Name That Fly #4

[Qwek]

Ok folks, the envelope please.....

For Fly #4, a distinguished lady in her time, a great lady indeed...



Who next ;D ;D ;D

Cheers
Qwek

[FCUK]

Can Alexandra have a go ?

Or rather, can I have a go at Alexandra ?

I hear her statistics are ooh-la-la ;D

;D

[Qwek]

That is what I'll call a quickie

@#%&* excuse my typo. Must try something harder the next time. Anyway it is the Alexandra, and here the brief history on this fly (courtesy of FAOL, www.flyanglersonline.com/ )

Alexandra text and photo by Hans Weilenmann

The Rise and Fall of a Lady - The Story
The Alexandra, or Lady of the Lake, as it was then called, was introduced some time around 1860. It was re-named in honour of Princess Alexandra.

There seems to be a bit of doubt about who created it. Some think it was W.G. Turle, of Newton Stacey; others that it was Dr. John Brunton, inventor of the Brunton�s Fancy. (Another immortal pattern).

The Alexandra is essentially a lake fly. I do not say that it will not fish well on a river, but its old name - Lady of the Lake - infers that it was originally tied for stillwater fishing. And I must say that indeed it enjoyed a much better reputation on lochs and lakes than it did on running water.

At one point in time it was such a popular and successful pattern that its use was literally banned on certain waters!

However, like many of the really �in vogue� patterns of yesteryear, the use and popularity of the Alexandra declined to the extent that it has basically disappeared from the anglers flyboxes. The Lady has indeed fallen from grace...

Yet a graceful pattern it remains. I have always associated the Alexandra with Christmas. Its colours reflecting the vivid greens, reds and silvers of the season! And who knows, perhaps, like the phoenix, the Alexandra may find acceptance once again following a rediscovery by the anglers of tomorrow.

I, for one, would welcome her return.... Hans Weilenmann

Well, there you have it. A great lady.

Till next time.... more typo

Cheers
Qwek