The Classics: Cove's Pheasant Tail Nymph

[steve collyer]

In respect to the sad passing of Arthur Cove recently, I present his most famous fly.
In the classic The Pursuit of Stillwater Trout (1975), Brian Clarke refers to this fly as 'perhaps the most successful of all' when referring to deep-fishing nymphs & 'I have caught large numbers of trout with this pattern, inched slowly along the bottom, and I never travel without out'.
In Robson's Guide (1985), Kenneth Robson refers to the fly thus; 'Few fishermen would be without this pattern evolved by one of the Midlands' most successful and skilful anglers, Arthur Cove. Although designated a nymph it has the outline of a midge pupa.'
When speaking of the original dressing on a size 8 longshank, Cove himself said in My Way with Trout (1986) '...so back again to the water where I proceeded to do an unholy slaughter with it...' '...During that first season the original would catch fish at any time, both deep, shallow and on lighter hooks, floating even when the fish were fry feeding, fetched just under the surface with a fast figure of eight retrieve. It was, and still is, deadly'.

Arthur then decided to use standard length hook as well, and found them to be equally as effective.

Here is the dressing from My Way with Trout:

Cove's Pheasant Tail Nymph

• Hook:
  Partridge wide gape down eye; sizes 8 to 12
  Rib:
  Fine copper wire
  Body:
  Ten to twelve fibres (longest you can find), from cock pheasant tail centre.
  Thorax:
  Blue underfur of wild rabbit
  Hackle:
  None.

[silversedge]

Another one of my favourites,still use it today

[maharg]

Yes a very simple fly. Once again, less is more.
I think the way it was normally fished had a lot to do with its success.
Fished dead slow, and I mean DEAD slow it worked wonders.
Nice one Steve.

[1973dereks]

Originally Posted by silversedge

Another one of my favourites,still use it today

Great thread and a great fly, Steve

[g bigtrout]

Was at fishery a while back when an elderly gent walked over and handed me one similar only with an orange thorax.This was after he had 15 fish in a row and was very excited in doing so, and felt he should share his wisdom with me.

[arkle]

I remember seeing Arthur give a talk in Bristol in the late 80's. He said about the fly then that he used it with an orange thorax at times. He also said it worked on anything from a size 18 up to a 4 xl size 4.