I like to use pheasant tail and hares ear nymphs for different types of panfish in a local lake, but I don't know how to work it. They sink because of the lack of current so should I twitch it a little or let it sink and strip in slowly?

You kind of answered your own question. Sometimes you let them sink and retrieve them very slowly, sometimes you need to retrieve fast. The fish will let you know what they like. You just have to experiment. You may have success with a technique one day, and it doesn't work the next. I have had good success with soft hackle wet flies with panfish. Also don't forget to try dry flies and small poppers if they are close to the surface. It can be alot of fun.

Hi,
Want some real fun????
Tie it as a dropper behind a small popper, then watch the action.
Bob

Also, try a stike indicator and suspend them off the bottom. Let the waves or twitch it yourself move it.

Do all the above, then...... tie a couple as soft hackles and do the twitches and stuff and watch what happens.
You really want to have some fun, tie them as a bead head soft hackle, put a little bit of frog's fanny on the hackle and fish them as a dropper off a popper. They go crazy for that. I think the frog's fanny captures some air bubbles and it either makes them more liflike or draws attention to them. Either way it works.
Dewey