www.trout-net.co.uk
trout fishing
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www.trout-net.co.uk |
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trout fishing |
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Alexandra Fly-Trout Flies-Wet Flies |
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The Alexandra Fly has made a significant reappearance having fallen out of vogue for many years and is especially favored amongst sea trout anglers. The Alexandra Fly is a classic trout fly that has been used by trout anglers since at least 1860 when it was known as ‘The Lady of Lake’. It was later renamed to honor Princess Alexandra . As its old name suggests this is a good fly for stillwater lake fishing where it was originally used. In fact the Alexandra fly was once so popular and successful that it was banned on certain lakes. Opinion is split on who invented it. On the one hand, there are those who say W.G.Turle of the Turle Knot (correctly turtle knot) fame invented it. While on the other hand, others credit John Brunton inventor of the famous Brunton’s Fancy’ fly pattern. Notwithstanding this, i for one am glad to see that the lady is once more in grace. The Alexandra fly pattern was obviously not created to imitate a fly but it might be taken for a fry or minnow. Trout are therefore particularly attracted to the Alexandra fly when there are fry around. The way to fish the Alexandra fly is to vary the speed you recover the fly line so the fly darts and pauses as a minnow would. Change course as this increases the flies flash in the water. When it is very windy fish the Alexandra fly deep perhaps on a full sink line to where the trout are feeding. |
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Alexandra Fly Materials |
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Hook: Size 8-12 wet fly ( i find 10 best), Thread:Black 6/0 or 8/0, Tail: Red ibis substitute, Body: Silver mylar, Ribbing: Oval silver tinsel (fine) , Hackle: Black hen , Wing: Peacock sword ,Cheeks: Red ibis substitute. |
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Alexandra Fly Recipe |
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Attach the thread at the eye then run the thread to the hook bend and tie down a doubled section of the red feather to form a short(ish) tail. Make an even underbody by tying down tail material up to a short distance from the eye.Trim off the stubs.Next spiral thread around back to the bend and tie in the ribbing material underneath the hook shank. Return the thread back to the front of the hook, trapping and keeping the ribbing material directly underneath the hook shank. Trim off the excess ribbing material. (Maintaining a totally level underbody will enable you to have a smooth and lump-free mylar body.) Tie in the mylar with a few touching turns of thread, wrap towards the eye of the hook. Wrap the mylar, with the silver side out, in touching turns to the bend, reverse direction and wrap back to front of hook. Maintaining tension on the mylar, unwrap the thread wraps which initially tied down the mylar and trim the tag end close to the shank. Trap and tie down the mylar and trim the tag end. Counter-wrap the body in evenly spaced turns of the ribbing material and tie off directly underneath the shank. Trim the tag end. Tie in the hen hackle and wrap a few turns to make a collar. (I like to tie in the hackle by the butt. Use tweezers or hackle pliers to ‘pluck away’ some of the hackle fibers from the top half of the collar. Tie in a small quantity of herl from the sword feather to form a wing. Trim the butts close. Tie in two matching strips of the red feather, one on each side, to form the ‘cheeks’. Trim the butts close and form a neat head with the thread. Whip finish and varnish head to complete the Alexandra. |
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Wet Trout Flies Alder , Alexandra , Bibbio, Black & Peacock, Butcher, Mallard & Claret ,Dunkeld , Invicta , March Brown, Peter Ross , Teal Blue & Silver, Black Gnat, Soldier Palmer |
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