Soft hackle pheasant tails

[jcotrel1]

Hi folks,

I tied a few soft hackle bead headed pheasant tail nymphs. Does anyone want to try them out? PM me your address and I'll mail them to you. They are not professional grade but I use them all the time in New York state and they work well. They are size 18 with a tungsten bead. I tried to attach a pic. Not sure if it worked.

Jim

[jcotrel1]

I got a taker.

[melk]

Nice ties there Jim. Getting ready for soft water?
Mike

[jcotrel1]

Thanks. Yep, these are my go-to flies in both northern and southern NY when there is no dry fly action.

[Lotech]

I'm counting on soft hackles to work for me this summer, and have bee tying them all winter. I've never caught a fish on a soft hackle and I think its about time. I'm liking the spider patterns best, tied in 12's and 14's, and using Guinea for hackle.

[jcotrel1]

I do very well on them here in the east. Sometimes I'll hang one off a big stonefly or wooly bugger. Also very effective. I like the pheasant tail or hare's ear in 14-18.

[Philly]

Nice. All the PT nymphs I tie are soft hackle. Very effective for me here in SE PA. I tie them from size 12 to 20. Not so many size 20's these days. Only difference between what I tie and your's is that I use a black bead head and starling for the soft hackle.

[hap]

I'm counting on soft hackles to work for me this summer, and have bee tying them all winter. I've never caught a fish on a soft hackle and I think its about time. I'm liking the spider patterns best, tied in 12's and 14's, and using Guinea for hackle.

I use a ton of soft hackles... hundreds per year... I give away a lot of flies!

While guinea is one of my favorite materials (I literally have a BIG tote of guinea skins... 50??? No, more...) it would not be a favored soft hackle... many smaller birds have really nice smaller markings that really work well.

Up front, I admit it ain't the arrow, it's the Indian. If you like them and trust them you will fish them with confidence and they will produce! But consider quails, grouse, starling, and such for some finer markings that will really look good and IME&O fish really well.

[john52948]

I tie and fish a lot of soft hackles, mostly size 14 and 16. been using a size 16 bead head grhe soft hackle lately and have done very well. my preference for hackle is the whitting brahama hen saddles. nice soft hackle with a good speckeled appearance. I use a lot of march brown, speckled gray, and golden straw, which is slightly lighter than the march brown.

nice ties jim im sure they will work well

[jcotrel1]

I use Hungarian partridge for the soft hackle. Only problem is, the cape I have seems to be a little too big for the smaller flies. I usually trim it a bit after they are tied. I like the red tungsten bead. I think it acts like a hot spot.