Pheasant Tails

[Foxgap239]

I'm tying up pheasant tails for the youth group and I never really tie a bunch but now I am and I've used up one side of the feather. Are both sides on the pheasant tail used to tie these flies? One side seems more webby and not as stiff as the other side. Am I right or do I just have a bad feather?

 

[SBecker]

Dunno Fox, I use both sides.

 

[jayL]

Fox,

A full pheasant tail will usually include a number of feathers. The largest feathers in the middle will have rigid barbs on both sides. You'll start getting the webby stuff on either side as you work toward the smaller feathers on the side.

Tie a few flies with it and see how it works. If they look good, use the whole feather up.

PS. I tied the non-bh ptails for the youth group, and I used turkey, not pheasant. Don't tell anyone!

 

[Foxgap239]

LOL, thanks guys.

 

[flytyingfred]

I use the pheasant tails only for the tails anymore when I am tying the pt. For the body I use turkey, they are longer and imho they are a bit more durable than the pheasant. I take three or four turkey tail feathers start from where I tied in the pheasant tail and they are long enough to run up to the front of the hook and make the wing case and be folded back to make the legs. the turkey feathers dont look as good for tailing as the pheasant does.

 

[MKern]

What jay said is right on. The first tail feather is the best with having the longest and thickest fibers on both sides of the feather. The feathers are worse in quality the further back.

I always buy single feather from a fly shop. I pick the best one. Sure a singler feather cost more in the long run than just a clump, but a lot less waste and way better quality feather..

 

[quillfly]

when i by pt tail feathers i look for somone selling a grouping of feathers at least 11 inches long or longer that will give you a considerably larger amount of feathers that are good on both sides . also i tie a rust hares mask nymph that i consider a subistitute for a pt .

 

[Chooch]

I get mine from my hunter friends or roadkill, which are not as common anymore. I use all the feathers. Save the ones with the longest fibers for the larger sizes and the smaller ones for the smaller sizes. I generally just use the stiff barbs, however, the soft barbs are nice for the wingcase and legs if you fold back the tips to the side for the legs.

 

[RichK]

What Jay said....and...there are feathers that have less than stiff fibers on one side, and I use those for legs. I use two sets of fibers for pheasant tails: one set (stiff) for tail and body, and another set for the legs and thorax cover.

 

[Foxgap239]

Thanks guys. I got some real nice center tail feathers at the show. Good fibers on both sides.

 

[Coughlin]

Flytyingfred, thanks for the tip. using turkey feather for the body makes really good sense1
Coughlin