NymphbeginnerSoutheast & Carolinas
Pheasant Tail Nymph
$3.50
Available Sizes#14 - #20
Color Variations
NaturalFlashbackOlive
Frank Sawyer tied the original Pheasant Tail on an English chalk stream with nothing but his fingers, pheasant tail fibers, and copper wire. No thread, no vise, no ceremony. The Americans added a bead head because we cannot help ourselves, but the genius of the original remains: pheasant tail fibers look exactly like the segmented body of every small mayfly nymph that ever tumbled through a Southern Appalachian riffle. On the South Holston during a Sulphur hatch, this is the fly that catches the fish that refuse the dry. On the Davidson in March, it is the only fly you need.
Quick Facts
TypeNymph
Difficultybeginner
SeasonsSpring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Target SpeciesRainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout
Sizes#14 - #20
Best LocationsSouth Holston River, TN; Davidson River, NC; Rapidan River, VA
Where to Fish It
South Holston River
TN · Tailwater
Davidson River
NC · Mountain Freestone
Rapidan River
VA · Mountain Freestone
Map unavailable. Locations for Pheasant Tail Nymph: South Holston River, TN; Davidson River, NC; Rapidan River, VA
Related Reading
region guide
Southeast: From Smokies Brookies to Lowcountry Reds
The American Southeast spans an extraordinary gradient — from native brook trout in the cold headwaters of Great Smoky Mountains National Park to sight-casting for tailing redfish in the spartina grass of the Lowcountry. This is the guide to fishing both ends of that spectrum and everything in between.
seasonal playbook
The Fall Guide: Changing Seasons, Changing Tactics
Fall is when the fishing world rearranges itself. Brown trout become aggressive and territorial as spawning urges override caution. Steelhead push into Pacific Northwest rivers on autumn rain. Striped bass blitz baitfish along the Northeast coast. And trout streams that were too warm in August cool into prime condition. Here's how to fish every opportunity the changing season offers.
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