How to Tie a Mayfly

The mayfly is a common aquatic insect and food source for fish. The insect is especially important for trout living in cold water environments and numerous fly patterns are designed for fly anglers. The mayfly is tied as a nymph, emerger and adult with the nymph being the most common. The nymph lives beneath the surface for one or more years and is available as regular food source. The pheasant tail is one of the most common mayfly nymph imitations because it closely matches the anatomy of the insect.

Things You'll Need

  • Vise
  • Nymph hook #12-18
  • 8/0 brown thread
  • Pheasant tail
  • Small copper wire
  • Peacock herl
  • Whip finish tool
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Instructions

    • 1

      Clamp the jaws on the vise to secure the hook. Wrap the thread immediately above the hook eye and a wrap it to the bend.

    • 2

      Separate three fibers on a pheasant tail with your fingers. Align the tips of the fibers and pinch the tips between your fingers. Cut the base of the fibers off the feather.

    • 3

      Pinch the tips on the bend to form a short tail. Make five thread wraps to secure the tail. Do not cut the base fibers off the hook.

    • 4

      Cut a 1-foot section of small copper wire from a spool. Hold one end on the bend and make fiver thread wraps to secure it in place.

    • 5

      Wrap the thread 2/3 the distance up the hook shank. Wrap the butt section of the fibers around the hook until you reach the thread. Make five thread wraps to secure the fibers and cut away the excess. Wrap the wire in a spaced, diagonal pattern over the pheasant abdomen until you reach the thread. Make five wraps over the wire and cut away the excess.

    • 6

      Separate an additional six fibers on the pheasant tail feather and align the tips. Cut the base of the fibers to remove them from the feather. Hold the base of the fibers on the hook at the thread position. Make five wraps to hold the fibers.

    • 7

      Pull one strand of peacock herl from a bunch. Hold the thick base of the strand on the hook and make five wraps to secure it in place. Wrap the thread to the hook eye. Wrap the peacock to form a round thorax between the abdomen and eye. Stop at the eye and make five thread wraps over the peacock. Cut the excess off the hook.

    • 8

      Pull the pheasant fibers over the peacock and pinch against the eye. Make five thread wraps to hold the fibers. Fold three tip fibers against each side of the thorax to create legs and make five thread wraps to hold the legs.

    • 9

      Hook each end of a whip finish tool on the thread. Hold the tool against the eye and spin the handle to tie off the thread. Pull on the thread to tighten the knot and cut the thread away from the hook.