Pheasant Tail Nymph per Frank Sawyer

[hankaye]

Mataura Mayfly, Howdy;

Thanks for that. Had that nagging thing in the back of my head,
you know the one, ... where you know you read or heard it somewhere
but can't quite put your finger on it.

hank

[Mataura mayfly]

Okay, forgive the crappy photos- not quite up to the form of ones earlier in the thread, been experimenting with one of those clip on macro lens deals that fit your iphone..... thanks TroutmadDave.

This is the wire I like to use.



Here it is laid single strand alongside pearsall gossamer purple.



Wrapped on a #14 hook (standard length) awaiting Pheasant tail fibres.



Now this one, is kind of like Hans ties in the video link above, after tying in tail the wire and fibres were twisted together and wrapped up to the eye over the wire thorax "bulge" and the fibres bought back over as a wingcase- tied off at the back of the thorax.



This one is more like Williams style, abdomen wrapped to back of "bulge", rib bought forward, wingcase over to eye, wrapped twice, open wrap to back of thorax, wingcase over again and tied off at back of thorax.



Just to confuse the issue..... both are tied with Golden Pheasant tail fibres.

[letumgo]

Jeff - I like the photos, but the shallow depth of field reminds me of what I see when I've been drinking bourbon and trying to tye. My flies don't come out nearly that good.

I look forward to seeing more macro photos. They are neat.

[Mataura mayfly]

Ray, very experimental at this stage with the phone camera. There is a group of three lens's with one clip on mount and the fact I use a lifeproof cover on the phone already might have some bearing on the depth of field. Plus natural light is pretty "down" today- forecast snow this evening to sea level........
Bourbon will do that to you, much better to stick only to whisky that has an "e" between the k and the y, much easier on the eyesight and body for over 40's.

[letumgo]

I've wanted to get a set of those lenses for a while. They seem like they would be fun to play around with.

[hankaye]

Ray, Howdy;

Now you know what to do with the next per diem check

hank

[William Anderson]

Jeff, these are both great. I like Hans' tie where he ends up with a very slender body like the olives on Sawyer's Avon. Bill ties a little baetis nymph that looks anorexic but has been his best killer on Spring Creek for years. If I were thinking of this pattern to fish a particular hatch I would be looking for a range of proportions. The ones I've photographed are on the bulky side but I wanted an amount of wire that would approximate a bead. Not as suitable for the upstream presentation higher in the water column, but gets to the bottom. I have these tied more slender and even some tied very thin and light weight.

Both of your examples are fantastic. Love the golden pheasant. I never get tired of the beauty of such a simple pattern and yours are exceptional.

I'd like to fool with those add on lenses myself.

[Mataura mayfly]

William, I have never seen a genuine Sawyer nymph in hand, only photographs, but most seem to be tied on at least a 1XL hook.
If tied on a standard shank hook there is the opportunity to tie a nymph of the proportions that match a 1XL hook of the next size down, so a standard hook #14 can yield a nymph of #16 proportions- thus making a heavier/faster sinking pattern, especially if a heavy gauge wire hook is used. You can also add some wraps of lead wire or lead foil under the copper wire of the thorax to add weight.

Or, you can trail the smaller slender patterns behind a beadhead version where local laws allow for two fly rigs. If not allowed two flies, then go back to good old fashioned split shot.

I do not find your pattern bulky, indeed they look similar to genuine Sawyer nymphs I have seen in dozen lots on a card in photographs elsewhere.

[William Anderson]

William, I have never seen a genuine Sawyer nymph in hand, only photographs, but most seem to be tied on at least a 1XL hook.
If tied on a standard shank hook there is the opportunity to tie a nymph of the proportions that match a 1XL hook of the next size down, so a standard hook #14 can yield a nymph of #16 proportions- thus making a heavier/faster sinking pattern, especially if a heavy gauge wire hook is used. You can also add some wraps of lead wire or lead foil under the copper wire of the thorax to add weight.

Or, you can trail the smaller slender patterns behind a beadhead version where local laws allow for two fly rigs. If not allowed two flies, then go back to good old fashioned split shot.

I do not find your pattern bulky, indeed they look similar to genuine Sawyer nymphs I have seen in dozen lots on a card in photographs elsewhere.

All sound points. I've seen a card of his nymphs, PTN's and Swedish nymphs and though they have a certain look, many from card to card have varied proportions. The most Sawyer-like examples fall away from the third/third/third proportion that I like and have a very short tail, usually tied to the point of curving down the bend a bit with a long abdomin. Very slender. But others more like my offering. I like a longer thorax/wingcase and bring the wing case to the eye, back behind the thorax, back to the eye, then back behind the thorax to tie off. With the ringneck pheasant, even after careful selection for color front and back, you still reach a point where the black portion of the back of the feather comes into play when you go back and forth that many times, which I like for a darkened wing case.

Just for clarity I believe his wife and other family members ties some the flies coming out of his shop. Those have his signature stamp on the card. Flies from his hand were marked differently if I remember correctly.

It's all good. gotta run.

[hankaye]

dub-ya, Howdy;

Question; (Anyone else can jump in with an answer ... )

What size wire did you use when dressing you PTNs? I'm looking for an actual measurement
such as 0.045" or 0.035" that sort of thing. Terms such as midge and Brassie don't compute
inside of my head ( nothing to reference to), Thanks for any information.

hank