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FishOn!
03-25-2008, 03:44 AM
I got a few materials to tie up some leeches but I was not too sure on the hook size so I went with a size 6 streamer hook. Then I did a little research after the fact and it looks like a lot of leeches are tied on size 8. Am I ok with size 6 or is that a little too large?
Curtis Fry
03-25-2008, 04:09 AM
I guess it just depends, but fish what you have and I'm sure you'll be ok. I usually go with 8's and 10's for leeches, FWIW. TMC 5263's.
cje04
03-25-2008, 04:17 AM
I fish a lot of leeches in size 6 and do well.
FishOn!
03-25-2008, 05:06 AM
I fish a lot of leeches in size 6 and do well.

Cool, I'll tie a few up!
Herb
03-25-2008, 02:51 PM
I use sizes 6, 8, 10, 12, in 3x long. It all depends on the time of year and the water I'm fishing. I tie at least six of each color and style in each size. The size can make some difference although I feel fishing them correctly is the most important aspect of leech fishing.

I have noticed a lot of people fish them like streamers and they do catch a few fish although fishing them so the fly look like a leech actually swims produces many more fish. Long slow pulls with and pause and occasional twitch has always produced some great action for me while fishing leeches. I also like to fish them in shallow water, less then 15 feet deep, and along weed lines and sandy bottoms of lakes.

Last night I happen to teach my seven year daughter how to retrieve leeches while fishing from the shore on Stillwater and she landed eight fish doing the slow pulls, pause and then a couple small twitches. She quickly learned the leech retrieve and we stuck some fun fish. My four year old happen to land just as many with dads help :-).

Herb Patterson
Cary
03-25-2008, 03:40 PM
many leaches are huge, 4 inches plus.
chris
03-25-2008, 03:47 PM
many leeches are small, 1 inch or less.
cheech
03-25-2008, 04:03 PM
Many leeches are juuuuuuust right. Great for catching Goldilocks trout.
FishOn!
03-26-2008, 01:53 AM
Do you fish your simi seal buggers like wooley buggers or like leeches? (Who knows, I don't even really know how to fish wooley buggers too well so I wouldn't know the difference too much anyway hah). I tried mimicking your pattern and they look like a cross between a bugger and a leech. I don't know if I picked out enough of the fibers or not, take a look. I am a stillwater newb but plan on hitting the Berry and Henrys this spring. After tying up some leeches/buggers the next step is some damsels, then I'll probably finish things off with some baitfish patterns. Great info Herb, thanks.

The top two are the simi seal buggers, and the bottom is a wannabee mohair leech...looks a little funky. Not the best pic but critique is encouraged...

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t259/hightower_album/flies.jpg
FishOn!
03-26-2008, 02:07 AM
I had some big terrestrial hooks that I was not doing much with so I tied some big ol' olive hares ears. Think they could pass as damsel nymphs?

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t259/hightower_album/DSCN1215.jpg
Red.Fly
03-26-2008, 02:28 AM
I had some big terrestrial hooks that I was not doing much with so I tied some big ol' olive hares ears. Think they could pass as damsel nymphs?

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t259/hightower_album/DSCN1215.jpg

What happened to their tails?
UtahFlyGuy
03-26-2008, 02:31 AM
What happened to their tails?

They havent reached puberty yet. Nice ties though FishOn.
FishOn!
03-26-2008, 03:00 AM
What happened to their tails?

Hah! Whoops!
jonescort
03-26-2008, 03:02 AM
I have 3 damsel patterns I really like.
Twisted damsel,
Golden damsel,
Full back nymph.
I have had my best days fishing ever fishing these flies with Herb.
stripper
03-26-2008, 03:55 AM
I tend to tie on the daiichi 1710 in 6,8's I like the six for the hook gap. Also don't be afraid to tie the tail at least the lenght of the shank of the hook, I think alot of people need to watch how leeches move through the water before fishing them. Herb nailed it.
FishOn!
03-26-2008, 04:21 AM
I think alot of people need to watch how leeches move through the water before fishing them.

Anyone have a link to a clip of a swimming leech?
nightfish
03-26-2008, 05:48 AM
Anyone have a link to a clip of a swimming leech?

Just watched Bugs of the Underworld tonight (again). There's a few good shots of leeches swimming in that. Good film all around for learning what things do underwater.
mvtoro
03-26-2008, 07:37 AM
Just watched Bugs of the Underworld tonight (again). There's a few good shots of leeches swimming in that. Good film all around for learning what things do underwater.

Amen. That video blew my mind. I mean, I knew leeches wiggled, but they looked like freaking Shakira. Chironomid Pupae as well. When I first saw the Chiros wiggling toward the surface I thought it was in fast forward. I need to figure something out to get a chironomid to move like that.

Damsel nymphs swim like fish. Some mayflies wiggle like mofos.

The video is actually kind of depressing because we spend so much time making our flies look pretty but it shows how ridiculously static they are compared to how they should be.

We've got a few copies at Park's if you want to check it out. Say hi to the red head (me) if you drop in.