About the Simmons Attractor Trout Fly

I developed this fly in 1986 when I had a group of anglers from Switzerland with me and we were helicopter fishing the mountain rivers of the West Coast of the South Island, NZ. At that time these rivers were quite unspoiled and were rarely fished, so fish were not angler shy. 2nd. January 1986, the weather was very warm, and on the breakfast table I tied up a fly on a number 8 long shank using a lot of materials off the Christmas tree. My friend John Boyles who guided some of my party scoffed at the fly, saying it looked like a "Christmas Tree". He sneakily picked one up from the table and stuck it into his fishing jacket anyway! The fish were rising steadly to most well presented flies but failed to take anything we offered. John put on the "Christmas Tree" for a joke. Naturally the fish rose and took the fly nicely, the whole moment was captured on video, including the expressions of surprise and humour at "such a dumb fish". The Fly's great strength was that it floats high and was very visible in fast rivers but to my surprise it works equally well on still water and these days has become the fly of choice for many anglers on lakes and reservoirs.

Expert Tip:

I had been wondering about the many anglers who subscribed to the school that if a fish refuses a fly then "go smaller". It always made sense to me that a big trout would prefer a big fly and that it must be much more preferable to rise the once to a big fly than 50 times to minute insects. Alan Simmons

Creator of this trout fly: Alan Simmons

Tier of this trout fly: Alan Simmons

Country of origin for this trout fly: New Zealand

This trout fly is designed to be fished on Dams & Reservoirs, Rivers & Streams, Still Water fish