Soft Hackle Pheasant's Tail
The Soft Hackle Pheasant's Tail is the unweighted, swinging cousin of the classic Sawyer nymph. Where the standard PT rides deep under tension, this version is fished just below the surface on a downstream swing to imitate a mayfly emerging through the film. The addition of a partridge or hen hackle collar gives it a lifelike flutter that no rigid-hackle pattern can match. It excels during PMD, BWO, and Baetis hatches when trout are keying on emergers in the film.
- Type
- emerger (Mayfly)
- Hook sizes
- #12–18
- Target species
- trout
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Best seasons
- spring, summer, fall
Materials
- hook: Wet fly or nymph hook #12–18
- thread: Brown 8/0
- tail: Pheasant tail fibers, 4–6 strands
- body: Pheasant tail fibers wound forward
- ribbing: Fine copper wire
- thorax: Peacock ice dubbing or green Antron
Tying steps
- Start thread on a standard wet fly or nymph hook and wrap a base to the bend.
- Tie in 4–6 pheasant tail fibers as a short tail, one hook-gap long.
- Wind the remaining pheasant tail fibers forward in touching turns to the 2/3 point to form the abdomen.
- Tie in fine copper wire and rib the abdomen with 5 evenly spaced turns, counter-wound.
- Dub a small thorax of peacock ice dubbing or green Antron from the abdomen to just behind the eye.
- Prepare a soft partridge or hen back feather by stripping one side; tie in by the tip and wind 1–2 turns.
- Stroke the hackle fibers rearward with wetted fingers, tie off, whip finish, and cement.