| Over time, undoubtedly, the Kissing Leech will prove to | | | | retrieving techniques however I do suggest that your |
| be one of the most effective trout fly patterns in the | | | | retrieve allows the fly to pulsate. I particularly like fishing |
| best fly fishing lakes in BC. This simple to tie and easy | | | | parallel to weedbeds to catch the cruisers along the |
| to present killer fly pattern adds a new dimension to | | | | dropoffs. It also does relatively well during the summer |
| your to your BC fly fishing experience. Let me tell you | | | | doldrums when used with a deep sinking line in the |
| my story. | | | | deeper holes of the lake (25'-40' deep). |
| While spending part of a summer in Canada's Yukon | | | | As for the rabbit strip I found that making each arm of |
| Territory a few years ago, I had the opportunity to | | | | the "V" a different colour added to the attractability of |
| watch the life cycles of various freshwater insects | | | | the fly and generated more more strikes. My favorite |
| and invertebrates first hand. Oddly enough, many of | | | | color combination is purple and black. I also usually |
| the same aquatic life cycles in this northern climate are | | | | make the arms the same length however I also had |
| similar to those found in the fly fishing lakes of | | | | success in varying the length of each arm. |
| southern British Columbia. The only difference would | | | | Materials for the Kissing Leech |
| be the time frame in which it occurs. With longer days | | | | Hook: Mustad 9672 - #6 - #12 |
| and a shorter season, the life cycles of the insects | | | | Thread: Black - Danville's 210 - FLYMASTER +PLUS+ |
| appear to be in fast forward. | | | | Body (shaft of hook): black thread, peacock herl, dark |
| One thing that I had never witnessed before in my | | | | flashiboo |
| neck of the woods (Kamloops, BC) was the mating | | | | Body (leech material): rabbit strip - purple, black, dark |
| pattern of the common leech. There was an | | | | red, olive green, etc) |
| abundance of leeches in Wellesley Lake and they | | | | Rib: normally none however you could try a red, silver, |
| were somewhat smaller than the leeches that we see | | | | gold or copper thin wire wrap Thorax: peacock herl |
| here. They seemed to be only about 2-3 centimeters | | | | Tail: usually none or try a short tuft cut from one of |
| in length (+/-1 inch). While mating, they joined at one | | | | rabbit strips |
| end forming a "V" pattern and seemed to swim | | | | Head: small (3/32") black or white metal or glass bead. |
| around for long periods of time, undulating in this | | | | A gold bead may also suffice |
| formation. It really didn't dawn on me at that time that | | | | Tying Instructions for the Kissing Leech: |
| this would be a potential fly pattern. When I returned | | | | Slide on your glass white or black bead. |
| home to Kamloops, I was reviewing what I had | | | | Dress the hook with your dark thread and then tie in |
| observed and started tieing a fly pattern that | | | | rib. Keep the body thin. Secure behind the bead head. |
| resembled the mating leeches. I had been | | | | Wrap the ribbing forward to about 1/8" behind the |
| experimenting with rabbit strip leeches the previous | | | | bead head and secure. |
| year but I was tying them big and bulky. This pattern | | | | Cut your rabbit strip to the desired length. I suggest |
| could be shorter in general and not as bulky along the | | | | cutting the leather between 3/4" and 1" long. Make the |
| body of the hook. I still used rabbit strip with various | | | | diagonally so that the leather narrows to a point. |
| sized hooks and the results were sensational. Because | | | | Place the first strip along one side of the shaft, |
| of the potential marketability of the pattern to the | | | | inserting the point of the strip into or as close to the |
| general public, it was uncool to name the fly "the | | | | bead head as possible. Tie it off with a few tight winds |
| Mating Leech" or just a plain old "f*#%ing Leech", so | | | | (this is why I suggest the flymaster+ thread) and |
| we decided to smooth out the name to a far more | | | | secure |
| acceptable "Kissing Leech". | | | | Tie in a couple of strands of peacock herl for the |
| This pattern is effective throughout the season but | | | | thorax. Do not wrap yet. |
| particularly early, just after ice off and late in the | | | | Place the second rabbit strip on the opposite side of |
| season, within a month of freeze up. This pattern has | | | | the hook, inserting the pointed tip under the bead if |
| resulted in the catching of my first fish each of the last | | | | possible. Secure tightly and tie it off. |
| 3 seasons.It can be fished on all different lines (floating, | | | | Wrap the peacock herl to finish the head area off and |
| slow sinker, deep sinker, etc) and with various | | | | secure behind the bead head. Add head cement. |