Tying the Soft Hackle Pheasant Tail

Fly Recipe
Thread: Brown or Dark Brown 8/0 Uni or 70 UTC
Hook: 2x long nymph hook
Bead: Brass or tungsten
Tail: Pheasant tail fibers
Abdomen: Pheasant tail fibers
Thorax: Peacock herl
Rib: Ultra wire
Hackle: Hungarian partridge neck feather

Start out by tying a piece or wire along the length of the shank. I like to secure the wire by itself whenever possible, because it is most prone to slipping. Next take around four or five pheasant tail fibers and tie them in as a tail. Like I have stated in previous tying tutorials I like my nymph tails a little on the short side but it is up to you. Now take the clippings from the tail and tie them in facing out the back of the fly.

Wrap the pheasant tail fibers forward to form the abdomen. Now take a couple strands peacock herl and tie them in behind the bead. Wrap the peacock to make a thorax, while leaving a little space behind the bead to work with the hackle. Take the wire and make a few wraps over the abdomen and thorax and tie it off behind the bead. Now take a feather from the neck area of a Hungarian Partridge skin and tie it in behind the bead. These are the ones that are off-white and speckled with black.

Before wrapping the hackle gently hold the tip and stroke the fibers on both sides of the hackle stem backwards, so that the point back. This will help avoid any errant fibers sticking forward, and also bulk up the hackle without having to and unnecessary wraps. Now wrap the hackle and tie it off. You can tie the fly off now or, (like I have done here) you can add a little collar of dubbing to help hold the hackle fibers facing backwards and also clean up the head of the fly.