Tying with Ringneck Pheasant feathers

[dc410]

I have always enjoyed tying and fishing flies constructed with Pheasant feathers. The male Ringneck Pheasant has some of the most beautiful feathers IMO when it comes to the coloring and markings on the feathers. I have been researching some of the many patterns developed by Jack Gartside. Gartside was an innovative tyer who had found a practical use for almost every type of feather on a ringneck pheasant skin from the crest on the head to the tip of the tail. I am starting this thread with the hope that other tyers who have that Ringneck Pheasant skin tucked away in that bottom drawer of their tying desk will get it out and let their imaginations run wild with the many uses for these beautifual feathers. Please post up some photos of some of your innovative pheasant feather patterns. I have several different ideas for other patterns in my mind but they need to be refined at this point. I will start things off with a version of the Pheasant Matuka. Good luck with your pheasant feather patterns.

Pheasant Matuka

Hook: Daiichi 1530 size 4
Thread: 6/0 Black
Body: Braided gold tinsel yarn
Rib: very fine gold wire to tie down wing
Wing: Pheasant body feather with black spot near tip
Throat: Red Krystal Flash
Cheek: Tip of blue/green lower back Pheasant feather
Hackle: Blue/green lower back feather tied in soft hackle style

 

[Fishidiot]

No doubt - ringnecks provide a lot of feathers. Of course, the standard PT nymph may be the most widely used fly made with this bird's feathers. Personally, I have got away from using fibers of pheasant tail feathers for the tails of nymphs like the PT. In my experience, these fibers are fragile and prone to break. However, other feathers from the back and neck, when in small sizes, make pretty good hackles for soft hackle nymphs. The bigger, brighter, iridescent colored body feathers also make some nice feather wing streamer concoctions, much like the version shown above.

You can have a lot fun with a pheasant skin.....and if you hunt or have hunting buddies, it's usually pretty easy to have plenty of skins.

(Now if I could just get my bird hunting buddies to get me some wood ducks and Hungarian partridges. :roll

 

[eunanhendron]

Check out the Mrs. Simpson, a New Zealand streamer

 

[gfen]

http://www.jackgartside.com/art_pheasant_feathers.htm

 

[blueheron]

I like the aftershaft feathers on pheasants and grouse and quail and the like, they're similar and soft ,grey and make a great trailing shuck on any pattern where that would be handy.

 

[gutcutter]

Not my original design, but I had never seen it before.
This is my "go to" cress bug on any limestoner:

 

[jay348]

gutcutter wrote:
Not my original design, but I had never seen it before.
This is my "go to" cress bug on any limestoner:

That's purdy.

Is the feather just tied down on both ends? Shaggy dubbing underneath?

 

[gutcutter]

Thanks. It is a very simple pattern.
The tip of the feather is tied in upside down at the bend. Dub the body and comb it out. Pull the feather over and tie it off, forming the head in the process.

 

[dc410]

blueheron wrote:
I like the aftershaft feathers on pheasants and grouse and quail and the like, they're similar and soft ,grey and make a great trailing shuck on any pattern where that would be handy.

I like working with the aftershaft feathers too. I will be tying a Jack Gartside pattern at the upcoming Tying Jam that uses a pheasant aftershaft feather. There are many different ways that these feathers can be used very effectively. The pattern that gutcutter posted above is a perfect example of that. Good stuff!

 

[dc410]

eunanhendron wrote:
Check out the Mrs. Simpson, a New Zealand streamer

Thanks for the heads up on that one, Eunan. That's a neat looking pattern. I may try to tie one of them up and post it on this thread. I have an idea for a little variation on the Mrs. Simpson to give it even more movement. We'll see how it turns out. Thanks again.

 

[dc410]

Here are a couple more Pheasant feather patterns. A little different version of the Mrs Simpson that Eunan referred to earlier in the thread. The only thing I did different from the original pattern that I found was put an aftershaft feather collar on it. This is a fun one to tie.

The second pattern is basically a wooly bugger tied totally out of pheasant feathers. I love the buggy look but it is a bit of a PITA to tie.