Pheasant and Starling Soft Hackle

Tied by Jay Hall

My fly this year is Syl Nemes' pheasant and starling soft hackle.  It's a quick and easy tie and really effective as a baetis emerger, searching pattern, and very good as a dropper, either from a dry or deep weighted nymph. 

 

Hook: TMC 102y #17  (any 16-20 wet fly hook is ok)

Thread: 6/0 or 8/0 grey

Body: 4-5 pheasant tail fibers

Rib: small copper or copper/brown wire

Hackle: a few turns of Starling body feather (I'm sure that dun hen hackle would work just fine)

 

Tie in and wind thread back to the barb.  Tie in a length of wire, and 4-5 pheasant tail fibers.  Wind the PT forward to about 1/4th shank length behind eye.  Tie in a starling body feather and wind about 2 turns.  Tie off and finish head.

A very quick tie, and simply effective.  Just add water.

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