This pattern is a very popular old standard wet fly. It is listed in Mary Orvis Marbury’s Favorite Flies and Their Histories, 1892. I fished it often as a kid and a young man. This was part of the custom order I received in the summer of 2009 from Fishing Creek Angler Fly Shop and Bed and Breakfast, near Benton, Pennsylvania.
The Queen of the Waters is a fairly simple fly, containing only three ingredient components. Here is the recipe:
Queen of the Waters
Hook: Standard ox long wet fly hook, sizes #4 to #12 as desired.
Thread: Danville Flymaster #1 White for body, #100 Black for head
Hackle: Brown hen tied palmer, the soft webby fibers near the base of saddle hackles may also be used. depending on the density of the hackles barbs, you may decide to strip one side of the stem before winding.
Body: #7 Danville Orange floss
Wing: Gray mallard
Head: Black
very good trout fly
Hi Harvey;
Thanks very much for your comment. Yes the Queen of the Waters is a very good trout fly! Thanks!
Hi Don
Can you confirm how you tied in the mallard wing?
Is the mallard rolled/folded or is it left & right flank feather slips?
Darrell
Hi Darrell;
That’s a size #10, a small fly. The wing is merely a bunch of fibers, more or less the rolled wing. I wouldn’t bother to match lefts and rights for hooks that small. Thanks for your comment!
Nice flies Don. Do you tie any of them according to either of the J.E. Leonard recipes?
Hello Frank;
Thank you for your comment and compliment!
I have tied many old wet flies from Leonard’s book. There are patterns in that book that one can not find elsewhere, so for “new” 😉 fly patterns it is good. Also for the noted variations.
Thanks again!