Overview
This Fly Fish Food pattern proves that effective flies don't require complicated techniques or exotic materials. Arizona Simi Seal dubbing combines Antron fibers with natural seal substitute to create a translucent, flashy material that mimics the appearance of natural leeches. The red thread option adds a subtle hot spot at the head.
Related patterns
Behavior & presentation
- Natural Behavior
- These translucent aquatic worms undulate through weedy areas hunting small invertebrates, their slow swimming making them easy targets. Their substantial caloric payoff combined with predictable movements makes leeches priority feeding opportunities for selective trout.
- Where Trout Eat It
- Trout hunt leeches throughout the water column along weed edges, drop-offs, and shoals in both rivers and lakes.
- How to Fish It
- Strip slowly through holding water in lakes, or dead drift through runs and pools in rivers, letting Simi Seal fibers create movement.
- Best Water
- Fish weed edges, drop-offs, shoals, runs, and pools where leeches migrate between zones.
- Strike Type
- Fish mouth this translucent pattern gently during slow retrieves, creating subtle line tension increases that build over several seconds. The Simi Seal fibers' movement disguises the take initially, so watch for any change in retrieve resistance or slight line angle shifts indicating a following fish has committed.
Fishing strategy
- Rigging Suggestions
- Fish under an indicator in lake or on a euro nymphing rig in moving water. The cone head or bead provides adequate weight for most presentations.
- Seasonal Timing
- effectiveness in both rivers and lakes. Particularly productive during periods when trout actively feed on leeches.
- Pro Tips
- The Simi Seal dubbing contains inherent flash that provides visibility without added materials. The cone head or bead ensures the fly sinks to the productive zone quickly.
Where to fish it
Rivers anglers pair with this fly, with local shops that stock it.
River details and fly shops from River & Run, our sister site.
Entomology
Leeches glide through weedy shallows with serpentine movements, their translucent bodies catching light as they hunt for small invertebrates and detritus. The high caloric content and relatively slow escape speed make leeches preferred targets when trout are feeding selectively in stillwater environments.
- Organism
- leech
- Life stage
- general
Pattern details
- Moving Water
- Stillwater
- British Columbia
- Rocky Mountain
- Southwest
- active-retrieve
- strip-retrieve
- beginner-friendly
- attractor
- searching-pattern
