Tungsten Bead Head Tailwater Flashback Pheasant Tail Nymph

A guide-developed tailwater nymph designed to fool selective trout in heavily fished rivers. Capt. Ken’s Tungsten Bead Head Flashback Pheasant Tail combines a proven mayfly nymph profile with a fast-sinking tungsten bead and a specialized emerger-style hook.

Description

This custom pattern evolved over many years of guiding on the tailwaters of New York’s Upper Delaware River. Developed by Capt. Ken Tutalo and members of his guide staff, it reflects years of experience fishing for selective trout in challenging, heavily pressured waters.

The pattern was refined into the version Capt. Ken has relied on for the past decade. It has consistently produced takes when more traditional nymph patterns are being ignored.

Although developed on the Upper Delaware, this fly has proven useful anywhere trout feed on small aquatic insects. It is particularly well suited to large Western tailwaters, East Tennessee, Arkansas, and other rivers where trout spend much of their time feeding on tiny insects.

The tungsten bead helps get the fly down quickly, an important advantage when fishing small patterns in deep runs and heavy currents.

Why Fish the Tailwater Flashback Pheasant Tail?

• Guide-developed pattern: Refined through years of fishing the demanding tailwaters of the Upper Delaware River.

• Tungsten bead head: Gets the fly down quickly when fishing deep or fast-moving water.

• Flashback profile: Adds a subtle visual element to a familiar pheasant tail nymph imitation.

• Specialized emerger-style hook: Designed to provide a more secure hook-up than traditional small J-style hooks.

• Tailwater versatility: An excellent choice for selective trout feeding on tiny insects.

How to Fish It

Fish this pattern in a multi-fly nymph rig, adjusting your depth and weight to keep it drifting naturally near the bottom. The tungsten bead is especially useful in deeper runs and heavier flows where lightweight nymphs can struggle to reach feeding trout.

It is also an excellent choice when trout are pressured and refusing more conventional patterns. Try different colors and sizes to find what the fish respond to under changing conditions.

Capt. Ken’s Guide Tips

One of the challenges of fishing tiny flies in large tailwater rivers is not just getting a take—it's keeping the fish hooked long enough to land it.

Over the years, I noticed that I consistently landed more trout for my clients when using emerger-style hooks instead of tiny traditional J-style hooks. When you get a solid hook-set with these specialized hooks, the hook tends to stay put.

That's why we use this style of hook on many of our custom tungsten Pheasant Tail nymphs and emerger patterns. When you're fishing small flies in heavy current, the right hook design can make a real difference.

Details

• Pattern: Tungsten Bead Head Tailwater Flashback Pheasant Tail

• Style: Custom tailwater nymph

• Bead: Tungsten

• Hook: Specialized emerger-style hook

• Available Sizes: #16, #18, and #20

• Available Colors:

  • Purple

  • Pearl

  • Red

• Purchase Options: 3-packs, half-dozens, and full dozens

Choose your preferred size, color, and quantity from the drop-down menu.

A custom guide-developed nymph for anglers who regularly fish technical tailwaters and need a dependable small-fly presentation.