• Place 3-5 fibres of cock pheasant tail along shank with the tips facing forward, extending over the eye so that when they are reflected, they would extend well beyond the bend in the shank. (These tips will eventually form the tail of the fly)
• Tie these fibres in place just behind eye.
• Thread copper bead onto the hook (narrow opening first), and slide it up to where the pheasant tail fibres are tied in behind the eye. Reflect the base of the fibres forward over the eye, and with a little pressure push the bead over the point where the fibres were tied in.
• Now, move the tying thread to behind the bead and make a couple of turns.
• Take both the butts and tips of the pheasant tail fibres together, and carry them back over the top of the gold bead and tie them in immediatley behind. Trim the butts so that they will not extend further back than the body. (At this stage lead wire can be laid parallel to the shank if required). Wind the thread down shank of hook toward bend, tying in the fibres so that they form a base for the body, and extend some way beyond as a tail.
• Tie in copper wire.
• Apply grey fur dubbing to the thread and wind forwards, creating a tapering body, widest at the thorax, immediately behind the bead.
• Rib evenly with copper wire, and tie off firmly behind the bead.
• Use dubbing needle or Velcro to pick out fibres to give impression of legs.
• Tie off with whip finish behind eye. Clear varnish.

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