The Flashback Pheasant Tail

2. When and How To Fish It

Use mostly with a bead head for more attraction and weight, but use without a bead head as a dropper or to fish higher in the water column.  If you rig a double nymph, use a less noticeable fly behind this one (attractor used to bring trout closer to see a more natural pattern), on a slightly thinner tippet.

Fish the Flashback exactly as you would a natural nymph imitation using the following techniques:

• Under conditions where more attraction is needed to get the trout’s attention – such as spring flows
• Dead drift by itself, or ideally as a dropper off a Wooly Bugger or large dry such as a Chubby Chernobyl
• Use as a “searching fly” to locate fish when you are fishing a new or unfamiliar water
• Be sure to try different sizes and with/without flash to ascertain what they are taking
• Use a tungsten bead variant as an effective Euro-nymphing fly

3. Tie It, or Buy It?

For fly tying, this is an-intermediate level fly.  As a smaller fly, it has less room for error than the larger attractors and streamers.  It requires a range of skills and several different materials, so for beginners is a good one to challenge yourself to move to intermediate level.  For experts, there are a few variations to consider, but this fly is mostly one to tie a bunch in different sizes to be ready for stream-side and save yourself a little money instead of purchasing.