Marabou Leech patterns

[Ruffells311 0]

I fish warmwater (I hope to make a trip for some rainbows once cooler weather comes) and the fishing can get slow with a high sun. Do you guys think a marabou leech pattern would work well? Are there reasons for using other materials like rabbit fur? Also, I was thinking of using dubbing loops to make a fuller body for the leeches, instead of the just tying the marabou on the top of the hook shank. Another thing is I saw a picture of some leech pattens on jig hooks (turned eye with the eye perpendicular to the hook shank) with a bead extended past the bend for the eye to make the leech ride horizontally under a strike indicator. How would I go about doing something like that? I think that would be killer on some of the slightly deepper bass/bream right now.

[tidewaterfly 0]

I've tied & used marabou & rabbit hair leeches, and both will certainly catch plenty of fish. I think it boils down to personal choice, and frankly I like to use the rabbit strip flies a bit more. Some of the waters I fish have a lot of suspended "particles: in them, and the marabou seems to get dirty & mat up after awhile. The rabbit hair less matting.

 

However, I also tie a leech pattern with ostrich herl, Clouser Minnow style, which works very well, and again like it better than marabou versions.

 

I'm not getting what you're saying about the bead & the strike indicator, but I have seen ( here on this site I think, my memory sucks sometimes) some flies tied with beads on a mono loop, like a weed guard, but on the jig hook where the hook point rides up. The beads keel the fly & add some clicking noise as it strikes the bottom. Not sure if that's what you're looking for or not.

[whatfly 0]

Marabou leeches are quite effective, and if you are looking for an easy pattern, look up Hal Jansen's Leech. Size of the body is not as important as movement, in my mind. Rabbit and squirrel fur strips are also useful, depending on the size of the leech you are trying to tie. Marabou patterns are easier to cast on lighter rods, but fur leeches have their place as well.

 

For the leech-on-a-jig effect, developed by Phil Rowley (based on WA steelheading patterns), you put a bead on a sewing pin and then tie it on the 'top' of the shank (opposite side from eye) so that it extends far enough forward to balance the fly (about 1-1 1/2 bead's width). Test the balance, and then treat thread wraps with super glue. Tie whatever pattern you want after the glue dries. Works pretty well although I'm looking for heavier pins than normal sewing pins (I use nickel-plated brass so they don't rust) because if the fly hits something hard with your cast like a rock, the sewing pin can shear off. For larger patterns, you can use brass nails.

[buggybob 0]

Jerry McBride of Spokane, Wash. developed the balanced bead fly you are talking about. He ties leeches, damsel fly nymphs and other flies in that fashion.

[Ruffells311 0]

 

One I tied up with out the balance thing for a regular jiggy type motion. But what I mean about the strike indicator is that fishing still water and deeper than normal but not on bottom and to fish slow at a set depth, basically like a bobber on regular rod and reel. But in this fashion the fly above would ride at a weird angle. That is where I would like to try that bead thing. Thanks guys I'll work on it and report back with one hopefully lol

[Ruffells311 0]

Also this dosent have a great deal of flash because I attempted to make dubbing with a blend using the marabou and flash.. It didn't work out so well. I believe I'm going to need a coffee bean grinder instead

[Rocco 0]

I just got a dubbing brush device. One of my first projects is going to be an experimental maribou leech. The brush used will have a mix of black, red/brown, and purple maribou strands with appropriately colored flash about an inch and a half long to colpase and flare fattish as the real ones do. I'll use a heavy #6 nymph/short streamer hook -- like a 9672 and a black bead up front for weight.

 

Once the brush is made, I can zip out a half dozen of these during half time of the U of M/Alabama game.

 

Will let you know if -- and how -- they work.

 

Rocco

[Ruffells311 0]

Also both of those names show up for the balance thing. But I think I will try the bead thing using a think monofilament and burning the end instead of trying to find a metal object or cutting up hooks.

[Ruffells311 0]

I just got a dubbing brush device. One of my first projects is going to be an experimental maribou leech. The brush used will have a mix of black, red/brown, and purple maribou strands with appropriately colored flash about an inch and a half long to colpase and flare fattish as the real ones do. I'll use a heavy #6 nymph/short streamer hook -- like a 9672 and a black bead up front for weight.

 

Once the brush is made, I can zip out a half dozen of these during half time of the U of M/Alabama game.

 

Will let you know if -- and how -- they work.

 

Rocco

 

That's what I'm hopping for is for it to collapse and flare as it is stripped to look real. I'd also be interested in some pictures of the brush making process if you don't mind! Thanks, Daniel.

[SCOwens 0]

One of the local fly shop owners down here, tied a purple and black one that was killer in Alaska out of Zonker Strips

[Guest rich mc]

in the midwest fly anglers that ice fish tie a forward extended eye/bead take your basic jig hook slide a bead on some heavy mono and melt one end. tie the mono along the bottom of the hook shank so the bead is in front. i think the new uv epoxy will help here to make it stronger. rich

[tidewaterfly 0]

From the other posts, I now understand what you're looking to do and have also seen that type of fly. It's not something I've tried. Straight pins as suggested will work, but they'll rust eventually. There is a item called a "head pin" that jewelry makers use, and it's essentially a straight pin with some type of formed head but usually made of plated brass or other non-tarnishing metal and without the sharp end. They come in various gauges, lengths & finishes, and unless you get into gold plating are not expensive, about $2 per 100. There is also a similar item, called "eye pins" which has a formed eye like that on a fish hook, and also are available in various gauges, lengths & finishes. Might be worth checking, and although a little more expensive comparably to both regular straight pins & mono, will not rust and will hold a bead solidly.

 

I discovered these pins while at one time attempting to tie flies for hat pins, lapel pins & ear rings.

 

I've tried using the eye pins to add articulating tails to flies, but frankly the ones I used, the wire was too soft, so they bent easily. I was trying this with some larger size bass flies, but they might work well on smaller trout size flies.

 

Do a search for "jewelry making supplies" and they should be listed under "findings".

[Rocco 0]

Well -- the maribou leech dubbing loop experiment was a flop! Just getting the fine weightess strands to stay in place on the twisting device was a challenge. Every puff of air from the AC, my breathing, and doors opening and closing blew them around the room. When finally lined up, the wire broke in mid point. Arrgh. Next time I will insert some fine rabbit hair as a 'grabber' to give it some grip and body and check the wire in advance for nicks and imperfections. (The device worked fine with with synthetic hair.)

 

Rocco

[Peterjay 0]

As far as imitating leeches goes, a black woolly bugger will work as well as anything, particularly if the body hackle is on the fluffy or webby side. Just wrap a little wire on the shank if the fly doesn't sink fast enough for you.

[bad fish rising 0]

some catalogs make nice flyrod jigs

they balance & sink way better than the pin/bead method