Bob’s Wee Mohair Leech

- By Bob Sheedy, from Bob Sheedy's Top 50 Fly Pattern book

This is another simple mohair leech pattern. It does however have several subtle changes that other arrangements do not possess and that makes it extremely effective.

Years ago a number of leeches were observed suspended vertically in a catatonic position at various levels of the water column. We also observed that many of the minnows that stack along spring and early morning weed lines are much smaller than the large breeding stock. Consequently, a minnow/leech pattern was developed to address such situations and was found to work well under many other conditions.

We fish it under a strike indicator, just as one would do with a chironomid and found it tremendously effective. But we also bang it along shorelines, beaches and in other shallow areas.

The pattern is weighted heavily at the front but the key is the mirrored plastic bead . It glows, reflects and refracts with each strip of the line.

The tail is a mix of black and brown marabou as shown. The dubbing is a mix of chopped blue angel hair, olive Lite-Brite and Canadian Brown Mo- hair with the yarn’s core removed. The mix is blended in a coffee grinder. We tie it from size 12 to 10.

Most leeches we see in stomach contents are quite small.

Standard woolly bugger tie save for the making of the body. Be certain to taper the body when winding over the lead wire.

Materials: