This segment of Fly Tying is provided by Mossy’s Fly Shop, which has been serving Alaskans since 2010. If you’re traveling to Alaska for a Fly Fishing adventure and need fly fishing rods, reels, lines, tips, flies, hooks, boots, waders, etc., to complete your Alaskan Fly fishing adventure, see Mike and Brian at Mossy’s Fly Shop. Or Have Questions? They have answers. Email mbrown@mossysflyshop.com or call (907) 770-2666. www.mossysflyshop.com.
Last October, Brian of Mossy’s Fly Shop and Dan Herrig of Deneki Outdoors had a lot of conversations at Rapids Camp Lodge regarding flies for big trout on the Naknek River. Dan discerned that a chartreuse hot spot in the rear and an orange hot spot in the front were key components of an effective rainbow trout fly. Also, add length and a water-pushing profile, and you have a big trout meal.
Brian experimented with the vise this winter and came up with the RCL leech. This fly is not just for the Naknek River; it will hunt anywhere fish eat streamers. Alternate color interpretations will also prove to be a good choice.
Designed and Tied By: Brian Davenport
Photos By: Mike Brown
Material
- Shank: Aqua Flies 33mm Round Eye
- Articulation Thread: 30lb Power Pro
- Tail: Black Rabbit Zonker
- Rear Body: UV Polar Chenille Chartreuse
- Body: STS Trilobal Dubbing Red
- Wing: Black Rabbit Zonker
- Collar: UV Polar Chenille Copper
- Head: Aqua Fur Sculpin Olive
- Front Collar: UV Ice Dub Orange
- Hook: Firehole Stinger Sz 4
- Thread: Veevus GSP 100
Step 1. Place your shank in the vice and attach your articulation thread. Adjust to the overall desired length and secure down.
Step 2. Tie in your rabbit strip, making the tail appx ½” longer than the end of the articulation thread. Do not cut off the rabbit, then fold it back out of the way.
Step 3. Tie in the Chartreuse UV Polar Chenille.
Step 4. Make two to three touching turns, tie off and trim.
Step 5. Lay out some trilobal dubbing and then layer on a small amount of Copper Ice dubbing. Create a dubbing loop and place your dubbing mix in the loop. Spin and pick out the dubbing, freeing any trapped fibers.
Step 6. Once the loop is spun, sweep all the fibers back to one side.
Step 7. Wrap the dubbing forward, leaving appx ¾” of space to the shank eye.
Step 8. Pull the rabbit strip forward over the top of the body and tie it down. This creates a Matuka-style wing. Trim off the excess rabbit.
Step 9. Tie in the Copper UV Polar Chenille.
Step 10. Make two turns, tie off, and trim.
Step 11. Cut a clump of craft fur, comb out the underfur, and tie it in reverse. Make the butt end as short as possible. As you tie in the craft fur, let it spin and work tall the way around the shank.
Step 12. Sweep the craft fur back towards the shank eye to help fluff and fill around the shank.
Step 13. Create a dubbing loop with a small amount of UV Orange Ice Dub and spin. Pick out all the trapped fibers.
Step 14. Make two turns of the dubbing loop, tie off, trim, and whip finish. Using the twisted hitch method, attach the tail to the rear hook.
Other Leech Patterns to Tie:
Leave a Reply