Dead on With The Pheasant Tail

When I was wondering around the Flyfisherman.com Fly Tying Board earlier I ran across a posting about someone trying to tie a Pheasant Tail Nymph in under 2 minutes.  Here is a video of somebody actually doing it.  Talk about efficiency. So how close could I come? So I pulled out some Grateful Dead, Dick's Picks Number 24 to be precise, for some creative inspiration. What a great show! I envy my fellow Heads that were there that night. I played most of my favorite Dead songs that night and Donna Jean was on but not over the top. I have seen the Dead several times and they always put on a great show.

So can I do the two minute Pheasant Tail Nymph?  I tied up a few for practice and gave myself one shot and one shot only.  Materials are at the ready hook in vise and thread in hand. Start the stop watch and off I go.  Things go pretty smoothly and I'm not rushing just tying quickly. OOPs fumbled picking up the whip finisher. There done, stop watch stopped...  How did I do?  Not under two minutes but a very respectable 2:40.  Not to shabby if I say so myself. Well that was a fun little experiment.  I may have to try again someday to see if I can do better.

Pheasant Tail Nymph

Hook: Mustad 3906 #12-20

Thread: Uni 8/0 Brown

Tail: Pheasant Tail

Body: Pheasant Tail from Tail

Rib: Fine Gold Wire

Wing Case: Pheasant Tail From Body

Legs: Pheasant Tail from Wing Case