Go Suck an Egg... Well if You're a Leech

Is it just me or does the weather seem to change for the worse right after you get out of work? All day today was the perfect fall day. Temperatures were in the low 70s with bright sunny skies. That was until I finished work. Then as soon as I get home the clouds started rolling in. It didn't take long for the rain to start and ruin the plans for the evening. From what I am seeing on Weather.com it looks like this weekend is going to be washed out. Well since the weather sucks and egg I guess I should tie up a bunch of Egg Sucking Leeches..

If there is one pattern a steelhead fisherman must have in their box it is the Egg Sucking Leech. Once the salmon have spawned there is abundance of nutrients left in the rivers, whether it be the recently fertilized eggs or the dead salmon themselves. When the steelhead head upstream for their late fall/early winter run they find plenty of nourishment for the trip. Leeches feeding on the recently deposited salmon eggs are a big part of their diet.  The Egg Sucking Leech is the perfect pattern to mimic this food source. This is an easy pattern to tie and can be tied in different color combinations. My personal favorite is purple and hot pink.

 

Purple Egg Sucking Leech

 

 

 

Egg Sucking Leech

 

Hook - Mustad 79580

Thread - Uni 8/0 Black

Weight - Medium Lead Wire (or Equal Substitute)

Tail - Purple Marabou With Purple Krystal Flash

Hackle - Purple Saddle Hackle Palmered

Body - Purple Chenille Medium

Head - Hot Pink Ice Chenille Medium

 

 

Step One



 

 

Wrap Lead Wire and Start Thread

 

 

Step Two

 

Tie in Marabou Tail

 

Step Three

 

Tie in Krystal Flash on Front Side then Double Back for Back Side

 

Step Four

 

Tie in Saddle Hackle by Tip

 

Step Five

 

 Tie In Chenille

 

Step Six

 

Wrap Chenille Forward Leaving Room For Egg

 

Step Seven

 

Palmer Hackle Forward and Tie Off

 

Step Eight

 

 

Tie in Chenille for Egg

 

Step Nine

 

Wrap Chenille Forward Tie Off, Create Small Head and Whip Finish

 

 

 

 

OK Let's see who read this far down. The first person to name the three steelhead pattern I have tied so far will receive two of each pattern. Please leave a comment with your answer along with your email address for me to get back to you.