The One Nymph Pattern to Rule them All!
In the original manuscript of JR Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, a Beadhead Flashback Pheasant Tail is the coveted "Precious" and is the One Fly to Rule Them All!
The dominance of the pheasant tail nymph in all of its many forms comes from three things:
- It can match more mayfly, stonefly, and damsel species than any other nymph pattern!
- It will consistently produce more fish on both lakes and rivers across the country than any other nymph pattern!
- It can be fished with lethal success 365 days a year just by changing up the size and color!
The pheasant tail has held this distinction as one of the best fly patterns for more than 60 years, and will, without a doubt, continue to wear this crown for decades to come. The effectiveness of this pattern comes from its ability to blend and match a host of real aquatic invertebrates. With a subtle shift in hook size, a black pheasant tail can be used to match a Trico Mayfly in size 22, a Hendrickson Mayfly in a size 14, or a Western Green Drake in a size 12! When fish are overwhelmed by options in the midst of an abundant hatch, add the subtle seduction and flash of a metal beadhead or mercury glass beadhead to bring on the strike.
To be an effective fly fisher, sometimes keeping things simple is best. If you are looking for a Go-To nymph pattern that will always produce fish, look no further than the Pheasant Tail Nymph!
