Published Jul 22. 2012 - 11 years ago
Updated or edited Nov 28. 2020

#204 - Jungle Princess

Jungle Princess - Darren MacEachern Tied by: Darren MacEachern Originated by: Unknown Source: Forgotten Flies 1999, Schmookler & Sils - Pg. 458...

#204 Jungle Princess - Darren MacEachern #204 Jungle Princess - Darren MacEachern


Tied by: Darren MacEachern
Originated by: Unknown
Source: Forgotten Flies 1999, Schmookler & Sils - Pg. 458
Flies 1950, J. Edson Leonard - Pg.264
How To Tie Flies 1940, E.C. Gregg - Pg. 46/47

Original (As dressed in How to Tie Flies EC Gregg)
Hook: Partridge CS15 #2 hook
Thread: Black flat waxed nylon
Body: Flat gold tinsel
Belly: White bucktail
Wing: Yellow grizzly hackles flanked by long jungle cock nails
Shoulder: Jungle cock body then blue chatterer (kingfisher used here)
Head: Black

Variation (As dressed in Forgotten Flies Pep Dieppa)
Hook: Partridge CS15 #2 hook
Thread: Black flat waxed nylon
Body: Flat gold tinsel
Throat: White hackle
Wing: Yellow grizzly hackles
Shoulder: Blue chaterer (kingfisher used here)
Eye: Jungle cock nail
Head: Black

Notes: As you can see, both patterns share a number of similarities. The Jungle Princess first appears in E.C. Gregg's book How To Tie Flies, but it would seem there are at least 2 version of the book, both with different information about the pattern. One version includes the pattern only on the streamer plate on page 46, without an accompanying recipe. The second version uses the same photographic plate, and lists the following material recipe.

JUNGLE PRINCESS: WINGS grizzly saddle hackle dyed yellow with large jungle cock. CHEEKS, blue chatterer. BODY gold tinsel. HACKLE, white.


How to Tie Flies Pg. 46 E. C. Gregg How to Tie Flies Pg. 46 E. C. Gregg


Upon close inspection, you can see the photographed streamer does have a bucktail (or goat) belly rather than a throat of white hackle. The jungle cock body feather is also not listed in the materials. The next occurrence was found in Flies, by J. E. Leonard which simply lists the materials with no reference photo. The final occurrence is found in the epic Forgotten Flies and appears to have been tied based on the description in J. E. Leonard's Flies.

JUNGLE PRINCESS: Wing, yellow grizzly, blue chatterer cheeks, long jungle cock eye shoulder. Hackle, white. Body, gold.


With only this confusing description to go on, and because the original deviates from a standard feather-wing streamer, it would be impossible to come out with the correct dressing. If you do happen to have more information on this particular streamer, please get in touch with Darren.
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Comments

Comment to #204 - Jungle Princess...

Hi Darren;
Very nice fly, that Jungle Princess. Wonder if it's any way connected to Carrie Stevens' Jungle Queen? I have Gregg's book, l but it's been some time since I looked at it. A few of the other patterns there too, would be nice to tie up. Good job my friend!

Comment to #204 - Jungle Princess...

Thanks for the comment Don. Yes, I do think there is a bit of a connection with Jungle Queen, but really just the yellow in the wing seems to fit. It's interesting in that the 2 different versions of the book have 2 different sets of streamers listed including Carrie's grey Ghost. Only 3 of the streamers in the photograph are described, and there are 7 other streamers included in the listing.

Comment to #204 - Jungle Princess...

I have never fly fished but I really enjoy coming to your blog a looking at the fly that you create. I grew up bass fishing in central FL and all we ever use it "rubber" worms. I always thought that fly fishing looked like a dance but now that I see the bait it should be recognized as an art. Beautiful!

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