Hook Size 12/14/16
The Pheasant Tail Nymph Trout Fly was originally designed and tied by Mr.
Frank Sawyer, an English River Keeper around 1930. It is one of the oldest
nymphs known. Mr. Sawyer came up with the Pheasant Tail Nymph for the
chalk streams of Southern England. It was designed specifically to imitate
the Baetis species of Blue-winged Olives that were plentiful in the low pH
chalk streams.
Some modern versions have beadheads but we think the most effective
one is the plain version. It is tied from Peacock feathers using copper wire.
Although it is for the little Blue-winged olives, the fly works equally as well
for many other small nymphs found in rivers and lakes.
The Pheasant Tail Nymph is a great fly for rainbow trout, brown trout,
steelhead, cutthroat trout and brook trout. The fly, often called a PT
Nymph, is going on eighty years old. It has proven useful throughout the
world and in larger sizes, even in steelhead streams.
Mr. Al Troth improved the Frank Sawyer nymph into the American version
of the Pheasant Tail Nymph. He added peacock hurl for the thorax. Our
Perfect Fly version uses the peacock herl.
You can fish the Pheasant Tail Nymph several different ways. It can be
greased and fished as an emerging nymph. It can be fished using added
weight on the tippet or without it. Strike indicators can be used but most
anglers prefer to keep it on the bottom without an indicator.
Wherever you fish for trout, you will want to have some Pheasant Tail
Nymphs in various sizes along with you. If for no other reason, they are a
good generic nymph that will fill the voids for any aquatic insect you may
not have a specific imitation of. It’s the American Express, don’t leave home
without it fly..
