The Mrs. Simpson streamer
originated on New Zealand's North Island sometime in the first half of the
20th Century. One manifestation of a style of tying known as
"Killer" patterns, the unusual Mrs. Simpson is as effective on American
bass and panfish as it is on the trout from the 'Land of the Long White
Cloud'. According to Peter Cockwill, in his World Fly Finder (ISBN
1-85585-077-7), the Mrs.Simpson is "A pattern not to be ignored
wherever trout swim. It is a first choice fly in New Zealand,
Australia and Africa.
No one could ever have guessed
in June of 1896, when Bessie Wallis Warfield was born, what amazing
adventures would befall her. Entering the world as a member a family
of moderate privilege, Bessie would be divorced twice by the age of 40.
Despite such a scandalous (for the time) history, her charisma was enough
to cost one man a kingdom. King Edward abdicated his throne to marry
the intriguing siren. In the aftermath, his brother King George VI,
named him Duke of Windsor. Bessie Simpson would forever be
remembered as the Duchess of Windsor and lived a life of leisure until
Prince Edward's death in 1972. From 1972 until her own passing in
April of 1986, Wallis lived a life of seclusion. Taken in the
context of such amazing celebrity, having a fly named after her seems
almost inconsequential. But the name makes for a great aura, best
described by Alan Shepherd in his
article on the fly published on Fly Anglers On-Line: "[during her
time] the 'Killer' style trout fly was developed and a name was required.
To a trout, the fly is very attractive; it's a fly worth having; a fly
that would merit a trout giving up its kingdom for, hence the 'Mrs.
Simpson' trout fly was christened."
The 'Killer' style fly is
characterized by two or more pairs of game-bird feathers tied parallel
with the hook's shank, each pair of feathers separated by a short body.
Excellent examples of the pattern style include the American "Hornberg"
streamer and New Zealand's "Kilwell" and "Hammill's Killer" patterns.
Categorized as a streamer, or "lure", these are flies that were originally
intended to imitate a bully ( from the family Eleotridae, a small,
bottom-oriented tropical Indo-Pacific fish similar to the gobies that have
invaded the Great Lakes). It is also an effective imitation of a
crayfish, dragonfly nymph or darter.
body of the Mrs. Simpson pattern is traditionally tied using red,
green or yellow chenille or wool yarn. I've also used copper tinsel
chenille and even dubbing to create subtle, but useful, variations.
The Killer is a style of tying, like the Deceiver, that simply begs for
creative interpretation. The feathers used on this pattern come from
the cape of the cock Ringneck pheasant, a bird that's nearly irreplaceable
in the fly tying arts. Typically tied with the 'church window'
feathers, the Mrs. Simpson can also feature the softer green feathers
found adjacent to the boldly marked church window plumes. In an
upcoming installment of "Adventures In Fly Tying" we'll be sharing the
Chili Pepper, another Killer-style fly, with you. This is a fly
profile that can be very effective under diverse conditions, but is rarely
employed by most American anglers. One secret to success is to show them
The Mrs. Simpson should be
fished on a fluorocarbon tippet, and a longer tippet will give the fly
much better depth penetration. The right place for this fly is along the
bottom or near weedlines and fallen wood. For water deeper than four
feet, consider using a sinking line or sink-tip. A loop knot helps
maximize the fly's action. Fish the fly using a series of short, staccato
strips. Finally, there are so many interesting colors
and color patterns in a pheasant (or ruffed grouse, or partridge, or
quail) that the total number of variations in fly coloration and texture
is nearly unlimited. Get creative!
Hook: Mustad 9674, Daiichi 1750
or similar 4XL ring-eye streamer hook, sizes 10 to 2
Thread: Black, brown or olive 140 Denier (6/0) to match
Chenille or yarn. Traditional colors include red, green or yellow.
Traditionally black squirrel tail or kip (calf tail). You could
also use fox, coyote or any other soft fur
Matched pairs of cape or breast feathers, three pairs on most
flies and two pairs on the smallest hooks.