The Graboid Leech by Midnight Sun Custom Flies is uber fishy, effective, versatile, and a great tie. Like other great patterns, the Graboid’s beauty is in its simplicity.
This week in Fly Tying, we leverage the Graboid pattern and turn it into a Chinook (King) Salmon Pattern. Why not?
Original Fly Design: Jonathan Farmer of Midnight Sun Custom Flies. IG: @midnightsuncustomflies
Tied by Brian Davenport, Photos by Mike Brown, both of Mossy’s Fly Shop in Anchorage, Alaska. IG: @mossysflyshop.
Step 1. Slide your bead onto the shank and place it in the vice. Attach your stinger material, adjust the overall length to 4”
Step 2. Attach your rabbit, make the tail a little longer than the stinger material. Do Not cut the rabbit, fold back out of way.
Step 3. Build a composite loop of your Kraken and Ice Dub
Step 4. Spin the dubbing and thoroughly pick out, you want to have a thin core before you wrap. You will need appx 5 turns worth
Step 5. Wrap your dubbing forward appx 5 turns., sweeping the material back with every turn. Tie off and trim.
Step 6. Place your Fusion Dub in a dubbing loop, you will need appx. 3 turns worth.
Step 7. Spin the dubbing and pick out to a thing core.
Step 8. Wrap forward, sweeping back with each turn, appx 3 turns. Leave appx 2 hook eye widths of the gap.
Step 9. Sweep all your dubbing down, leaving it parted on top. Pull your rabbit strip over the top and tie down.
Step 10. Tie in 2 strands of flash, and place down the flank. Repeat this on the other side.
Step 11. Tie in your rubber legs, and place down the flank. Repeat this on the other side.
Step 12. Place appx 3” of rabbit in a dubbing loop, minus the hide.
Step 13. Spin and brush out.
Step 14. Wrap the rabbit tight into the back of the bead, and whip finish.
Step 15: Install hook and half hitch tail on to the hook.
Other Effective Leech Patterns:
I’m assuming these are magnum rabbit strips?
Is this a magnum strip of rabbit?