Alexandra (Streamer)

I am sure you've seen a few variations of the famous Alexandra pattern adorned with a heavy peacock sword.  But have you ever seen the Alexandra streamer?   This pattern was adapted from the famous English pattern around 1929 by  Frier Guilline in Montreal, Canada, and described as "One the best flies for trout and bass in Canada."  Frankly, it is one of the best streamers patterns period.  Anyone that ties flies knows the magic of peacock, but so few know the hypnotic movement of herl in the water as a wing.  Couple this two attributes and you have one heck of a streamer pattern!

There are a coupe of patterns that utilize peacock herl for the entire wing.  Most have taken a back seat to time and advancements in tying materials. However, the most recognized and still in use today are variations of the Beauly Snow Fly (noted Atlantic salmon pattern), especially in the Pacific Northwest, where tiers have taken steelhead flies to a whole new level. 

You may wish to tie the Demon streamer, too.  The pattern itself is obscure to history.  It is nearly identical to the Alexandra except the tail is red wool vice slips of goose or swan and utilizes light blue hackle for the throat hackle vice black.

Tying Notes:

(1)  The wing can be as thin or thick as desired.  I find approximately 40 to 50 herls perfect for a proportionate wing
(2)  The wing is much easier than it appears. The pattern calls for green (not bronze) fine herl and selecting/aligning those herls directly on the eye stem saves a lot of time of tying this pattern.
(3)  I have substituted the medium embossed tinsel with flat silver as well as the hackle.  Pictured below is an example of rabbit spun in a dubbing loop for the throat.  This provides additional movement in the water.
(4)  Tie the wing a little longer than normal.  This will allow the fibers to breath better in the water.

Materials

Hook:  4XL to 10XL , Sizes 2 to 8 (Pictured is a TMC 9395 Size 4)
Thread:  UTC 70, Black
Tail:  Red goose or swan.  Fairly thin and slightly long.  Tip down.
Body:  Medium embossed silver tinsel
Ribbing:  Medium oval, silver tinsel
Throat:  Black hackle tied in as a collar then separated evenly and pulled down.
Wing:  Green fine peacock herl.

Black Nose Dace

The late Art Flick, a Catskill legend, is credited with devising the Black Nose Dace.   While his pattern was tied to imitate the Eastern black nose dace many anglers, including myself, find his pattern works well in any waters containing different species of dace and roach.  Even if your waters lack these species, the Black Nose Dace is an excellent all around baitfish pattern to offer fish!

The original pattern called for polar bear (white) or bucktail under skunk or black bear under brown bucktail.  Here I have decided to switch things around for a lot more movement in the water.  The wing is comprised of brown Arctic over a thin layer of black temple dog over a dynamite polar bear substitute- skunk taken just aft of the head.  I have also substituted red silk floss for the wool tail. Additionally, depending the source, the pattern may call for a ribbing of oval silver tinsel.  I don't find this an absolute necessity unless you choose to use flat silver mylar tinsel.  In which case the ribbing will reinforce the body.  Pictured below is medium silver Lagartun tinsel for the body.  Optional are eyes painted yellow with a black dot centered.  All the pictures I've seen of the Black Nose Dace tied by Flick lacked eyes.

Materials

Hook:  4XL to 7 XL, Sizes 4 to 10 (Pictured TMC 9395 size 4)
Thread:  UTC 70, black
Tail:  Red wool (original) or silk floss (pictured)
Body:  Lagartun tinsel, medium silver
Wing:  White bucktail or skunk (pictured) over which is a small band of (black) bear or bucltail (pictured is temple dog) over which is brown bucktail (Arctic fox pictured)

Using the original recipe and materials

Organza Ribbon

The summer has been beyond busy for me.   Little in the way of fishing or golf yet a lot of time at work.  Even with the air conditioner going when I get home the house is still a little too warm to sit down to tie with the evening sun beating on the tying room window.  To even things out I've spent a lot of after work hours splashing around in the pool and enjoying adult beverages.

Today I was able to catch up a little on some much needed sleep.  Then I found myself with nothing to do.   So I decided to unpack the last of my boxes containing fly tying materials. (That's only took 2/12 years!)  Inside one of the boxes were a couple of large patches of beautiful white Australian sheep (from seat covers), various fox tails and 8-rolls of organza ribbon.  I had plum forgot all about the ribbon, but grabbing the first roll immediately made me think of quite a few patterns that I use to tie with this sparkling material.  

It should come at no surprise that Organza is an awesome winging material for various patterns.  One of favorite uses was cutting a small patch and utilizing wing burners to create caddis wings.  I still use it quite a bit for wings and gills on midge patterns

While organza is still a viable tying option I don't see it used very often these days.  I imagine with a whole host of new materials Organza gets lost in the shuffle of the "latest and greatest" that catches the tier's eye.

In addition to winging material organza ribbon makes for an awesome effect when used as a ribbing on caddis, stonefly, damsel and dragon patterns.  I sat down and decided to toy with adding organza to one of my euro patterns.   It looks pretty darn good.  If I was a fish...

You can purchase organza ribbon at any notions/craft store.  More than likely it will not be marked "organza," but look for the bright sheen/sheer and you'll be in business.  If you have a little patience to wait on overseas shipping from China, where organza originates, I recommend Amazon.  You find a ton of different colors and widths to utilize.

Materials

Hook:  Fulling Mill Czech Nymph, Sizes 10-14 (size 10 pictured)

Bead:  Tungsten, Fl Orange, size appropriate to hook (3.5MM pictured)

Thread:  6/0 UTC, Dark Brown, or color to match body materials

Underbody:  Uni-stretch, white, to build up taper.

Ribbing:  Organza, Lt Brown, cut in a taper.

Body:  Perdigone tinsel, #223 Dark Brown

Collar:  Hends Spectra Dubbing #335 Dark Brown

Porch Light, Cinnamon (Euro) (Anchor Fly)

What night time insect isn't attracted to a glowing porch light?   This fly pattern attracts the fish... just like flying bugs to a porch light on a warm summer evening!

My Porch Light nymph is a solid anchor fly.  It brings a couple of materials fairly unique to Euro style nymphs to the table.  First, the body is made up of twisted micro Krystal Flash and Sulky.  This unique combination brings a subtle but fiery glow effect- even in low light   As far as the goose....I haven't seen but a handful of Euro style patterns that incorporates biots, but it certainly adds the "bite me" look to any pattern.

Switch out the color combinations of the body and collar!  I tie the Porch Light in black, brown, amber, gold, orange, red, purple as well as iridescent pearl (green) and ultra violet.

Materials

Hook:  Fulling Mill Czech Nymph, Sizes 10-16 (Size 14 pictured)
Thread:  UTC 70, Dark Brown
Bead:  Hot Orange (Size appropriate to hook) (2.8mm pictured)
Body:  Strands of micro Krystal Flash (cinnamon) and holographic Sulky (light copper) twisted. (Pictured is 4-strands of Krystal Flash and 2-strands of Sulky double and twisted tightly
Horns:  Goose Biots, white.
Collar:  Jan Siman UV Bronze Peacock dubbing picked out.

50 Shades Of Hare's Ear: The First 25

50 Shades of Hare's Ear

The First 25

Clicking on number will take you to the full page with recipe

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50 Shades Of Hare's Ear: The Last 25

50 Shades of Hare's Ear

The First 25

Clicking on number will take you to the full page with recipe

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