Mayfly nymph
Sawyer's Pheasant Tail (unweighted)
TroutSubsurface
The original Sawyer nymph: copper wire and pheasant tail, no weight, no additions. The point of it is to watch the fish. You cast upstream, the nymph sinks as it drifts, and you raise the rod at exactly the right moment. Sawyer called it the induced take. You will either get very good at it or go slightly mad trying.
Fish this when
Chalk-stream sight nymphing on the Test, Itchen or Avon. No indicator — watch the fish, not the leader. The take shows as a slight sideways movement or the mouth opening.
Naturals it imitates
Baetis nymph
Typical zone & fishable range
usually
Surface
Film
Subsurface
Deep
Setup sensitivity: high
Included in packs
River nymph starterUpstream nymph