Leeches may be gross, but leech flies catch fish. Here’s what you need to know

FLIES

Clearly, every fly angler should have a few leech patterns, and most already have at least one—the Woolly Bugger, one of the world’s most popular flies. With its swishy marabou tail and slightly chunky body, it mimics leeches well. The Bead Head version, which sinks faster and swims with a slight jigging motion, is even better.

The Bugger is always viable, but you may want to specialize, depending on where you are, and what you’re fishing for. Fly tiers have been busy creating a whole world of leech flies, for example, ranging from micro leeches to large patterns made with rabbit strips or articulated sections.

One recent variation worth considering, especially if you fish lakes or ponds for trout, is the highly unconventional Balanced Leech. It’s essentially a Bugger, but tied on a jig hook, with a very odd addition: a tungsten bead extending from the hook eye on a straight pin or wire. This places the tie-in point toward the middle, with the bead at the front balancing the weight of the hook at the back. As a result, the fly sinks and swims with a perfectly level profile, more like a natural leech.