Kauffman's Pheasant Tails are an American fly that are also highly effective here in New Zealand. This is one of the main flies I fish that we fish with here in the Central North Island and our clients probably catch more trout on this pattern than any other in my box.
We normally fish this fly on point 2 or 3 feet behind a heavier fly like a weighted Hare & Copper using the upstream nymph fishing method either to sighted feeding trout or blind.
Materials
| Hook: | Kamasan 175-14 |
| Thread: | 6/0 uni black/brown |
| Tail/Abdomen/Wing case/Legs: | Pheasant tail |
| Thorax: | Peacock hurl |
| Rib/Weight: | medium copper wire |
Method
- Bind in pheasant tail at eye with fibers pointing forward over eye to be tied back later as legs
- Bind on copper wire
- Bind in tail
- Wind pheasant tail from tail position to half way and tie off but do not cut
- Wind 4 times over the copper ribbing to half way then tight turns to the tie off position at head
- Tie off the copper and cut
- Bind in peacock hurl at half way and wrap tight turns to tie off position near eye of hook and then tie off
- Fold the forwardfly-tying-techniques.htm#3 Ways To Use Peacock Hurl pointing pheasant tail fibers back with thumb and crease and divide in two with thumb nail
- Pull over the rear pheasant tail fibers between the two creased sets of pheasant tail legs
- Carefully fold back legs and hold down the wing case and secure with thread
- Trim wing case pheasant tail fibers at head
- Apply a little head cement to the thread and whip finish.