Every once in a while, we stumble across something special. The best happy accidents can happen when we least expect them, without any planning or forethought. One such thing in my angling life was creation of the mohair leech. It has been a “go to” fly for decades now in the Ozarks and elsewhere in the world of trout. Easy to tie, durable and adaptable to many fly fishing situations, “The Leech” deserves a spot in every Ozark angler’s fly box. The original classic is olive, but many other shades and variations have proven effective. What does it look like? Maybe a small crayfish, maybe a sculpin, maybe a cranefly larva…maybe just something buggy that fish feel compelled to eat. As you can see in these photos, fish still find The Leech irresistible.
My thanks to Jim Washabaugh for maintaining a page about tying and fishing the fly that you can see here: https://www.missouritrout.com/mikesmohairleech.htm
Missouri Fly Fishing Guide 