Shock Collar Leech

Matt Winkler

Matt Winkler

Shock Collar Leech

Designed by Matt Winkler, an Umpqua Signature tier. Matt is originally from New Jersey and currently works at Charlie’s Flybox in Arvada, CO. This leech pattern was designed to be very visible in dirty water or low light conditions. It can be fished wither in stillwaters or dead drifted within streams. Matt often uses this pattern as a dropper behind a larger streamer.

Lighten up on the weight

The pattern is tied on a TMC 2499BL which is a nymph hook that is 2X heavy and 3X wide with a straight eye. This provides plenty of hook gap on these smaller hooks in size 6-10. The bead sizes are 1/8″ for size 8 & 10, 5/32″ for size 6 . You do not need to use tungsten beads or additional weight as the pattern is meant to be a lighter fly for a slow drift through the water column.

The Pine Squirrel strip has a very good action when stripped or when dead drifting down the current. The shock value is the contrasting collar dubbing which is trimmed to about 1/4 inch on each side of the dubbing loop so that the collar does not overwhelm the pattern yet still sinewy and flowing. Matt started out using Black and Chartreuse for dirty water conditions but later added Black and Purple for lighter conditions. Try the Olive colored leeches as well since leeches are not always black.

 

Variations

Shock Collar Leech, Black/Purple
Shock Collar Leech, Black/Purple

Shock Collar Leech, Black/Purple

Hook TMC 2499 #6-10
Thread Danville Black 6/0
Head Black Dazzle Bead
Body Simi Seal, Black/Blue
Wing Black Pine Squirrel Strip
Tail Black Pine Squirrel Strip
Collar Simi Seal Black/Purple
Shock Collar Leech, Olive/Copper
Shock Collar Leech, Olive/Copper

Shock Collar Leech, Olive/Copper

Hook TMC 2499 #6-10
Thread Danville Brown 6/0
Head Copper Bead
Body Simi Seal, Canadian Olive
Wing Olive Pine Squirrel Strip
Tail Olive Pine Squirrel Strip
Collar Simi Seal DW Brown