Egg Sucking leach patterns?

[jborn]

I am interested in making some egg sucking leaches to fish for Rainbows and Steelhead in Alaska and I have a number of questions.

1. Hook Size?
2. Egg Size?
3. Egg Color?
4. Body Color?
5. Weighted?

I would also like your opinion about placing a bead on the hook in place of the fiber egg. Would this be effective?

Thanks

jlb

 

[Ard]

Hi,

One pattern that is getting some play recently is the Moal Leech, if you Google that you'll get some you tube tying videos.

I used to make them on standard salmon hooks with a trailing bunny strip but have been swayed to making them on a cut shank and then trailing a #6 Mustad egg hook by stringing it through the bunny strip on 15 pound Spyder Wire. This style acts a whole lot more like a real leech and has good hooking qualities as if you don't make them too long. 3" works well, with or with out the orange head.

Ard

 

[mikel]

My experience with them suggests assorted sizes from about 4 to 10 or 12 to cover trout and steelhead both. I don't tie, but fish them with assorted head colors from dark red to paler colors, to match the changing colors of the naturals. I also fish them with bunny tails and more sparsely tied, depending on what's working.

If you swing them under spawning salmon, hang on

Hope I helped...-m