Bodkin / Patterns

Deb's Red Headed Stranger Leech

Streamer · Trout · Intermediate · 1 version

Tyer Recipe

  • Hook Curved caddis/scud (Firehole 718; straight shank also fine), 12
  • Thread Black 12/0 Nano Silk (waxed for the dubbing loop)

Materials

  • Glass bead Red, small (1)
  • Semperflash blended flash Gala (red/black blend) (About 15 strands under tail, 3-4 for body)
  • Rabbit strip Black rabbit strip (Fur for tail clump and collar loop)

How to tie it

  1. Slide the red glass bead to the eye, start the thread behind it and lay a base back to the bend.
  2. Even up a bunch of about 15 strands of Gala flash and tie them in so they extend rearward under where the tail will sit, binding back to the bend.
  3. Pull a modest clump of fur from the black rabbit strip and tie it in on top. You want the flash still showing beneath the tail. Bring the thread forward.
  4. Take 3-4 strands of the flash (with both the red and black shades represented), tie them in and wrap them up the shank as a slim mosaic-like body. Tie off.
  5. Form a small dubbing loop a couple of inches long, lock it around the shank, and wax the loop. Nano Silk is slippery.
  6. Clamp a small clip of black rabbit fur cut from the hide, insert it into the loop, slide it to length (trim so it won't swallow the whole body) and spin the loop into a fur hackle.
  7. Wrap the spun rabbit as a thick collar behind the bead, sweeping the fur back with your fingers between turns. Tie off and trim.
  8. Brush around the collar with a velcro brush to free any trapped fibers, sweep everything back, tie down and whip finish.

Tying videos

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