Kaufmann Mini Leech

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Tying Instructions

1. Flatten the barb of the hook with your vise and secure the hook at the bottom of the hook bend. Attach the thread at the 1/3 position of the hook shank wrapping a thread foundation to the bend of the hook.

2. Select about 6-8 stiff hackles from a spade hackle. You can procure these hackles from the sides of a cape or purchase a tailing pack with these hackles.

3. The length should be slightly longer than the hook shank. Attach the tailing fibers at the bend of the hook and wrap the tag ends to about the 1/3 position. Clip off the tag ends of the tailing fibers.

4. Select a 1/4 inch section of Turkey T-Base for the wingpost. Note how the T-base has a flat and even tip. You should clip this section with a cut that is parallel to the tips.

5. Keeping the tips aligned, roll the segment and position the tie-down at the area in front of where you trimmed the tailing butts. The wing post should be the length of the hook shank.

6. A.K. likes to hold the segment at a 45 degree downward angle in front of the shank. With 2 soft thread loops, the bundle will position itself on top of the shank upon tightening the thread.

7. Trim the butt ends of the T-Base and wrap to cover the clipped butts.

8. Try to wrap an even taper. Lift the wingpost tips and wrap 7-8 turns against the front of the wingpost to hold the wingpost upright.

9. Wrap 7-8 times around the base of the wingpost to give support to the hackle. This is easily done with a rotary vise rotating the wingpost towards you.

10. Select a hackle stem and clip the guill where the diameter of the quill is about the same as the diameter of the shank.

11. This clipped tip is then attached to the side of the hook shank and secured with thread wraps to the tail tie-off position.

12. Wrap the quill forward. At the wingpost, secure the quill with some tight thread wraps behind the wing post.

13. Then, bring the quill underneath and tie-off the quill in front of the wingpost.

14. Clip the butt and wrap over. Apply some UV Clear Fly Finish, Flow to the quill body.

15. Harden the coating with a UV lamp.

16. Select a stiff Dun Hackle about one size larger than the hook size. Clip three hook-eye lenths of fibers from the stem shiny-side up. This helps keep the fibers from twisting the hackle. Tie the butt end in front of the wingpost nearest you. Also put a couple of wraps around the base of the wingpost to anchor the hackle to the wingpost.

17. Build up a thread thorax and head covering the hackle and quill body butt ends.

18. Wrap the hackle 4-5 turns around the wingpost proceeding in a downwards direction. Wrap the thread at the base of the wingpost just above the tag end of the hackle 2-3 times to secure the hackle wraps.

19. Bring the hackle tip over the hook eye and underneath the thread. Bringing the thread over the hackle tip will lock the hackle into place. Wrap the thread around the hackle tip two more times before trimming the tip. Lift the hackles from above the hook eye and wrap to further secure and cover the hackle tip. Apply 2-3 half hitches.

20. Apply some head cement at the head and also at the base of the wingpost. The finished Quill Parachute, BWO.

Materials to Order Material, click the link
Hook	TMC 200R #10-12
Thread	Danville Wine 6/0
Head	Gold Tungsten Bead
Body	Angora Claret, Arizona Minnow Hair Olive Brown,Hareline Dubbin Black Blend with 2 strands each Pearl and Wine Krystalflash
Tail	Burgundy Marabou with 2 strands each Pearl and Wine Krystalflash

Randall Kaufmann

Kaufmann’s Mini Leech

Randall Kaufmann’s Mini Leech was introduced in early 1990’s and closely resembles the Mohair Leech. The main difference is that Randall uses the TMC 200R hook that has a curve to the main shank to tie them in smaller sizes from 10-14 in conjunction to the dubbing blend that allows a very slender body with long fibers.

Dubbing Blend

Randall makes a dubbing blend that is 1/4 SLF, 1/4 Rabbit, and 1/2 Angora Goat. Due to the smaller fibers within the blend, he uses a dubbing loop technique to lock the fibers in, utilizing dubbing wax so that the fibers adhere to the thread. He keeps the body dubbing very thin. The dubbing loop technique will allow longer fiber extensions from a thinner body. The dubbing loop is roped with 4-6 strands of Krystalflash that provides a ribbing to the pattern.

Half Length Tail

The tail is about 1/2 the shank length with four strands of flash over the top of the tail. Since many leeches are only abour an inch long, this pattern closely resembles the actual leech within our Sierran waters. The pattern is often tied in red, wine, purple, black, brown, and dark olive.

Black Mini Leech

Hook	TMC 200R #10-12
Thread	Danville Black 6/0
Head	Gold Tungsten Bead
Body	Angora Black, Arizona Minnow Hair Shadback,Hareline Dubbin Black Blend with 2 strands each Black and Red Krystalflash
Tail	Black Marabou with 2 strands each Black and Red Krystalflash

Red Kaufmann Mini Leech

Hook	TMC 200R #10-12
Thread	Danville Red 6/0
Head	Gold Tungsten Bead
Body	Angora Red, Arizona Minnow Hair Redside,Hareline Dubbin Red Blend with 2 strands each Pearl and Red Krystalflash
Tail	Red Marabou with 2 strands each Pearl and Red Krystalflash

Olive Kaufmann Mini Leech

Hook	TMC 200R #10-12
Thread	Danville Light Olive 6/0
Head	Gold Tungsten Bead
Body	Angora Olive, Arizona Simi Seal Amber Olive,Hareline Dubbin Olive Blend with 4 strands Olive Krystalflash
Tail	Olive Marabou with 4 strands Olive Krystalflash