Salmon hooked by woman's lure

For years anglers have argued over the best fly for catching a salmon. Those made from the feathers of rare birds or wool from the nether regions of a ram have been among traditional favourites. Now comes the most bizarre yet: a fly made from a woman's pubic hair.

The fly, and the apparently good results it has brought, were reported in a recent issue of the Field when its inventor sought suggestions for a name. The result has been some of the most heated correspondence in the magazine's illustrious 200-year history.

"I haven't had a postbag like it since we ran a piece about updating the Book of Common Prayer," said the editor, Jonathan Young.

The fly was devised by a Field reader who had failed for 11 years to catch a salmon from Argyll's river Shiel. "I tied an outrageously colourful fly which featured a tuft of my wife's pubic hair, the theory being that pheromones might work on the old cock salmon as they do on me," he wrote.

"Sure enough, on my 11th cast I hooked and landed a beautiful 4lb fish. My problem is not so much that I have run out of raw materials for my fly-tying, but what to call this superb new fly."

Many possible names have already been taken by existing flies such as Hairy Mary, Woolly Bugger, Mountain Damsel, Dog Nobbler, Missionary, Appetiser, fuzzy Wuzzy, Red Badger and Hot Cat. But Field readers have rallied to the challenge.

The issue out tomorrow features the editor's favourite, Pub Grub. But Mr Young said he had been swamped with ideas, including Pussy Allure, Lunar Rise, Angler's Tail, Frizzy Lizzy and Fanny's Fancy. One erudite reader suggested Magic Merkin (merkin being a pubic wig).