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How To Tie Eric Schmuecker's Pheasant Tail Nymph
Eric Schmuecker’s Pheasant Tail
Recipe:
Hook: Tiemco 3769, size 12-16
Thread: Uni-thread 6/0, color to match body
Weight: .020 lead wire
Tail: Pheasant tail, green
Rib: Chartreuse wire, size (br)
Thorax: Peacock herl
Abdomen: Pheasant tail
Wingcase: Pheasant tail, golden yellow
Legs: Tips of dyed green pheasant tail
The purpose of this fly was designed strictly to promote other colors of pheasant tails. Most people tie them in one color and that’s the natural. I’ve fished these other pheasant tails in various colors and they all work well. Colors like orange, rusty brown, red, blue, green and purple have all caught trout. Try them and see for yourself. Great attractor patterns!
Step 1.
Wrap 6-8 turns of lead wire. Pinch of the excess with your nail or move it back and forth until it breaks.
Step 2.
Attach the thread in front of the lead wire and create a thread dam on each side to keep it from shifting.
Step 3.
Tie in about 5 strands of peacock tips for the tail. Measure them to be half the length of the hook shank. Only make a few turns to tie it down. Also, make sure you have some length left so you can wrap it up for the body.
Step 4.
Advance the thread back behind the lead wire. Tie in the wire and wind back to the bend.
Step 5.
In order to hide the thread wraps in the back where you original tied in the tail you’ll want to make the first turn behind the wire and wrap up until you’re over the lead. It’s not important to go all the way up because the thorax will be peacock herl. Trim off the excess.
Step 6.
You should be right on top of the lead wire. First you’ll tie in the back and then the peacock herl, about three stands (twist the herl before tied in). You’ll want to pre-measure so the tips will be long enough to fold back after tied in to create the legs on each side.
Step 7.
Wrap the herl up until you get right behind the eye of the hook. Trim the excess off. You only need to make a few wraps to secure it.
Step 8.
Fold over the pheasant tail and lock it down. Split them evenly and use the thread to force them to the sides. The legs shouldn’t be longer then the fly itself. These are a little long, but will still do the trick. Whip finish and glue it.
