Fly Tying Inventory
Egg Sucking Leech - Purple
A purple marabou leech with a fluorescent egg head that combines two proven fish triggers — the undulating movement of a leech with the bright egg appeal. Deadly for steelhead, trout, and salmon, especially during spawn seasons near egg-laden waters.
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Materials
3XL streamer hook (TMC 5263, Dai-Riki 700), sizes 2-8
Fluorescent pink, peach, or chartreuse egg bead (glass or tungsten)
Black 6/0 (140 denier)
Lead or non-lead wire wraps along shank
Purple marabou plume, full and flowing, shank length
Purple chenille or purple dubbing
Purple or black saddle hackle, palmered through body
Purple or pink Krystal Flash, 4-6 strands in tail
How to Tie the Egg Sucking Leech - Purple
- 1
Step 1
Slide the fluorescent egg bead onto the hook. Mount hook in vise and start thread behind the bead.
Chartreuse and hot pink beads are most popular — match to local egg colors.
- 2
Step 2
Wrap 8-12 turns of lead wire along the mid-shank. Secure with thread wraps.
- 3
Step 3
At the hook bend, tie in a full purple marabou plume as the tail, about one shank length.
- 4
Step 4
Add 4-6 strands of purple Krystal Flash to the tail.
- 5
Step 5
Tie in a purple saddle hackle by the tip at the base of the tail.
- 6
Step 6
Tie in purple chenille and wrap forward to just behind the bead to form the body.
Keep the body moderately thick — leeches have a plump profile.
- 7
Step 7
Palmer the saddle hackle forward through the body in 4-5 spiral turns. Tie off behind the bead.
Sweep the hackle fibers rearward as you wrap for a streamlined look.
- 8
Step 8
Build a neat thread head behind the bead, whip finish, and apply head cement.
Watch Tying Tutorial
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6urvusPWZI
Credit: Traditional Alaskan/Pacific Northwest pattern