Mercury Pheasant Tail

Materials

How to Tie the Mercury Pheasant Tail

1. 1

   Step 1

   Slide the clear glass bead onto the hook and secure in the vise. Start thread behind the bead and lay a smooth base to the bend.

2. 2

   Step 2

   Select 3-4 pheasant tail fibers, align tips, and tie in at the bend as a tail about half the shank length. Secure butts along the shank for a smoother underbody.

3. 3

   Step 3

   Tie in a length of fine copper wire at the base of the tail for ribbing.

4. 4

   Step 4

   Tie in 3-5 pheasant tail fibers by their tips. Wrap forward in even, touching turns to create a slender, tapered abdomen covering about two-thirds of the hook shank. Secure and trim.

5. 5

   Step 5

   Counter-wrap the copper wire forward to segment and reinforce the body. Tie off behind the bead and break off excess.

6. 6

   Step 6

   Tie in a small clump of pheasant tail fibers pointing backward for the wingcase.

7. 7

   Step 7

   Tie in peacock herl and wrap a small, bushy thorax behind the bead. Tie off and trim.

8. 8

   Step 8

   Pull the wingcase pheasant tail fibers forward over the thorax and tie down. Optionally pull remaining fiber tips back along each side as legs.

9. 9

   Step 9

   Create a small thread head behind the bead, whip finish, and apply head cement.