PT Jingler by Ray Tucker

 PT Jingler recipe
(a pheasant tail "stiff hackle" variation)
Hook - Daiichi Model 1740 / Size 12 (Turned Up Eye wet nymph hook - 2X-Heavy)
Thread - 8/0 UNI-Thread (Red)
Collar Hackle - Hungarian Partridge (Dyed Blue Dun)
Thorax Hackle - Hebert Miner Wet Fly Hackle (Hen Neck / Natural Medium Grey Dun)
Tag/Rib - Fine Gold Wire
Rear Body - Pheasant Tail Fibers (dyed Olive)
Thorax - Peacock Herl Fibers (Natural)
Head - Tying thread coated in SHHAN clear nail polish

 

 

Tying Sequence - Organized Chaos
This looks crazy and complex, but it is really quite easy and efficient. The wrapping sequence creates bullet proof body, with each section reinforced by the tying sequence.

[*]Tye in the materials in the following order (partridge hackle, hen hackle, peacock fibers, wire rib, pheasant tail fibers). Work from the front (hook eye) to the back (bend) and then wrap the tying thread to the middle of the hook shank. The rear body material is wrapped forward (first counter wrapping the pheasant tail fibers, then the wire tag/rib). Secure the wire rib, then wrap the peacock herl and hen hackle to the middle of the hook shank. Wrap the thread forward thru the thorax (reinforcing the hen hackle and peacock herl). Wrap the partridge hackle collar. Whip finish and your done.

Rince & repeat...

Tie in all the materials.

 

Wrap the pheasant tail fibers forward.

Wrap the wire forming the rear tag and spiral rib.

Wrap the peacock herl rearward, to the middle of the hook shank.

Wrap the hen hackle over the thorax, then wrap the thread forward thru the hackle.

Wrap the partridge hackle rearward, forming the front collar. Tie off. Form a neat head and trim off the thread.

Soft Hackles by Tom Mason

Tom Mason is a well respected fly tyer and fly fisherman from New York. I have been admiring his soft hackles for some time and I wanted to post some of his work here for others to enjoy. 

You can follow Tom on his Instagram page here: https://www.instagram.com/tommason489/

 

Sulphur Soft Hackle

 

Sulphur Soft Hackle

A sulphur soft tackle from Soft Hackles by Sylvester Nemes. Pattern by Ted Ward who developed this fly for the West Branch of the Deleware about 25 years ago .

Hook. Daiichi 1480 size 14.
Silk. Pearsalls gossamer yellow
Tail. 3 gray partrige.
Body. Yellow silk.
Thorax. Natural seal..
Legs. Gray partridge.
 

 

 

The Violet Midge

The Violet Midge
Hook. Daivhi 1180 size 12.
Silk. Pearsalls gossamer Salmonberry.
Body. Same
Thorax. Mole.
Hackle. Waterhen outer covert.

March Brown

March Brown
From North Country Flies by T. E. Print #13 the March Brown.

Hook. Daiichi 1480 size 12.
Silk. Pearsalls Gossamer Lt. Orange 6a.
Body. Orange silk dubbed with Fox ear.
Hackle. I Americanized and used wood cock from New York.

Yorkshire Blue Upright

Yorkshire Blue Upright
Hook. Daiichi 1480 size 12.
Silk. Pearsalls gossamer gray #9a.
Body. Gray silk.
Rib. Fine silver wire.
Hackle. Coot 

The Winter Brown

The Winter Brown #3 from North Country Flies by Pritt.
Hook. Daiichi 1480 size 12.
Silk. Lt.Orange Pearsalls gossamer #6a.
Head. Peacock Herl.
Hackle. English wood cock under covert.
Body. Lt. Orange silk.

The Yellow Woodcock

The Yellow Woodcock
Hook. Daiichi 1480 size 12.
Silk. Pearsalls gossamer yellow #5.
Abdomen. Yellow seal.
Thorax. Hares Ear mix.
Hackle. Woodcock outer covert well marked.

Original 12 Favorites tied by James Leisenring

As I mentioned in an earlier post, the 12 Favorites of James Leisenring is often discussed in flymph and wet fly circles. Lance Hidy, son of Pete Hidy, sent me the below image of Leisenring's 12 favorites. But what is really special is that Leisenring tied these himself. At one time, they were loaned to Lance and he created this image. 

Here is the brief story from Lance.

"This is the 1941 set that Leisenring gave to Charley Rethoret, owner of Hotel Rapids on Brodhead’s Creek, Analomink, Pennsylvania, where Leisenring and Hidy first met in 1935. I photographed the set when its owner, the late Bernie Pociask, loaned it to me. After his death, the collection was sold, and its current location is unknown to me."

You will notice that Lance drew circles around five of the flies. Interestingly these five are the only ones that qualify as flymphs. When emailing me, Lance alluded to the fact that the Tups was a little bit of a stretch since the abdomen is thread and only the thorax has fur. I thought this would be a good time to share a jpeg image that Lance created of the Leisenring Tups. This shows a super close up of the Tups with each detail of the fly pointed out by Lance.

Even today fly tyers still have trouble sometimes deciding if a fly they tied is a flymph or not. I encourage you to read the post I made about it here: https://thefabulousflymph.blogspot.com/2024/05/what-is-flymph.html. It should help clarify details that classify a flymph.