The simplest way to achieve articulation
& movement in a fly is to construct it out of materials which possess those
qualities (cute as those hinging shanks are). And still truly masterful is
achieving beauty through functional simplicity that is easily duplicated.
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| Pheasant Dace Streamer tied by Steven Bird |
I can think of no material
more useful to a fly tier than a complete cock ringneck pheasant cape. A
pheasant cape will supply you with an assortment of soft feathers in an array
of colorations from cream to black, & with some imitative combinations. The
very soft, marabou-like ‘rump’ feathers found at the base of the tail are great
for use as hackle collars, tailing, & also a lively topping or ‘wing’ for
streamer flies – a ‘soft-wing’, if you will. I like these better than marabou
for a lot of applications. The feather fibers have a little bit more spine than
marabou & hold shape better. Pheasant rump feathers are available strung,
in natural & dyed colors.
I intended the Pheasant Dace
as a generic, all-purpose minnow pattern to simulate dace, chub, trout parr,
sculpin, or most any baitfish found in trout waters, & I’ve found that it
travels well.
Pheasant Dace
Hook: #8
up-eye steelhead style or streamer hook (the heavy wire steelhead style weights
the fly & gets it deeper)
Thread: Olive
Tail: Golden
pheasant crest feather – cupped side up -- same length as the body
Body: Silver
tinsel (holographic tinsel might be a nice touch – red tinsel can be wound over
the front quarter of the body to simulate gills – I apply a drop of Loon Hard
Head & paint it over the tinsel with my needle)
Topping: Constructed
similar to a flatwing, the pheasant feathers trained back & then tied in
horizontal, cupped side down. Materials stacked thus: 1) pinch of white
bucktail to form a base or ‘spine’ to support the wing, extending to about the
tip of the tail; 2) a natural ‘cream’ pheasant rump feather; 3) two strands of
olive flash to create a lateral line; 4) a natural dark pheasant rump feather
Throat: A
small clump of yellow hackle fibers
Cheek: Jungle
cock nails – & finish
Fish NE Washington with Steven Bird: http://ucflyfishing.blogspot.com
