TB CDC Flashback Pheasant Tail

A Modern Take on the Most Trusted Nymph in Fly Fishing

The TB CDC Flashback Pheasant Tail is a refined, high-performance version of the classic Pheasant Tail nymph — updated with a tungsten bead for fast sink rate, a CDC collar for lifelike movement and buoyancy, and a flashback wing case that adds just enough flash to trigger strikes in clear water. It's the kind of fly that earns its place in your box on the first outing and never leaves.

Pheasant Tail nymphs are one of the most universally effective trout flies ever tied, and this version is built for Colorado's demanding tailwaters. The tungsten bead gets it down fast in the Frying Pan's deep runs and the Roaring Fork's swift pocket water, while the CDC collar breathes and pulses in the current to imitate the legs and gills of a natural mayfly nymph. The flashback wing case catches light and adds a subtle trigger that selective trout can't resist.

Pattern Details

• Style: Tungsten bead nymph
• Pattern: CDC Flashback Pheasant Tail
• Sizes available: #14, #20
• Bead: Tungsten — fast sink rate, gets to depth quickly
• Wing case: Flashback material — subtle flash trigger
• Collar: CDC — lifelike movement and buoyancy
• Imitates Baetis, PMD, and other mayfly nymphs
• Effective on the Roaring Fork, Frying Pan, Colorado River, and most Colorado tailwaters

How to Fish It

Dead-drift on a tight line or under an indicator at depth. The tungsten bead does the work of getting it into the strike zone fast — let it drift naturally through seams, runs, and the heads of pools. Pair with a Zebra Midge or RS2 as a dropper for a versatile two-fly rig. Especially effective during Baetis and PMD hatches when trout are keyed on subsurface nymphs.

Available in store at Glenwood Springs Outdoors, 831 Grand Ave, Glenwood Springs, CO.