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.