One of the world's better-known flies, originating from New Zealand, with a broad-spectrum imitative ability and very forgiving of incorrect retrieval technique. As the story goes, this fly was tied and used in 1936 by a party of anglers who returned, after a successful day's fishing, to hear the news of the abdication of King Edward VIII in order to marry Mrs Wallis Simpson. They decided to name it after her.
Imitates: Dragonfly nymph
METHOD
Stillwater: A slow strip or figure-of-eight with occasional short, fast strips to imitate dragonfly nymphs. Fish on fast-sink line deep, or around weed beds.
Running water: Fish across and down on a fast-sink line in flowing water. The Mrs Simpson can also imitate small fry so you can also do a fast retrieve with occasional pauses and accelerations.
Saltwater: Often imitates a small shrimp or sea louse and should be retrieved slowly in small jerks. Use the movement of the sea with a lead-core line and allow the moving water to drift the fly around for you.