Fly Tying - The Balanced Leech (America's Favourite Fishing Flies)
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- Опубліковано 7 лют 2025
- Hook - Hanak H450 BL #10
Thead - Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread Black 6/0
Extended Head - Straight Pin
Bead - Hanak 3.3 Countersunk Tungsten Bead (Gun Metal)
Tail - Comp Candy Black Jack Marabou
Runners - Crinkle Flash Silver
Body - Nature Spirit emergence dubbing (Black Blood Leach)
Hackle - Black Hen Hackle
Another one in my American patterns series, this fly came up time and time again. I have to be honest I had not heard of a balanced leech before I had asked the question on my community page so a new pattern for me! I was not quite sure how it would swim but if you stay to the end you can see it in the swim tank.
I think that this is one of the true benefits of social media and the internet. Anglers the world over can share patterns and ideas that they may have never known about. The world has indeed become much smaller ;-)
great video Lindsey. I've been using these flies recently after finding videos from Phil Rowley, a top canadian stillwater trouter, he is very successful with various balanced patterns. leech, dragonflyand fry patterns have produced successfully for me on reserviors particularly under a bung. Very much worth closer look!
I can see a damsel working well like this.
Hi Lindsay never seen this type of tying before. Makes sense though. Happy Burns night by the way hope you are able to enjoy a dram or two!
Thanks and I am sure I will manage one 😉
Have been using a balanced damsel, tied in a similar way for over four year with great results. Fished under a bung and either let to drift with the wind or give twitched finger of eight which imparts movement.
I think a Damsel variation would work a treat 👍
Good video Lindsay. I’ve been fishing these types of flies under an indicator (bung) for a few years now with solid success. Started casting and retrieving them this past summer and fall with good success. I’m going to try it in the Humungous configuration. One piece of advice when tying, you get a good horizontal balance, be able to put two beads in the space between bead and hook.
Thanks great tip.
Fair bit of movement in that mate
I am told it is best fished static under a bung.
I've never heard of this fly. Love the action.
Very popular in America 🇺🇸
Absolutely great pattern.catches lots of fish.great tie Lindsey!!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Very interested to hear how this fly performs over here before I tie. Thanks Lindsay , stay safe, Big Davie.
Will let you know pal👍
Good video sir hopefully see you trying it out when trout season starts in a few videos
Fingers crossed!
The balanced leech also keeps the presentation horizontal when presenting the fly vertically, in deep water or slowly presented near structure. With he virus, I have not gotten back to Canada to try these on deep walleye on humps and reefs in summertime. The weight on this tie is slightly further from the eye of the hook than the ones I tied. Great video Lindsay, thanks for sharing.
Very welcome buddy.
You will find that the balanced leeches work very well for walleye and smallmouth bass - I fish them under an indicator in deeper water (15 plus feet) with excellent results!
Leeches are available all season long and the fish seem to be quick to grab one even if there's a hatch happening. If there is a bit of a breeze and a chop on the water I like to fish a balanced leech under a bung with a figure-of-eight retrieve as the waves give it fantastic action. A recommendation for attaching the pin - lash the pin to the hook shank by casting on both at the same time then using an open spiral wrap down to the hook and back up to the tie in point; check/adjust the alignment of the pin and lock it in place with CA glue. The open spiral wrap let's the CA glue wick in and bond the hook to the pin with a fillet of glue, this makes for a fast and secure joint with out excessive thread wraps.
Thanks for the tip Hank, I am going to tie some more of these up and give them a go on the large Stillwaters we have here in England.
Most people over here in the states fish a balanced leech under an indicator/Bung sitting still or with a slow retrieve on still waters. Or a dead drift in rivers works too.
My best colors have been midnight fire and a Bruised (black & blue) leech.
I'm pretty sure you will like the results of a balanced leech.
Definitely going to give it a go👍
There’s a video about 4-5 years old about balanced Flys on UA-cam.
Surprised it has took off over here, makes sense to level out fly.
The man was on a river using a bung, it was very successful.
That does make sense, under a bung it would hang horizontal.
Nice pattern! In Belgium (Near Maaseik) near the Dutch border (ons a large stillwater) it's used under an indicator in windy conditions to fish large trout.
Interesting, must try and get there one day.
I use a balanced leach each time I’m out at my club loch at mid Calder. It’s a good early season pattern and fun to fish
How do you fish it?
I see a loop knot in the water tank, a clench knot might bring it to more horizontal when swimming the fly, where a loop knot would allow for a horizontal presentation when the line is more vertical.
From the feedback I think under a bung is the way to fish this.
That'll catch fish alright, very nice
Hope so!
Both ingenious and devious. This beautiful beastie has potential by the bucket full. The missing link love child of Shuggie and a Snake. Great deep for big brownies. Or deep under a bung to tempt Spartic trout. Possibly as is or smaller sizes as Euro nymph pattern for grayling. Especially on the larger European rivers. One possible alternative in the dressing. for the extension instead of the dressing pin cut another hook at the bend to use that straight shank instead. A good use of any barbed hooks that you would no longer have a use for.
Yes I can see it working well on both Stillwater and larger rivers.
@@lindsayiflyfishon the rivers, a pink bead could represent a leach feeding on a fish egg
Balanced flies are an absolute must have in my fly box. I am in the Pacific Northwest USA. Specifically western Washington.
I have caught more fish on a balanced leech of some sort then any other pattern in my box when fishing lakes. Most often suspended under an indicator. It's a confidence fly for me and usually where I will start. Especially in early spring and fall. Good looking tie! Thanks for sharing!
Arizona Simi Seal is a great leech dubbing. Not sure if it is available in the UK?
Thanks pal, will look out for that dubbing.
Looks more like a mud minnow. But it looks deadly mate.
A mud minnow, need to look that up.