Drylining the Micro-Leech

Drylining a "Micro Leech" is an interesting "fly fishing technique" to emerge in the "Kamloops Lakes" over recent years. You can fish this trout fly pattern in shallow water with a "strike indicator".

Traditionally, the black or blood leech is usually fished with a sinking line, either casted along the drop-offs beside weedbeds or trolled in open water. In shallower water, I would use a weighted fly on a dry or intermediate line.

These days, one of the popular ways to fish this trout fly pattern is to suspend the micro-leech just above a weed bed or shallow bottom area using a strike indicator. It seemed odd at first but when you think about it, it make's good sense.

The leech is a staple food for fish throughout the season with high interest in the spring and the fall when hatches of other insects are unavailable. Fish cruise along dropoffs beside weedbeds or even just over the weedbeds looking for any food that may stray from their natural shelter. Using the strike indicator on the leader with a slow retrieve or drift allows you to serve up dinner while reducing the risk of getting caught up in the weeds.

Here are some strategies and a few other little rules of thumb to employ when attempting this micro-leech fly fishing technique.

1) Know the depth that you want to fish. If you are fishing above the weed bed, then find the depth of the water to the top of the weeds. If you are fishing the bottom, then find out the true depth. If you are just letting the line sit, set the indicator within 1 foot of the desired depth.

2) If you are casting and retrieving, extend the leader below the strike indicator about 1'-2'more than the depth that you intend to fish. When you start your retrieve, which ranges from really slow to slow, the line will is find it's level. If you are catching weeds just simply adjust the strike indicator. I found that my success is best if my retrieve rate is just fast enough to keep the dry line straight.

3) If you are drifting or trolling (slow) then set the distance between the strike indicator and the fly from about 1.5 to 2 times the depth you are intending to fish. This allows for the angle of the leader. Again, adjust the indicator as required.

4) When we think of leeches, we think of those big black things. Well, those are large blood leeches and although fish will feed on them, they also feed on smaller leeches that we call micro-leeches. Generally a micro-leech will be no larger than a size 8 9672 Mustad (1.25" long) and as small as a size 12 9672 (0.75" long).

Micro-leeches can be effectively fished in shallow water from about 3' to about 20 feet deep. The fly pattern may or may not have a bead head depending on the depth you are fishing. I tend to stay away from bead heads until I'm fishing water more than 8 feet deep.

Note: I have not fished a large leech using this technique (you may need a jumbo strike indicator). However if anyone does try it, you are invited to share your experience with us at the BC Freshwater Journal.

A few of the local "Kamloops Lakes" that I have had success with this technique are: Bleeker, Campbell Lake, Roche Lake and 6 Mile Lake.

Best success has been had in the early spring and in mid-to-late fall.

My favorite colors for the micro-leech are dubbed black & red, peacock, or blood leech polar ice dub.

This "fly fishing technique" is also effective when using a damesel nymph fly fishing pattern. Give it a try.

The Pleasure of His Company:
the fishing diaries of Jack Shaw

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