GROUNDHOG MINI-LEECH

GROUNDHOG MINI-LEECH

Hook : Daiichi 1130 # 10 - 14

Thread : Danville 6/0 Tan

Weight : Bead head 1/8

Tail : Woodchuck underfur

Body : Woodchuck dubbing

Fly Tier: Peter Frailey

Tying Instruction :

1) Slip bead head on hook and apply thread base in the usual manner.
2) From a patch of woodchuck fur, cut a small clump of fur from the skin.
3) Remove the guard hairs.
4) Tie in a clump of underfur for the tail.
5) Dub the body with a dubbing-loop, finishing behind the bead head.
7) Whip-finish.

Note :

1) Because it is not commercially available, I use a kitchen Mini-Chopper to mix and fluff ź-inch pieces of groundhog underfur.
2) A dubbing-loop is suggested because groundhog fur is so tough and course.
3) Groundhog guard hair makes excellent tailing material for dry flies, so save some for that purpose. It is my favorite on dries down to 16.

ABOUT THE FLY TIER

E-mail : frailey@fiam.net

After spending his childhood as an avid warmwater fisherman, Peter was coaxed back into the sport by his older son, who wanted to attend a local United Fly Tyers meeting. Now, fly-fishing and fly-tying are year-round activities. During the three cold seasons Peter fishes for trout in the streams and rivers of Eastern and Central Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire. But he still enjoys lazy days as a warmwater fly-fisher, float-tubing during the summer months on local farm ponds near his home in Eastern Massachusetts. Peter especially enjoys fooling fish with simple flies, tied with just one or two ingredients.