LeechRick's Mini Leech
Rick's Mini Leech from The FlyFish Fanatic is Rick's go-to leech pattern that consistently produces results in stillwater environments. This compact pattern features the lifelike movement that triggers strikes from cruising trout while maintaining a natural size profile that matches the smaller leeches found in most lakes.
Year Round
Intermediate
Trout
Dec 2025
Overview
This FlyFish Fanatic pattern emphasizes the effectiveness of smaller leech patterns in stillwater. While many anglers reach for large leeches, Rick's experience shows that downsized patterns often outperform their bigger counterparts, especially in clear water or when fish are being selective.
Materials
Hook: Jig hook or curved nymph hook, #12-14
Thread: Black, 6/0 or 8/0
Bead: Tungsten bead, 3.0mm, black
Tail: Marabou, black
Body: Dubbing blend, black
Flash: Krystal Flash, black (optional)
Behavior & Presentation
Natural Behavior: Juvenile leeches glide in short bursts followed by lengthy passive descents, their compact bodies lacking sustained power. Frequent directional changes create erratic movement that triggers opportunistic strikes.
Where Trout Eat It: Trout intercept mini leeches at specific depths (4-6 feet) in British Columbia stillwaters where cruising fish suspend to feed. The smaller profile and tungsten bead position this as mid-column pattern for selective fish in clear water conditions where larger leeches spook trout.
How to Fish It: Fish under sensitive strike indicator set 4-6 feet above fly, allowing tungsten bead to create jigging motion with minimal active retrieve. Use long slow strips that move indicator 12 inches with smooth wake, pause 5-10 seconds to let fly fall back to anchor position. In choppy conditions, let chop lift and drop flies naturally.
Best Water: Target British Columbia lakes with cruising trout at mid-depths in clear water. Focus on drop-offs, weed edges, and shoals where fish cruise 4-6 feet down. Ideal for calm conditions in 6-12 foot depths.
Strike Type: Indicator movement reveals solid weight and steady tension as fish swim away horizontally with the fly.
Fishing Strategy
Rigging Suggestions: Fish on 12-15 foot leader with 5X-6X fluorocarbon tippet under a sensitive strike indicator. The small tungsten bead provides adequate weight without additional split shot.
Seasonal Timing: effectiveness with peak performance during periods when trout actively feed on leeches. The compact size works well even during challenging conditions.
Pro Tips: The tungsten bead provides consistent sink rates while the black materials create a distinct silhouette against the water column. Optional Krystal Flash adds subtle attraction without overwhelming the natural profile.
Entomology
Juvenile leeches swim in short bursts followed by lengthy gliding descents, their smaller bodies lacking the sustained swimming power of adults. Stillwater trout target these immature leeches because their size makes them ideal single-bite prey items, and their frequent directional changes create the movement patterns that trigger opportunistic feeding behavior.
- Organism Type
- leech
- Life Stage
- general