Thanks Ed,

It took me a couple of years to com up with that tying based on my observation. The hard part was ignoring or forgetting all the conventions. This one was published a few years ago in Fly Fishing and Fly Tying.

The example is unweighted. The first stage of weighting would be a heavier hook. One thing that people often forget it isn't weight alone that makes a fly sink. Put enough light weight materials on a weighted hook and it will float. What is needed is an overall dense dressing, so hence, slim flies sink faster.

I do use this on rising fish, well not rising but bulging fish. It needs to be cast close in these situations as any long drift can make the fly pass below the fish. Unfortunately I haven't had the opportunity to fish water clear enough to practice the induced take. Which is what the original PTN and Grey Goose were intended for.

Some years ago I saw some "original" Frank Sawyer tyed PTNs. I was surprised how little pheasant tail was in them. If you reverse the proportion of copper wire to pheasant tail you see in modern PTNs it would be about right. Of course the other famous Sawyer nymph is also a superb fly. The Bare Shank Nymph. A variation with black coloured copper wire was my best chironomid pattern last season.

If I want this fly heavier I replace the yellow pheasant tail with coloured copper wire. I'm still searching for a good yellow coloured copper wire (as opposed to gold). One firm will make me some but I would have to order 50Kg (110lbs). Thats a bit much as I usually buy 1oz spools. Maybe I have found it, waiting on the postman.

Cheers,
A.