The Graboid Leech by Midnight Sun Custom Flies is uber fishy, effective, versatile, and a great tie. Like other great patterns, the Graboid’s beauty is in its simplicity. This week in Fly Tying, we leverage the Graboid pattern and...
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The Graboid Leech by Midnight Sun Custom Flies is uber fishy, effective, versatile, and a great tie. Like other great patterns, the Graboid’s beauty is in its simplicity.
This week in Fly Tying, we leverage the Graboid pattern and turn it into a Chinook (King) Salmon Pattern. Why not?
Original Fly Design: Jonathan Farmer of Midnight Sun Custom Flies. IG: @midnightsuncustomflies
Tied by Brian Davenport, Photos by Mike Brown, both of Mossy’s Fly Shop in Anchorage, Alaska. IG: @mossysflyshop.
Step 1. Slide your bead onto the shank and place it in the vice. Attach your stinger material, adjust the overall length to 4”
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Step 2. Attach your rabbit, make the tail a little longer than the stinger material. Do Not cut the rabbit, fold back out of way.
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Step 3. Build a composite loop of your Kraken and Ice Dub
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Step 4. Spin the dubbing and thoroughly pick out, you want to have a thin core before you wrap. You will need appx 5 turns worth
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Step 5. Wrap your dubbing forward appx 5 turns., sweeping the material back with every turn. Tie off and trim.
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Step 6. Place your Fusion Dub in a dubbing loop, you will need appx. 3 turns worth.
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Step 7. Spin the dubbing and pick out to a thing core.
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Step 8. Wrap forward, sweeping back with each turn, appx 3 turns. Leave appx 2 hook eye widths of the gap.
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Step 9. Sweep all your dubbing down, leaving it parted on top. Pull your rabbit strip over the top and tie down.
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Step 10. Tie in 2 strands of flash, and place down the flank. Repeat this on the other side.
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Step 11. Tie in your rubber legs, and place down the flank. Repeat this on the other side.
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Step 12. Place appx 3” of rabbit in a dubbing loop, minus the hide.
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Step 13. Spin and brush out.
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Step 14. Wrap the rabbit tight into the back of the bead, and whip finish.
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Step 15: Install hook and half hitch tail on to the hook.
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Other Effective Leech Patterns:
Graboid LeechImpersonator LeechString Leech