Articulated Egg Sucking Leech

[Chromer]

Hi,

I've not tried tying an articulated yet, but have tied many standard egg sucking leeches today. Will an articulated version result in more takes? What's your experience?:beathead:

[Steve Rohrbach]

The Fall or Winter 2004 issue of Northwest Fly Fishing had a fly pattern called the MOAL. It stands for Mother Of All Leeches. The pattern is tied with an articulated trailing hook. I find that the placement of the hook at the rear of the fly results in good hookups. I landed two Steelhead on that fly on the Methow. I would strongly recommend that you check out that fly. It was not an "egg sucking" version, but that could be added easily enough.
Good luck. Steve

[Ringlee]

They take more time to make, but I feel articulated gives you an advantage. They fly swims and acts like 2 flies. It moves way more than a regular egg sucking leach. If you want some help tying one up I can take some pictures.

[Bob Triggs]

Do a search here for this, it's been heavily supported. Great posts on these flies.

[Surf_Candy]

this winter I have been tying the more traditional ESL with stinger hook hidden just at the end of the tail marabou. love that I can change hooks after they get beat up and bent on the rocks.

surf

[Don Johnson]

Read the articulation articles on this web site (under the Articles section) then goto:

http://www.geocities.com/salmn8r/furledstinger.html

for a pictorial of how the more rudimentary technique is performed. Advanced maneuvers will soon be on a page somewhere if I can find the time.

Don

[spanishfly]

I tied my first Moal tonight the creature measures about 5" :thumb: I've tied articulated bunnies and the seductive movement in the water is money :thumb: Make sure you round off the main shank after you cut it with a dremel tool or something equivalent as to not cut the dacron.

[hedburner]

Got a question about what do you do with the trailing hook? Just let it hang there? Or would it work better with the hookt stuck through and out of the tail strip?

[Scott Behn]

I reckon there is 2 schools of thought here...

Articulated leeches in my line of thinking is when I take the second hook I'll tie on a marabou tail of normal porportions and tie a body of cross-cut bunny, usually some solid color like black(my favorite). Wrap the body and tie off like usual and remove it from the vise.

I'll take that trailing hook and with some mono or such I tie this hook directly behind the front hook. I tie it so the trailing hook's eye is right behind the bend of the front hook. I then proceed to wrap the front hook. When I'm done I'll cut the front hook at the bend.

I also tie some with a black tungston bead at the head of the trailing hook so it puts weight in the middle. If you do this give the fly little strips and watch how the fly swims with the bead in the middle of the fly...this swimming motion with bunny....WOW!!!!!

Pm me if you want help.

:cool:

[Don Johnson]

Got a question about what do you do with the trailing hook? Just let it hang there? Or would it work better with the hookt stuck through and out of the tail strip?


If using Dacron as the harness material, it may be best to spear the trailer in and out of the rabbit hide to keep everything together and lessen the chance of fouling, although the original String Leeches I have heard of were usually not tied like that.

If, like as depicted in the pics on that link I posted, you use Amnesia or "heavy" mono (10-15#) the need to attach the stinger to the hide is lessened because the furled mono doesn't "droop" as bad as Dacron. In the end it's all up to personal preference though, I guess.

I like the bead idea. I haven't tried that but have instead furled the stinger hook using lead-core trolling line to add extra weight. It doesn't have much of a jigging or swimming action as I envision the bead-headed stinger having. Neat idea!