Beginner’s Fly Tying Class: Oct. 21, 2019

By Don Fine

The next Beginner’s Fly Tying session will be held October 21st. The pattern chosen for that evening will be the Pheasant Tail (PT) nymph.

Pheasant Tail Nymph

The PT nymph has a long history going back to its originator, Frank Sawyer, who was a river keeper in the 1800s on one of the English chalk streams. As a result of its success through the years (as it closely mimics various species of mayfly nymphs), the PT nymph is considered a ‘staple’ in the fly box of both beginner and seasoned fly fishers. Perhaps a hundred variations of the PT nymph have been created based off of the original Frank Sawyer pattern, using beads (i.e. beadhead PT), various ribbing materials, rubber legs, ‘hot spot’ collars, and various colors of pheasant tail fibers. It would seem that several of these relatively new variants do enhance its attractiveness to freshwater fish. As such, the October session will feature two variants of the PT nymph: the Frenchie and the Black/Purple PT nymph. Tying begins at 7:00 PM at Trinity United Methodist Church, room 207.