The Gold Pheasant (from Leonard's 1950 "Flies")

I'm not sure if this is a fair representation of the original as described in J. Edson Leonard's "Flies" published in 1950. Whether it is or isn't, it's a fun and colorful wet fly pattern.
Hook: #6-12 wet fly
Thread: Black
Tail: Golden pheasant tippets
Body: Orange floss
Rib: Gold tinsel
Hackle: Orange
Wing: Golden pheasant tippet feathers
** Some of the popular books used on this channel: **
Fly Pattern Encyclopedia: amzn.to/34U0rUe
Mike Valla's "Tying the Founding Flies," 2015, amzn.to/354oSir
Valla's "Tying and Fishing Bucktails..." 2016, amzn.to/3Jg2Mys
Valla's "Tying Catskill-Style Dry Flies," 2020, amzn.to/3DmYOjJ
Valla's "Classic Streamer Fly Box," 2020, amzn.to/3n3Vakf
Dave Hughes, "Essential Trout Flies," 2017, amzn.to/3lbCZYX
Hughes, "Nymphs for Streams and Stillwaters," amzn.to/3HC2jpc
Hughes, "Wet Flies," 2015, amzn.to/33ac3lQ
David Klausmeyer's "Favorite Flies," 2020, amzn.to/3oeSNMa
Randle Scott Stetzer's "Flies, the Best One Thousand," amzn.to/34Q15mp
Terry Hellekson's "Popular Fly Patterns," 1976, amzn.to/2L4IyvS
Dick Stewart's, "Flies for Bass and Panfish," 1992, amzn.to/3aGpFs1
Savage Flies is a project with the mission of encouraging and teaching fly tying to as many people as possible. The channel is named after one of my western Maryland homewaters, the Savage River. Thanks for stopping by.

[@edpeter9411]

I think my favorite part of your videos is how you show the imperfections and how to overcome them. Nice job.

[@SavageFlies]

Well thank you Ed! If I only showed perfect flies, I'd hardly ever publish a video. :-)

[@marshallbaldwin8960]

This is a crackin wet fly pattern. Thank you Sir Matt.

[@bigdaddy99929]

Love the look golden pheasant gives to our flies. Neat fly. Thx Matt

[@SavageFlies]

I like it too Clyde! I think it's one of those materials that used to be really popular but is kind of under used these days.

[@bigdaddy99929]

For sure. I also think we contend with extreme animal lovers. Not meaning to say I don’t have feelings for animals. Was raised on a farm. Loved my pigs etc but also knew they provided food for us. God bless. 😊

[@georgepretnick4460]

Beautiful fly and big and bright enough for ME to see.

[@SavageFlies]

Hahaha! I'm with you there George. Sometimes I'll tie on a streamer that I know I'll be able to see. There's nothing like watching a light colored streamer darting through a current and seeing a fish swim over from 4-5 feet away to take it. :-)

[@samh4232]

Oh wow! That’s a really awesome looking fly. I’m going to have to tie that this winter

[@SavageFlies]

Definitely Sam! Have fun with it my friend. :-)

[@howardmceachern6614]

I missed this yesterday, what a great fly. I will try this today. Thanks for the great content, Matt.

[@SavageFlies]

You're most welcome Howard! I appreciate the note my friend. :-)

[@BeyerOutdoors]

Thank you for this video. I had a package of golden pheasant feathers, so I tied this exact one with your instructions.

[@SavageFlies]

You're welcome my friend! Thanks for the note. :-)

[@davehall2160]

That is a gorgeous looking fly, Matt. Thanks for the video

[@SavageFlies]

You bet Dave! I appreciate the note my friend. :-)

[@DB-iu8yl]

That is an awesome looking fly.

[@SavageFlies]

Well thank you DB! I appreciate the note my friend. :-)

[@jimgollach6202]

Good job on this fly Matt. I definitely liked the part on how you fixed the mistake on finishing the head. Thanks Matt 👌.

[@SavageFlies]

Oh yeah Jim. Sometimes I think I should edit those mistakes out, but usually I just roll with it. :-)

[@burtonbrocious171]

Good morning matt nice orange fly you tied there ❤ it tks 😊

[@SavageFlies]

Well thank you Burt! For some reason, orange seems to be an effective winter pattern. :-)

[@doncogswell3347]

You nailed it Matt. I like the orange grizzly. Good choice.

[@SavageFlies]

Well thank you Don! I appreciate the note my friend. :-)

[@neilcox2739]

Thanks Matt. Coincidentally, I was looking at Leonard's book just yesterday and was thinking of suggesting it to you as a challenge. Would love to see more flies tied from this book!

[@SavageFlies]

That is a coincidence Neil! I'll try to mix in more of the flies from it. Of course, I think it claims to have about 2,800 flies in it so I'll barely make a dent. :-)

[@ybarrajc]

Another nice one Matt, thanks for keeping it real. Have a blessed day my friend.

[@SavageFlies]

Well thank you! I appreciate the note my friend. :-)

[@DarrellOlson]

Awesome fly. I just love the way you challenge yourself and your viewers. I'm going to have to check out some of my old books to see if I have any recipes without a drawing or photo of the fly.

[@SavageFlies]

Well thank you Darrell! That is one of the fun things about experimenting with the old literature. And sometimes I'll just tie a fly because it has a cool name. But if I can make it fun, why not??

[@Wyamike734]

Thanks for the video Matt. Have a great day and a better week!

[@SavageFlies]

Well thank you Mike! I appreciate the note my friend. :-)

[@jimholland1592]

Good morning Matt great interpretation☕️☕️

[@SavageFlies]

Appreciate it Jim! Hope you're having a great holiday season so far!

[@joeduca8582]

Very pretty fly Matt. I don't know much about that book. But you did a good job on tying your interpretation of it. Thanks.

[@SavageFlies]

Well thank you Joe! There are only 2,800 patterns in it so if I can tie two a week, I'll be through it in about 28 years. :-)

[@kenb4685]

Fantastic job Matt, lumpy or not 😊 Thanks.

[@SavageFlies]

Hahaha! Thanks Ken. I appreciate the note my friend. :-)

[@FlyTyer1948]

Such a pretty fly. In Trout, Ray Bergman lists the Golden Pheasant as a wet fly. The Global Flyfisher website shows several variations as a wet fly & a really nice variation of it as a streamer that is worth a look. Although it’s not true to the pattern, I would be tempted to thinly coat the body with Sally Hansens or clear uv resin. It would provide a lovely halo effect in daylight. Nice tie, Matt.

[@SavageFlies]

Great note Bob! I didn't even think to look for this in Bergman's Trout. But sure enough, there it is on Plate 3. Looks like he's got a different (dark) tail though. I couldn't find this on GFF though. But I did see an interesting one on Reddit: www.reddit.com/r/flytying/comments/hpty7z/golden_pheasant_wing_streamer/?rdt=60846 I'd definitely like to try this as a streamer. And I think coating the body would be a good call if you really wanted this thing to last. :-)

[@BillyBob-nk7qi]

Hello matt I've never commented but I have been a subscriber since high 300s. Congratulations on the channel. Just went back and realized how many videos you have done..

[@SavageFlies]

Well thank you so much for the kind words! And I appreciate you watching these few years, whether you comment or not. :-) The number of videos I've done for the channel kind of surprises me too! Tonight's pattern (will go up Wednesday) was #568. But I'll keep going as long as it keeps being fun. Thanks again for the note!

[@danielbowmaster3979]

Matt I really enjoy the way you do what you do. Thank you for another great video

[@SavageFlies]

You're most welcome Daniel! I appreciate the note my friend. :-)

[@leemowers9395]

Interesting fly, it looks nice and fishable. A couple of observations, a black sharpie touched on the feather stems will make them disappear. I also liked the dry fly hackle as a wing, you could have stopped there. However, that would not use the perscribed materials. Thanks Matt for sharing.

[@SavageFlies]

Good call Lee! I always forget to break out the Sharpie. And without the wing, this would definitely be a sleek little fly. :-)

[@ZacharyBobbie1611]

Awesome video, Matt! I do from time to time enjoy the personal interpretation of the imageless historical flies. Tight lines my friend! 😎🎣🎣

[@SavageFlies]

Well thank you gentlemen! I appreciate the note. :-)

[@johnnylightning1491]

I like it Matt. I'd have put the wing down a little but that's what make this stuff so fun do what you want there aren't any rules. I don't think I've told you this yet, I've booked a lakeside campsite on Lake Okeechobee for the month of February. I've since found out February is one of the best months to fish for bass on the lake as it's in the middle of their spawn. I guess I need to dust off my 8 and 10 weight rods and some big streamers. Keep the good stuff coming buddy.

[@SavageFlies]

Oh man, I am jealous again Dave! A month on a big bass lake?? The best I can do right now is a week off around Christmas where I might get a couple half days on the water. And I'll be amazed if I catch anything at all. :-)

[@user-hv6lx7lx2g]

Matt really like this fly an video

[@SavageFlies]

Well thank you! I appreciate the note my friend. :-)

[@edwardmlotkiewicz2343]

Great video. Roderick Haig-Brown tied his Golden Girl as a salmon fly. I think this fly is also meant to be a salmon fly and a variation of the Golden Girl. Thanks for the history.

[@SavageFlies]

Absolutely right Ed! I first saw the Golden Girl as a streamer but when researching it later learned it was one of his salmon patterns.

[@feeshdaddy7981]

Thanks for sharing brother. I think I’ll tie a few 😏👊🏼

[@SavageFlies]

You're most welcome! Have fun with it my friend. :-)

[@thomasdurkin8719]

Ray Bergman had it in Trout in the wet fly section. Plate no. 3.

[@SavageFlies]

Yes! I didn't even thing to look in that, but sure enough, there it is! It looks like he has something different for the tail though. It just says "black." :-)

[@RyanAshley419]

That's one kicking fly.

[@SavageFlies]

Well thank you Ryan! I appreciate the note my friend. :-)

[@Check-Your-Fly]

Nice

[@Jd-yc3gw]

Good morning Matt. ☕️time. Enjoyed the video. I liked the substitution of the heavier thread for floss. I’ve often just passed on tying a fly because I didn’t have the floss it called for. Hope you enjoyed your weekend. Did you manage to get out and wash a fly or two?? Take care Matt.

[@SavageFlies]

Hey John! Nope, not this weekend, or probably next either. I did have a half day to myself last Saturday, but it was rainy and I've been getting slack with my chores around the house. But I am carving out a day or two over my Christmas leave to maybe hit both the Savage and Gunpowder. Weather dependent of course. I'm getting too old to fish in the cold-- when it's raining. :-)

[@alc609]

One thing I’ve always wondered, but never found any reference material about it, but what is the significance of trying to get two black bars to be visible when using golden pheasant as tailing? I’ve heard some Tyers refer to it, but never found anything about why.

[@SavageFlies]

You know, there's probably no significance other than it might look a little cooler. Sometimes I do try to get two bars showing, but usually I just try to make sure the bars are all lined up. Even that probably doesn't matter to the fish though!

[@alc609]

@@SavageFlies I also found it to be an unusual bird to be used in some old Appalachian patterns, those guys usually just used feathers they found in woods and on the farm