Bodkin / Patterns

Bunny Leech

Streamer · Trout · Steelhead · Smallmouth Bass · Pike · Beginner · 4 versions

Classic Recipe

  • Hook Streamer, 3x long, 4-8
  • Thread Black or olive 6/0

Materials

  • Tail/Body Rabbit strip (full length, extending past bend)
  • Weight Lead wire or cone (optional)
  • Collar Rabbit fur dubbing (picked out)

How to tie it

  1. Mount hook, add a cone or lead wraps if you want it deep.
  2. Tie in the rabbit strip at the bend so a full shank length trails behind as the tail.
  3. Bind the strip down along the top of the shank to the head, part the fur at each tie-down point so thread seats on leather, or palmer the strip forward instead for a fuller body.
  4. Dub a collar of rabbit fur at the head and pick it out.
  5. Whip finish.

Substitutions

  • Tail/Body instead of Rabbit strip: Pine squirrel strip — Slimmer profile for smaller flies; Barred rabbit strip — Adds natural barring; Crosscut rabbit strip — Different palmering technique
  • Weight instead of Lead wire or cone: Tungsten cone — Heaviest option; Tungsten bead — Smaller profile; Lead dumbbell eyes — Jigging action

Other versions

3 more in the app: Fly Fish Food Tie, variant 1, Fly Fish Food Tie, variant 2, Beadhead.

Tying videos

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