Pheasant and Feathers

Pheasant and Feathers

David Sparks Ph.D.
David Sparks Ph.D.
Josh Mills has a great idea for flies. You know I am always in search of better fly tying materials for when I am making, especially steelhead flies. I have found that one of the coolest things that I can do is recycle the feathers from the birds that I shoot in the fall. Pheasants have tremendous feathers. Think of all the colors that are across a male pheasant and there are hundreds of different flies that take those feathers. I have been tying them a lot in some traditional style steelhead flies. They have been really nice and effective cause whether you are taking stuff off the pheasant tail, the rump patch is exceptional, side breasts are exceptional and even parts of the back of the neck and underneath the wing. They all produce a different kind of feel in terms of the colors and tones. Each one seems to be a little bit different and they are so rich in pallet colors. Also if you are a bird hunter and you like to fish and if you go out and shoot a grouse, rough grouse are tremendous. I haven't shot a blue grouse in a couple of years so I can't speak to that. A hung variant cartridge for instance is another great game bird and have amazing soft tackle feathers that are tremendous in trout flies. Additionally Quail. But pheasant are the greatest and every time I get a fish with pheasant feathers on-the-fly, it is a way to honor the bird that gave his life for our sport.
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