Chamberlain's Lure is another of the Canterbury lures popular with anglers fishing the lower Selwyn River and Lake Ellesmere back in the halcyon days of that fishery prior to 1950 before its rapid decline into what is now a shadow of its former self.
A.P. Chamberlain lived at Lakeside near the shore of Lake Ellesmere.
Many of these old ties are no longer available commercially. One of the reasons the home tyer is at an advantage. I have used jungle cock eye feathers on the flanks of my Chamberlain's Lure. Though it makes for a handsome fly such an addition would have been unlikely on most lures because such feathers were very expensive in those days. However they certainly were used at that time by those who could afford such imported luxuries.
Chamberlain's Lure I would class as a night fly perfectly suited as an imitation of a large bully to match those still found in the lower reaches of the Selwyn River. It is also a good choice as a night lure for big searun brown trout in the lower east coast Canterbury rivers.
Tail: Red whisks. Body: White Chenille. Rib: Flat or round silver tinsel. Wing: 2 or 4 black hackles trapped under the ribbing matuku style. Cheeks of male paradise duck. Head; Black. Throat hackle in black (optional). I prefer to use the B175 Kamasan - Heavy Traditional Trout hooks which have been chemically sharpened, or Black Magic B2 lure hooks.When fished in the lower Rakaia River you might also take a salmon or kahawai as well as a big searun brown trout
You might also be interested in these New Zealand trout lure patterns: Hope's Silvery, Mrs Simpson and Hamills Killer, the Yellow Rabbit Lure, Silicon Rubber Trout Flies, Beetle Trout Flies, Muddler Minnow, Canterbury Searun Trout Lures.
You might also be interested in surfcasting at Kaikoura. Make this handy surfcasting trolly. Surfcasting locations around Canterbury. A big eagle ray caught surfcasting in Golden Bay. Get yourself a Saltec thumb caster especially if fishing with braided lines. Have you tried surfcasting at night.
Trout Fishing in New Zealand. See other Canterbury lures. Also Trout Fishing near Christchurch. You might also be interested in reading about the Canterbury lure rod.
