Neon Pheasant Tail Nymph

Mike's Notes and Instructions:

THREAD: Black or Brown 6 or 8
HOOK: Any Nymph Size 12 to 18
TAIL: Pheasant Tail Fibers
ABDOMEN: Vinyl Ribbing or Tubing small or fine
UNDER AB: Krystal Flash
THORAX: Peacock Herl
WINGCASE: Pheasant Tail Fibers, tips to form legs

For the tail tie in six to eight pheasant tail fibers in normal fashion, although I start at the front of hook and tie in then wrap to rear of hook and secure. This gives me a smooth body.

Secure ribbing with dark color on far side of hook and light color on side closest to tier. Then tie in two or three fibers of Krystal Flash to match color of the fly. For brown I use root beer. Cover abdomen area with Krystal Flash. Tie off and half hitch and cut thread.

Turn the vise towards so the eye of the hook is pointed towards the tier. Now dark color ribbing is on the right and the light on the left. The easiest way to do this is leave the ribbing on the spool, unwind about eight inches of ribbing and then secure in the groove on the spool. You are going to make an overhand knot by taking the light color ribbing and bring it over the top of the dark ribbing, under and through the loop. The ribbing material will change hands in the process. Pull the two spools and the loop will tighten. When it gets to the eye of the hook slide the loop unto the hook with the dark vinyl on top and the light color on the bottom, move it to the back of the hook to the tail fibers and tighten unto the hook. You will now repeat this process to the 60% point on the hook, cut the vinyl, and tie off.

This rest is normal. Tie in dozen pheasant tail fibers, then tie in peacock herl and form a thorax and tie off. Pull fibers over the thorax to form a wingcase, and tie back tips on each side to form legs. Finish head and cement and you have a neon pheasant tail nymph.

You can also use a needle in your vise to make small extended tails for caddis pupae. Tie in cream color antron on the needle, tie in green and clear vinyl tubing, tie in green crystal flash and cover the area for the tail, weave over antron and flash for about third of an inch. Cut vinyl tubing but leave about 1/4 of inch of vinyl tubing as these will allow you to tie to a hook. You now have a short extended tail with the antron sticking out the back. Tie to hook, fold the antron over like a sparkling pupae casing tie off and add dubbing, wings, (I use a cdc overwing) and you have a beautiful caddis pupae pattern.

Tony Spezio ( Froggie, Chili Pepper and fine custom bamboo rods) first showed me how to weave an extended tail mayfly. I thought I might be able to use this technique on a nymph body to create depth, translucence, and a buggy look, thus I developed the neon nymph.