By Skip Morris
The Attractor-Fly Angle
On the first count, that flies must always resemble the natural feed of fish, innocent elemental logic (so, teenage logic) was at work. That logic does add up: Want a fish to eat your fly? Make your fly look like what that fish eats. What I didn’t yet understand is that fish have little regard for logic or for fly fishers’ adamant beliefs; consequently, attractor flies really do work. Under the right circumstances (which I can only ever determine by trying one) attractor flies can far out-fish imitative flies, can be simply deadly. These right circumstances are, in my experience, fairly common. And one such deadly attractor is the elegant Alexandra. —Excerpted from the Summer 2025 issue of Fly Fusion.
Morris makes the case clearly: sometimes suggestion, motion, and presence outperform strict imitation. When trout refuse the dead drift but continue to show, a swung wet can change everything.
Here are six classic patterns, from bold attractors to quiet naturals, that deserve a place in your swing rotation.
Alexandra
Hook: Heavy wire, standard length (1X long preferred), sizes 14–8
Thread: Black 6/0 or 8/0
Body: Flat silver tinsel
Wing: Peacock sword
Hackle: Black (or wine) hen-neck
Why Fish It: A true attractor. Flash, contrast, and movement combine to provoke trout in a curious or aggressive mood.
Cowdung
Hook: Heavy wire, standard length (1X long preferred), sizes 16–10
Thread: Black, brown, or olive
Body: Green or olive floss
Hackle: Brown hen-neck
Wings: Mottled oak turkey primary
Why Fish It: Subtle and natural. Suggests green-bodied mayflies and works beautifully during olive activity.
Hare’s Ear Wet
Hook: Heavy wire, standard length (1X long preferred), sizes 16–10
Rib: Oval gold tinsel
Body: Hare’s mask
Wings: Natural-gray duck-primary sections
Why Fish It: Versatile and impressionistic. Covers a broad range of emerging mayflies and caddis.
Leadwing Coachman
Hook: Heavy wire, standard length (1X long preferred), sizes 16–8
Body: Peacock herl
Hackle: Brown hen-neck
Wings: Natural-gray duck-primary sections
Why Fish It: Dark and proven. Excellent during heavier mayfly or caddis emergences.
Light Cahill Wet
Hook: Heavy wire, standard length (1X long preferred), sizes 16–10
Body: Cream fox or rabbit fur
Hackle: Ginger hen-neck
Wing: Wood-duck fibers
Why Fish It: A pale-winged swimmer that shines during PMD and Light Cahill hatches.
Muddler Daddy (Davy Wotton)
Hook: 2X long sizes 12–10 or 1X long size 10
Body: Hare’s mask
Legs: Knotted pheasant-tail fibers
Collar/Head: Deer hair
Why Fish It: A lively point fly with motion and presence. Particularly effective when swung at the tail of a team.
Photo: Skip Morris