribbing - Oval silver tinsel

Body - Rear 1/4 fluorescent orange floss, Second 1/4 red fluorescent floss, Front 1/2 Black chenille  

Throat - Purple hackle

Wing - White calf tail

Hackle Folding Tool

Below is Tim Flaglers version of a simple hackle folding tool for laid back collars on a variety of flies

I no longer play guitar so I have no picks laying around the house

So I improvised with a bread bag plastic closure (follow the directions in the video to use the tool)

Note: There are multiple ways of folding hackle (most tyers will never need to do this), the above is just 1 more way

Forward thinkers should be able to come up with other pieces of plastic could be used

It even comes with a specially designed hole to provide convenient storage on your bobbin rest

Heres a couple more ideas for the bread bag plastic closure

You can modify the hackle folding tool to include a hole & slit for a "hackle guard" 

and a hole for a "bullet head tool"