Fly Of The Week


Egg Sucking Leech
By Bob Gray, Prince of Wales Island, AK and the Guide's Fly Shop, Lynden WA 360-398-2155

Previous Flies
Fly Tying Terms
Egg Sucking Leech

This fly landed 17 fish in 4 days on the Skeena, Copper and Kispiox Rivers in British Columbia. I like the use of holographic materials on this fly, it just works better!

Materials List:

Hook:  1/0 to size 5 Tiemco 7999.

Thread:  Danville 6 black unithread.

Tail:  Black marabou.

Flash:  Extra limp holographic flash.

Body:  Black medium chenille.

Hackle:  Purple chinese saddle hackle, small.

Ribbing:   Small copper wire.

Egg:  Cerise flourescent chenille small or medium (size 4).

Tying Instructions:

1. Tie in black maribou for tail, snip, trim and bind down.

2. Over the tail, tie in 3 to 6 strands of holographic flashabou, trim.

3. Strip the opposite side of curve of the chinese saddle hackle, and tie in.

4. Tie in copper wire. Fly can be tied without the wire, but it helps reinforce the fly.

5. Tie in chenille, peel back chenille to the core and use about 1/4 inch to make the first wraps. This makes the wraps less bulky.

6. Bring chenille forward, leaving plenty of room for the head.

7. Palmer prepared chinese hackle evenly forward, following the chenille wraps.

8. Feed wire, weaving through the hackle, tie down.

9. Tie in cerise chenille.

10. In the space remaining for head, spin chenille to tighten, form egg and trim. (The "egg" may also be tied using a pink closer in color to a salmon egg.)

11. Double whip finish and touch with head cement.

Bob Gray Fishing Suggestions

This pattern is used for steelhead and salmon usually in rivers and streams, fish slowly and as close to the bottom as possible. Impart a little slow strip or hand twist retrieve. ~ Bob Gray