Author Archives: bill

Fly Tying – 23 Jun 2021 Alexandra (Variant) Davie McPhail Style

Some Notes: JQ suggested “goose biots in red or yellow as eyes for an Alexandra” …. Jungle Cock Eyes are difficult to acquire. I also suggested that the long strands of feather right next to the eyes on peacock tails might substitute for peacock swords which are also hard to get.

Claude will lead via Zoom. His instructions are below. (Were sent by email but replicated here for archive in our Fly Tying blog).

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The Alexandra wet fly originated in Scotland in the 1860s. The artificial fly is also known as the Lady of the Lake, the fly was named by English angler Major William Greer Turle to honor Alexandra, Princess of Wales. The fly is distinguished by the heavy peacock herl wing and silver body which makes the fly resemble a small baitfish or fry. The Alexandra proved to be a very effective fly for trout in lakes and streams in England and Scotland in the late 19th and early 20th century. Many fly fishing purists derided the fly and its use was once banned on many English waters.

Origin

The fly originated as the Lady of the Lake in the 1860s by an unknown angler, primarily for trout in lakes. The fly gained popularity because it was extremely effective fished slowly on sinking lines. Anglers began using the fly in rivers for sea trout and Atlantic salmon with success. It was so effective, that it was allegedly banned from some waters. In the late 19th century, Major William Greer Turle (March 1839 – January 1909), a prominent English angler, renamed the fly Alexandra to honor Alexandra of Denmark, the daughter-in-law of Queen Victoria and then known as the Princess of Wales (1863 to 1901). Turle was a chalkstream angler with water on the River Test near Newton Stacey. He learned fly tying from George Selwyn Marryat and was a close associate of Frederic M. Halford.

Imitates

The Alexandra is an attractor pattern most likely taken as a small baitfish or fry.

Controversy

The “Alexandra”, although a successful fly, was not always welcome on the chalk streams of Southern England.

Some anglers, especially the selfish ones, are in the habit of using a huge bunch of peacock herl for wings over a silver body, called the “Alexandra.” What a profanation to bestow on this monstrosity the name of one of the most charming and amiable princesses of this century! It certainly is not the imitation of any indigenous insect known to entomologists; possibly the bright silver body moving through the river gives some idea of the gleam of a minnow. Long ere this its use should have been prohibited in every stream frequented by the bond fide fly-fisherman, as it is a dreadful scourge to any water, scratching and frightening an immense pro portion of the trout which are tempted to follow it. It certainly would have been prohibited, too, but for the fact that experience shows that in any stream in which it has been much fished the trout soon become quite alive to its danger, and not only will not move an inch towards it, but when worked close to their noses will not so much as turn at it, but at times, on the contrary, even fly in terror from the dread apparition. — Frederic M. Halford, Dry Fly Fishing (1889)

Whether up-stream or down-stream fishing be the correct thing; whether gossamer casts are profitable in the long run; whether one, two or three flies should be used; whether the Alexandra fly is orthodox–these are amongst the topics the assembled fishermen discuss as they sit around on the spot to which the frugal luncheon has been brought, under shelter of the golden-blossomed gorse, their rods spiked hard by, and the flies streaming out before the breeze. If there are more than two present there is not likely to be unanimity upon any of these points. It is well for the tackle makers that new notions–heresies in the eyes of anglers of the last generation–are so freely promulgated. I know some successful fishermen who habitually fish down-stream, and who use medium gut for their casts. In very rapid water, free from weeds (the Derbyshire rivers, and Welsh streams, for example,) a third fly may be added to the stretcher and dropper, but, on the whole, little good comes of more than two flies on the cast. In trout water where the fish do not rise well at the usual flies the Alexandra is as much in place as a spun minnow, but it spoils the fish for the artificial fly pure and simple. — William Senior, Angling In Great Britain (1883)

Materials:

Hook: Streamer no. 10 (or whatever you choose or can handle)

Thread: black UNI 8/0

Tail: Red Marabou or red goose shoulders (or something red)

Body: silver flat tinsel + silver oval tinsel or Holo + Silver wire

Hackle: black hen

Wing: peacock swords + thin red tinsel

Eyes: Optional – Jungle Cock

If you want to see the tie before the meeting, check it out at: Tying the Alexandra (Variant) Wet Fly by Davie McPhail

Claude has created a document showing step by step images from the McPhail video and images from Claude’s material. It may provide an alternative ‘how-to’.

keyword wetfly streamerfly

Gate Installed at Paddy’s Corner – Thredbo River near Jindabyne

This message has been received from Monaro Acclimatisation Society. The gate has been installed due to anti-social behaviour occurring at Paddy’s Corner.

As agreed at a MAS general meeting last year a new gate has been placed at the entrance to Paddys Corner Reserve on the Thredbo River just below the Gaden Hatchery.  Due to the number of people camping at the Reserve during the snow season it was agreed to install the gate and restrict vehicle access to the reserve during the snow season to deter the camping, fires and defecation in the Reserve.  Members need to be aware that the Reserve gate will be open for the entire trout season and only closed when the Thredbo River closes to fishing.  The reserve is open to foot access at all times.  The Crackenback Trust is the MAS Trust for Reserves.

Due to the damage done over the past snow seasons we will need to seek options to have the access road and reserve roads repaired.

Steve Samuels

President, Monaro Acclimatisation Society Inc

Providence Portal Remediation – Latest News

Got some news from Steve Samuels, Pres Monaro Acclimatisation Society.

Dear Supporters, I just thought I would take this opportunity to share with you a photo of the completed bank stabilisation works at Providence Portal.  From my perspective the contractors have done an excellent job and the clay ridden water of the past should be gone forever.  I hope you have had a good season.

Looks good eh? Almost like a real river. 🙂

June 2021 Burley Line (Newsletter Issue 168)

The Tumut trip report that missed the schedule for May Burley Line has arrived – wow! Some excellent photos – don’t you love the bokeh (selective focus on the fish and not the angler :-).  Seemed quite a success despite the high flows and will be a must-do event next year.

Was very exciting to have JQ down here from Cairns and available within his busy schedule to get out for one day chasing our speckled friends up in the Brindies.  This was a recce for a planned club trip next year being championed by our man in London (soon to be back home) Greg W.

I’ve put some thoughts to the committee on trips that I’d like to conduct next season.  Put your hand up folks – the program is in development and all the trips ought not have to fall upon the ‘usual suspects’.

Similarly, the stories here are a bit thin – aren’t you fishing?  We’d all love to hear what you’ve been up to with the close of stream season almost upon us.

Fly Tying 26 May 2021 – Woolly Bugger

Some variations on the Wooly Bugger. Both with and without the traditional palmered hackle.

These images come from our leader, Claude. He remarked “If I ever tie a dodgy fly, I normally use them as a starting fly in a particularly snaggy spot where loosing it wont break my heart 😊. As JQ said, you can trim the tail if you keep having tail strikes.”

keyword wetfly streamerfly

Blood Knot

For anyone who has struggled to keep control while doing this knot, I recently found a video explaining a very nifty trick … toothpick required.

There was also a similar one using your haemostat, handy as we are generally carrying one of these, but it looked a bit clumsy.

Providence Portal Works Completed

Received from MAS. Good news but also a concerning issue

I am pleased to report that the bank stabilisation works at Providence Portal have now been completed.  A small amount of water has flowed down the system ( too small for fish to move up) and this small flow has remained clean.  The Monaro Acclimatisation Society has been in negotiation with Snowy Hydro over the commissioning date for the project and we have asked Snowy Hydro to delay any significant flow until after the close of the trout season (June long weekend), to avoid unnecessary impact on angling.

However, I have received a number of complaints about many anglers driving across the river and this is causing the water downstream of random river crossings becoming turbid, disturbing spawning trout and potentially destroying already laid eggs.  Anglers should note that Snowy Hydro has delayed commissioning of the works and have made a commitment that on commissioning the flow will be regulated to avoid turbidity in the water – but on the other hand anglers see fit to drive across the river, potentially damaging spawning redds, laid eggs and causing unnecessary turbidity in the river.

The MAS will be speaking with Snowy Hydro and NSW Fisheries in the near future to decide how to approach and deal with this issue, but the MAS is committed to ensuring that our trout are protected as are their eggs.  Anglers can assist by not driving across the river, the walk downstream will do you good.

Steve Samuels

President

Monaro Acclimatisation Society Inc

 

May 2021 Burley Line (Newsletter Issue 167)

After getting Peter’s brown incorrect last month, my penance is that he’s photo of the month this month. Actually the image is there to tempt folk into considering the June Chill event – big fish will be around.
CAA went up to Tumut last weekend. The flow was huge, impacting on the fishing no doubt. Unfortunately it seems both John and Claude are busy at work so we’ll have to wait to next month for a report.
Greg S has been sending in weblinks to some interesting video clips and articles. Well spotted mate and keep them coming. I wonder if he (or anyone else) might like to take on the role of stand in editor – now that JQ has moved to Cairns Burley Line is missing this essential portion of the machinery. With COVID possibly easing a bit (New Zealand bubble at minimum), you can expect me to be looking to travel with consequences for newsletter production … think about it folks, it isn’t that hard.
Some funnies from Mike to lighten the spirits, also I’ve ‘discovered’ a particularly good YouTube channel with excellent video quality (I just love closeups of the fish taking the fly) but also instructional commentary along the way.
A couple of important items from Monaro Acclimatisation Society, plus highlights of NSW CFA and RFA of NSW newsletters.

Yearling Trout Stocked into Snowy Lakes

Got this from Monaro Acclimatisation Society

Dear Supporters

On Tuesday 27th April 2021 a band of some 16 boat skippers and crew descended on Buckenderra Holiday Village to assist with the first mass stocking of 10,000 Gaden Hatchery raised yearling rainbow trout into Lake Eucumbene.

Responding to a call for assistance by the Monaro Acclimatisation Society and the Alpine Angler Store, the volunteers arrived in the heavy fog to assist the Gaden Hatchery staff unload and bag the trout.  Once bagged the trout were ferried to all reaches of the lake by boat and were safely delivered into deeper waters where they have a very good chance of avoiding predation from the numerous pelicans and cormorants that call the lake home.

Most boats made two trips and the stocking of the 10,000 yearlings took about two hours.

Feedback from the Gaden Hatchery staff and DPI personnel was that the stocking was fatality free and went on with military precision.

On behalf of the Monaro Acclimatisation Society and the general public who will ultimately benefit from this event I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the volunteers who freely donated their time, effort and resources to accomplish the stocking.

A similar stocking event was held today (Wednesday) on Lake Jindabyne which was coordinated by the MAS Sub Branch, the Jindabyne Fishing Club.

I would also like to thank the staff at Gaden who have worked hard over this season to on-grow these yearlings, and their work indicates that when the MAS initiative of the Trout Grow Out Facility at Gaden is completed we will be able to look forward to similar events on a larger scale.

Steve Samuels

President

Monaro Acclimatisation Society Inc