Orange/Black Tip Vampire Leech #4 (Pairs $5.49)
The hair on this fly has been dyed orange and then the tips have been dyed black. Orange has been my “go to” trolling fly color for years. Once the fly was completely soaked, I was surprised to see how subtle the orange color became, see second photo. The fly is tied with a pair of #4 hooks connected with 20# braid. All of these leech flies are most effective in weedy, green water lakes. Reservoirs that get drawn way down like Oroville in California tend not to have as much insect and leech life in them. The first lake I fished these flies, was Eagle Lake in northeastern California, a lake notorious for its leech population. Eagle Lake has leeched in excess of 6 inches. These flies have been effective in leech infested waters throughout North America.
Additional Info
The first time these flies are put in the water they soak through slowly. Repeatedly dip into water and lift. This allows the trapped air to escape. Try rubbing the damp fly to get the water to soak all the way to the skin. The second time fished, the fly gets soaked quickly.
When fishing without an Action Disc, slide a small bullet weight (1/32 to 1/8 ounce) on the line above the fly. Also try glass or metal beads as the front weight. Experiment with various pull-pause movements to try to achieve a good swimming action. Go to this video to see an actual leech swimming underwater: “Swiming Leech”