StreamersPine Squirrel Leech Micro Streamer
The Pine Squirrel Leech Micro Streamer is a compact streamer pattern that leverages the exceptional movement of pine squirrel zonker strips. This smaller profile makes it ideal for technical waters where fish are wary of larger offerings while still providing the undulating action that triggers predatory strikes.
Year Round
Intermediate
Trout
Dec 2025
Overview
This pattern draws from Charlie Craven's Squirrel Leech design, scaled down for micro streamer applications. Pine squirrel provides exceptional movement in the water, with each fiber responding independently to currents and retrieve. The rusty brown coloration matches natural leeches and small sculpins found in trout streams.
Materials
Hook: TMC 2457 or similar curved nymph hook, #12-16
Thread: Rusty brown, 6/0 UNI-Thread
Bead: Tungsten bead, 3/32", copper
Flash: Flashabou, red
Tail: Pine squirrel zonker strip, rusty brown
Collar: Pine squirrel fur (spun in dubbing loop)
Behavior & Presentation
Natural Behavior: Small leeches undulate through shallow water with rhythmic flexing motions, while juvenile sculpins dart nervously between rocks with twitchy swimming bursts. Pine squirrel zonker strips pulse and breathe with each pause in the retrieve, each individual fiber moving independently to create lifelike animation.
Where Trout Eat It: Clear-water educated trout in low-flow conditions hold in shallow runs (1-3 feet) and along weed edges. The micro profile (#12-16) and pine squirrel movement trigger strikes from spooky fish.
How to Fish It: Strip with slow, varied cadence—short strips with long pauses. The pine squirrel fibers pulsate independently even during pauses creating lifelike movement.
Best Water: Target South Platte tail-outs during low, clear conditions and weed edges in 1-4 feet.
Strike Type: Strikes feel like sudden jolts or aggressive grabs on the strip; when you feel resistance, strip-set firmly with a sharp pull of the line hand.
Fishing Strategy
Rigging Suggestions: Fish on 9-foot leader with 4X-5X fluorocarbon tippet. The small tungsten bead provides adequate weight for reaching fish without excessive bulk.
Seasonal Timing: effectiveness with particular success during low water conditions when fish are spooky and require smaller presentations. Select this pattern when targeting educated trout in clear water or when larger streamers are being refused.
Pro Tips: The copper bead and red flash provide subtle attraction while the rusty brown pine squirrel creates a natural silhouette. The tungsten ensures the fly reaches the productive zone quickly.
Entomology
Tiny baitfish and leeches exhibit nervous, twitchy movements in current seams, their small size making them susceptible to being swept into faster water. Fish target these diminutive prey items because their erratic behavior signals vulnerability, and their compact size allows predators to consume multiple specimens during a single feeding bout.
- Organism Type
- baitfish
- Life Stage
- general