Pheasant Tail Nymph per Frank Sawyer

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Mataura mayfly
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Re: Pheasant Tail Nymph per Frank Sawyer

Post by Mataura mayfly » Tue Sep 01, 2015 11:02 pm

Nice work William.
What or rather which wire did you use?
I have some very fine but more red coloured wire, salvaged from an old radio part, that I like using for these. Beggar of a stuff to spool and use with a bobbin holder, but if you cut off a length around about what you think you might need and tie these PT's up, it works just like thread- you can even whip finish with it.
"Listen to the sound of the river and you will get a trout".... Irish proverb.
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Re: Pheasant Tail Nymph per Frank Sawyer

Post by letumgo » Wed Sep 02, 2015 6:04 am

Are these tyed with the wire Stefan sent over? Such a nice color.
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Re: Pheasant Tail Nymph per Frank Sawyer

Post by William Anderson » Wed Sep 02, 2015 7:10 am

letumgo wrote:Are these tyed with the wire Stefan sent over? Such a nice color.
Jeff and Ray, the wire is the fine, dark, reddish copper colored, reclaimed wire Stefan was kind enough to send some time ago. It's perfect for these. I've spooled a lot of it. Definitely worth doing. John Shaner was kind enough to give me some that someone had already spooled, virtually the same as this. It really coordinates with the pheasant.
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Re: Pheasant Tail Nymph per Frank Sawyer

Post by hankaye » Wed Sep 02, 2015 9:00 am

dub-ya, Howdy;

Very well tyed PTs. Your familiarity with tying them shows ;) .
Do you have some of the "Browner" European Pheasant to use
as well as Stephan's wire?

hank
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Re: Pheasant Tail Nymph per Frank Sawyer

Post by Smuggler » Wed Sep 02, 2015 10:19 am

William Anderson wrote:Thanks all. I am still infatuated by this fly. I sit at the vise without a plan and it's the first thing that comes to mind. These work great and sink quick. As a point fly where a soft hackle is on a dropper these are often taken on the swing. I just like tying them.
Aren't these fun to tie? I enjoy tying them in the traditional sense by cutting a length of wire and free handing them. Gives you a better understanding for fly durability and a greater respect for the simple yet effective design.
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Re: Pheasant Tail Nymph per Frank Sawyer

Post by William Anderson » Wed Sep 02, 2015 4:45 pm

hankaye wrote:dub-ya, Howdy;

Very well tyed PTs. Your familiarity with tying them shows ;) .
Do you have some of the "Browner" European Pheasant to use
as well as Stephan's wire?

hank
Hank, I'm only aware of the ring neck pheasant (common pheasant) used for this fly. Not sure about a brown pheasant, but ringnecks are a bird native to Eastern Asia, imported to Western Europe at some time shortly before being introduced into California around 1850 and then introduced to the Eastern U.S. around 1880. Sawyer would certainly have had loads of ringnecks at his disposal. They quickly became a very popular game bird in the UK. One of the things I like most about the ringneck tails is that rich irredescent quality.
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Re: Pheasant Tail Nymph per Frank Sawyer

Post by Mataura mayfly » Wed Sep 02, 2015 7:40 pm

I think Ringneck would have been (and still is) the Pheasant of choice when it comes to donating tail feathers for PT nymphs, but I tie a lot of them with Golden Pheasant tail feathers. ;)
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Re: Pheasant Tail Nymph per Frank Sawyer

Post by hankaye » Wed Sep 02, 2015 9:24 pm

dub-ya, Howdy;

It was my understanding that the "Euro" ring necks were of a darker Brown color
then the ones we have here in the States. Might be wrong, ... won't be the fist time.
Perhaps some of the knowledgeable might help out here???

hank

PS just stumbled across this from 1878 starts on pg. 387;
https://books.google.com/books?id=CS9JA ... ts&f=false
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Re: Pheasant Tail Nymph per Frank Sawyer

Post by William Anderson » Thu Sep 03, 2015 8:11 am

Jeff, I've used golden pheasant for loads of patterns. We have lots of nymphs sporting beautiful mottling. Besides, the golden pheasant is just striking. I have tied a few PTN's using Sawyer's construction, but haven't photographed any. Here's a bastardized version. :D

Image
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Re: Pheasant Tail Nymph per Frank Sawyer

Post by Mataura mayfly » Thu Sep 03, 2015 6:35 pm

Here you go Hank, Hans seems to back up your Euro versus Ringneck theory. ;)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1Jd1YAMntw
"Listen to the sound of the river and you will get a trout".... Irish proverb.
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