Fly Tying Inventory
Space Leech
Space Leech is a stillwater leech from Cheech of Fly Fish Food, part of a line of custom leech dubbing blends in 12 colors. This is the Thin Mint color, which Cheech worked out with Brigham and tested on educated trout in the UK. The short, stout hook and slotted bead balance the fly and help it hook and hold fish. The tail is brown and olive marabou, and the body is a shaggy blend of seal substitute, Ice Dub, Angel Hair and Ice Wing Fiber. Tied here on a size 12 hook.
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Materials
Fulling Mill FM5125 Jig Force Short Barbless hook, size 12 (or Umpqua XC210BL-BN Perdi-Jig Hook, size 12)
12
Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread 6/0, black (or Danville Flat Waxed Nylon 140 denier, black)
Black · 6/0
Fulling Mill Slotted Tungsten Beads, metallic light pink, 3.2mm (or Hanak Metallic+ Slotted Tungsten Beads, light pink, 3.5mm)
Metallic Light Pink · 3.2mm
Wooly Bugger Marabou, brown (or Fish Hunter Premium Strung Marabou, brown UV)
Brown
Wooly Bugger Marabou, olive (or Fish Hunter Premium Strung Marabou, medium olive UV)
Olive
Semperfli SemperSeal Substitute Dubbing, medium olive, 1 part of the blend
Medium Olive
Ice Dub, wicked black, 1/8 part of the blend
Wicked Black
How to Tie the Space Leech
- 1
Step 1
Before you tie, mix the body blend: 1 part medium olive SemperSeal Substitute, 1/8 part black SemperSeal Substitute, 1/8 part Ice Dub, 1/4 part Angel Hair and 1/8 part Ice Wing Fiber.
- 2
Step 2
Slide the pink slotted bead onto the jig hook and mount the hook in the vise.
- 3
Step 3
Start the black thread behind the bead, wrap back to the bend and trim the tag.
- 4
Step 4
Tie in a bunch of brown marabou at the bend for the first part of the tail. Bind the butts down and trim any excess.
- 5
Step 5
Tie in a bunch of olive marabou on top of the brown so the tail shows olive over brown. Bind the butts down and trim any excess.
- 6
Step 6
Form a dubbing loop at the base of the tail, then bring the thread forward to just behind the bead.
- 7
Step 7
Spread a pinch of the blend along the loop, keeping the fibers loose and shaggy.
- 8
Step 8
Spin the loop tight to make a fuzzy rope of dubbing.
- 9
Step 9
Wrap the rope forward to the bead, stroking the fibers back toward the tail as you go.
- 10
Step 10
Tie off the rope behind the bead with the thread and trim the excess.
- 11
Step 11
Whip finish behind the bead and trim the thread.
- 12
Step 12
Stroke the body fibers back over the tail so they sweep rearward.
Watch Tying Tutorial
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGORcQ7E3oI
Credit: Cheech / Fly Fish Food