PT2. The Dark Olive Pheasant Tail Nymph Fly

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PHEASANT TAIL FLY PATTERNS. Hook size 12 14 16 18 - $US each
PHEASANT TAIL NYMPHS & THE WASHING LINE RIG
I like using this set up of buzzers and
Pheasant Tail Nymphs on droppers when
other tactics are not working. Rather than have the point fly at the end of your
leader, the largest and heaviest fly to help the leader sink, I tie on a very buoyant
booby nymph. This keeps the end of the leader up near the surface. I then tie on
a mixture of three buzzers or
Pheasant Tail Nymphs each on their own dropper.
They dangle down in the water, off the horizontal leader, just like clothing
hanging down from a washing line. It simulates buzzers that are nearing the
surface just before they reach the top and emerge into adults. I tie the leader
onto an intermediate or slow sinking line. In August during a heat wave I went to a local fishery in
Southern England. Talking to a few of the anglers on the lake they said that the
fishing was slow as expected. They were all fishing deep with three buzzers on
droppers tied to a long leader. If I did the same I would get the same results.
It was too early for a hatch but I believed that the nymphs might be getting
ready for the hatch and moving up through the water. I tied on a 'washing line
rig' and sent out my first cast. I caught four times the amount of fish as the
other stillwater fly fishermen.
TAILING TROUT
There is a trout feeding pattern that you should always be on the look out
for. The tell tale sign is when you see a fish tail popping out of the water.
The fish is head down in the weed, sometimes ripping out the weed with its
mouth, trying to disturb all the shrimp, nymphs, pupa and scuds that have sort
refuge in the weed. This is where they live and feed. This is the only way trout
and grayling can get at weed imbedded insects and crustaceans. The fish dive
aggressively head long into the weed mass with the object of panicking the
residents to make a dash to an alternative place of safety. This is what the
fish are after. They start to feed on all the fleeing food forms. Do not cast
when you see tailing trout. Wait until the tails have disappeared and the fish
are hunting. The harvesting of panicked insect phase is when the fly fisher can
make the most impact. Place your Pheasant Tail Nymph in the feeding zone and let it let it drift
at the mercy of the current and to tumble about just like the naturals. Give a
short sharp strip to imitate them fleeing to escape.
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