Teeny Nymph

I have been trying to tie the Jim Teeny Nymph and seem to run into the
same problem. I tie on the pheasant tail, wrap it clockwise around
the shank, but then the problems arise. By the time I get the tail to
the mid shank point the tail fibers are a twisted mess. Trying to
fold the fibers back to the hook point and tie it off is darn near
impossible as my fingers get stuck in the point. I figured I would
hide the hook point in the jaws of the vice, but trying to even grab
ahold of the fibers is difficult. Hackle pliers won't hold the
fibers. Same problem exists when I finish the nymph with the second
bunch of tail fibers that are wrapped to the eye. Any ideas?

Thanks