RE: [VFB] Re: favorite leech patterns, colors

[Ed Roden]

Title: Message

Here's the pattern I tied for the bass swap....   Hook: Mustad 3366, size 1 (any bass or 3x streamer hook will work, from 1-10) Thread: Black Tail: Black Marabou Body: Black Chenille Wing: Black and Olive Marabou Wrap some lead towards the eye of the hook. Tie a clump of black marabou for the tail, then the chenille. Wrap the chenille up to about 1/3 up the body, and tie in a clump of olive marabou. Wrap the chenille up another 1/3, and tie in another clump of olive marabou. Wrap the chenille up to the final wing (at the head), and tie in a clump of black marabou. Finish off the head. Experiment with colors and combinations - black, olive, maroon, and deep purple should all work. Experiment with amount of weight and location, bead heads, coneheads, or estaz heads (great for salmon/steelhead season). Weight towards the front forces it to wave a bit more in the water when retrieving. I tie in the 3 clumbs that close together because it keeps the wavy marabou together. I found that using 2 clumps and a tail left too much space between them when the fly is wet, and it looks like 2 leeches on another one, not the full leech effect I wanted with bass. Fish lakes with a sinking line, and vary stripping speed (or let go with the current). Leeches will move with the current when feeding, or sit on the bottom when full. One site I read said that some will feed up to 10x their size, and then not feed again for another year. -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] On Behalf Of Joyce Westphal Sent: Friday, May 03, 2002 8:03 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [VFB] Re: favorite leech patterns, colors Have been asked to tie an "assortment" of leech patterns and in assorted colors for a friend at work ..she's giving them as a surprise to her flyfishing husband.  As I generally only tie black leeches and only with Estaz, I'm open to suggestions as to what should be in this leech flybox..colors, patterns that are especially helpful, sizes of hooks. Thanks for your help. Joyce