W O W ,,,,,, THANK YOU FOR SHARING AND TEACHING US YOUR CREATIVITY,,, IN A STEP BY STEP FORMAT,,,, THIS IS A GREAT CHANNEL,,, THAT I AM SURE,,, HELPS THOUSANDS OF US,,,, WELL DONE 👍 PLEASE STAY SAFE AND HEALTHY,,,,
Thanks EJ, I am pleased to hear that you enjoyed my tying video. If you ever have any questions please don't hesitate to ask. Best of the season. Cheers, Phil
Great looking fly. I've found the best way to test for balance is to fill a sink with water, tie on some tippet and dip the fly in. A wetted fly hangs differently than a non-wetted fly, often tipping forward when dry, but levelling out when wet, which of course happens when it's in the lake. Once you've tied one and tested it wet, you have a better idea of exactly where to place the bead. The various combinations of hook, pin, bead, dubbing, tail, body thickness, etc. can alter how balanced flies hang in the water. I tie balanced flies using varied hook and bead sizes, different tail and dubbing materials, etc. depending on what I'm trying to imitate; minnow, damsel, leech, attractor, etc. As always Phil, great stuff!
Hi Mark, thanks for the kind words I am pleased to hear that you enjoyed my tying video. I used to test balance my flies but after tying so many I have the proportions figured out. You are quite correct, a balanced fly hangs differently in the air as it does in the water. They are an excellent tying style to imitate a wide range of trout food. Cheers, Phil
@@PhilRowleyFlyFishing Thank you Phil, great to hear from you. We've discovered yet another variation that has worked well when tying white (un)balanced leeches to imitate minnows: weight the fly distinctly forward so that it acts more like a jig pattern. First, tie in a little olive marabou off the back, so when inverted it becomes the "back" of the minnow, then white marabou or rabbit over that, dub the body forward in white and tie it off. The weighted forward style really causes the tail to "whip" or undulate rapidly which has proven on more than one occasion to really excite the fish. Take care!
@@markmendenhall7348 Hi Mark, I have been tying some similar patterns using either slotted or the new Tungsten Head Turner beads from Canadian Llama to create a similar effect. I love the simplicity of your pattern. Cheers, Phil
Hi David, I am pleased to hear that you enjoyed my video and this fly. I recently added an updated video of this fly and how I now tie it. Here is the link, czcams.com/video/7Wkh7TradlE/video.htmlsi=pYTcc-8uCv1QJRUE. Cheers, Phil
Thanks a lot Phil. That is a brilliant solution to the standard nose down attitude. I have many dozens of 555 hooks in a size 10 that gonna get used now.
Philip, thanks so much for introducing me to these balanced leech patterns. I've never come across these before and I've a feeling that they are going to transform my fishing! Just ordered a box of sequin pins and some tungsten beads. Regards from the UK.
Hi David, I hope they work well for you. Keep in mind that they are great cast and retrieve patterns too. Trout and other fish love the pitching, jigging action they have. Thanks, Phil
Great leech pattern Phil, was one of my two go too's last summer, micro leech being the other. The micro has worked pretty well ice fishing this year too.
I love your flies Phil and I learn a lot from your videos. However, I thought the same thing about the tail material adding weight, but I actually found the opposite once you get the fly in the water. The material seems to make the tail side more buoyant in the water which lifts the tail side up. If you balance the naked fly slightly tail down and head up then it will swim perfectly horizontal in the water which is perfect for a slow retrieve under and indicator.
Hi Jason, thanks for your feedback. I am glad to hear you enjoyed my videos. Looking back I probably should have made my comment about watching the tail proportions and volumes to balance the fly. Some tail materials such as rabbit and squirrel strips can unbalance the fly if you aren't careful. Cheers, Phil
Hi Bob, Balanced Flies have really changed the way I look at flies and fly tying. If there is a challenge I am trying to overcome I always look towards a balanced fly first.
If you break the pin to length with pliers instead of cutting it, you won't have such a sharp end and it won't cut your thread. Pins easily break when bent at a sharp angle, so breaking them with pliers works better. Also leeches swim level unless they are diving to deeper water, which wouldn't be the case during a retrieve under an indicator. When you fish them slow under indicators, you want them to hang "level". So as a tip, don't heavily tie your head/pin to the shank until after you check it. Only attached the head/pin with a few wraps so you can slide the pin forwards or backwards so it balances level. When fish are super fussy, they will come right to the fly and investigate it before biting. Having the leech level is especially important during calm days when they chop isn't providing much action. Good demo overall. I learn a lot from Phil.
Hi Jason, if you check out some of my more recent balanced flies such as the CBO you will see that I now use sequin pins. These are short pins to the need to bend or cut pins is now eliminated. When retrieving or adding the odd strip to the fly the movement often triggers a grab. You can also use balanced flies without an indicator using 4-6 slow strips coupled with pauses. Fish find the jigging action of a stripped balanced leech or minnow tough to resist at times. Thanks, Phil
Hi Phil. I will check out the sequin pins. Thanks for the info. Are you fishing in the Kelowna area any time soon? Thanks for all the information you provide. You sure helped me become a better flyfisherman.
Thanks Jason, no plans for Kelowna right now but you never know. As for the sequin pins check out the stitchery section at Michael's. They come about 800/package in either gold or silver. I get both. Sometimes you get a batch with small pin heads which don't always mesh with larger 1/8" beads. If you can try to make sure the pins are ok. I have found this with the gold pins, silver so far has been fine. Cheers, Phil
Hi particle Pete, Jig makes it ride point up, less snags. Jig also enables horizontal presentation in the water. Under an indicator on water with a light ripple, drives fish wild.
I agree. I recently started tying and using balanced leeches this summer. My catch rate has greatly improved as compared to leeches tied on a standard hook. I don't think I would use any other kind.
Thanks Eric, I am pleased to hear that you enjoyed my video. The Bruised Leech is perhaps my number one go-to fly. It seems to work throughout the season, shallow to deep, under an indicator or cast and retrieved and for a variety of species. Cheers, Phil
First, thanks for replying to my last comment. However, I have to say that this is one of the most frustrating ties I have experienced. The questions that come up are: how much Simi Seal do you use and how do you measure the amount? How long is the dubbing loop? The traditional 3" is not enough. I have run short several times and had to do a second loop to finish the fly. Once the dubbing is in the loop how long should it spin? Too long and you end up with a rope, too short and the dubbing pulls out when it is brushed back. My apologies for the long comment, but as I said this is a frustrating tie. Thanks in advance for any thoughts/comments.
Hi Phil, Sorry to hear you are still having challenges. I use a sparse amount of Simi Seal when inserting it into the loop. The pinches of dubbing are about 5/8” in diameter and you can easily see through it. My dubbing loop is about 4” long. Anything longer becomes awkward to wrap. If I am tying a larger fly when using dubbing loops I use multiple loops like you have. I spin the loop tight so the dubbing fibres radiate out 90 degrees to the loop. Another measure is if the twisted loop has an element of elasticity to it. If you push up slight on the loop it will want to fuel or twist on itself. Once the loop os tight I use a dubbing brush to free up as many of the fibres as can before winding the loop forward to form the body. If you watch some of my later balanced leech videos such as my CBO it might also be of assistance. I hope these tips help. If you have any other questions at all please do t hesitate to ask. Cheers. Phil
@@PhilRowleyFlyFishing Many thanks for the quick reply. I failed to say that I was tying on a #6 4x long shank which I may have been part of the problem. I will definitely dig into more of your videos and keep trying. I also read somewhere that after the fly is finished to dunk them in boiling water to loosen the dubbing and make it flow back better. Looking forward to the weather warming up so I can give these a try. By the way, what is the largest hook size you have used for these?
@@philstevens6934 Hi Phil, I tie my balanced leeches on size 10 or smaller hooks. Big balanced flies and the bead size needed to balance them have not been fun to cast for me. I you check out the end of the Ruby Eye Leech on my channel I show how to style a dubbed leech using hot water. Cheers Phil.
Hi Keith, great question. You can use a number of different extensions. Right now I am using sequin pins which I get at Michael's in the stitchery section. They are also available online through Amazon, amzn.to/2UWYj8j. You can also use a common household pin and cut it to length. I usually cut my pins a length equal to the distance from the hook eye to the hook point. Pins will hold beads from 1/8" diameter or smaller. For larger beads, you can use escutcheon pins (small nails) which you can pick up at Home Depot, Lowe's etc. I hope this helps if you need anything else please don't hesitate to ask. Thanks, Phil
Thanks phil. This is the best video on CZcams for tying this type of leech and figuring out a dubbing loop. My first one looked like a pregnant leech but getting the hang of it now. What type of superglue do you use?
Thanks for the kind words. I am glad you enjoyed the video and found the tying tips helpful. I use two different brands of superglue currently, Crazy Glue and Lepages (formerly Loctite). Cheers, Phil
hello, Philip, I love your videos it was nice to meet you and brian at the Utah fly expo so do you only use size 10 jig hooks or do you use other sizes like size 8,12, and 14 the project healing water fly fishing guys were wondering thanks for all your help
Hi, thanks for the kind words. I am glad you enjoyed the video. You can definitely tie this fly in other sizes. When I first filmed this video you could only get the Mustad hooks as small as size 10. I now use Daiichi 4640 jig hooks. They are available from size 6 through 16. They are a great hook for balanced flies and jig flies such as my Baby Leech which is also on my channel. Thanks, Phil
Phil, have you ever done a test of a balanced leech vs a vertical one? Preferably this would be done on a day where a lot of hungry trout are in the water. Tks.
Hi, great question. When I first began using balanced flies and leeches, in particular, I compared a regular leech and a balanced leech in a side by side comparison. I was using a balanced leech a good friend of mine, in the same boat, was using the exact same leech tied traditionally so it hung vertically. It was fall and fish were aggressively hunting in the shallows, The balanced leech outperformed the traditional leech by a large margin. So much so that my friend eventually changed up to a balanced leech. I am a firm believer in the balanced fly philosophy whether I suspend them under an indicator or cast and retrieve them. Thanks, Phil
@@PhilRowleyFlyFishing That's a good test and makes the extra time it takes to tie this fly (over a regular leech) worthwhile. Thanks for the info and the video.
Hi Phil thanks for the ballanced leach. we have alot of chubs in the lake i fish, can you tell me what colors would work for a balanced chub leach? thanks.
Hi Randy, if you look at the Balanced Minnow on my channel you could get some ideas for a Balanced Chub. I would choose a dubbing blend that matches the colors of the chub in your lakes. There are a number of chub species and each one is a bit different. There are a number of Simi Seal blends that would be great for any balanced baitfish pattern. Thanks, Phil
Phil, I an intrigued with this pattern and am going to tie some up. We fish a lot of still water here in Colorado and I think it will be awesome. Have you ever tried them, or know someone who has, through the ice? Wondering what size and pattern might work. Thanks for the awesome video.
Hi David, thanks for the kind words on my video. I am glad you enjoyed it. I have a lot of friends in Colorado who use my Balanced Leeches with great results. Lots of people also use them through the ice too and have good success. Thanks, Phil
Hi Phil.. I'm an Alberta girl and I love your videos! Quick question tho, I can't seem to get my balanced leeches to sit horizontal, I am leaving 2 bead lengths behind the pin but still won't balance. Any ideas what I'm doing wrong? seems simple enough...Thanks for the instructional videos, I would love to attend your bug seminar if you still do them.
Hi, thanks for the kind words regarding my videos I am pleased to hear that you are enjoying them. I am assuming you are using tungsten beads as brass beads don't work due to their reduced weight. You might have to extend a bit further or watch the length and amount of tail material as that adds weight to the back of the fly. Hook type has an effect too. If you use a Mustad 32833BLN then a small bead such as a 7/64" tungsten will work. I now use the Daiichi 4640 jig hook. These are stout hooks and need a 1/8" bead to balance properly. You can even use a larger bead but I find these tough to cast. The fly doesn't have to balance perfectly either. More or less horizontal is fine as under an indicator it pitches anyway if there is any sort of chop on the water. Water also supports the fly better than air so your flies may balance fine when it counts most. I hope this helps. If you have any additional questions please don't hesitate to ask. Thanks, Phil
Thanks Phil...Yes I did some experimenting with different sized beads and did figure it out eventually! I tried the system at my new favorite pot hole and it worked fantastically! Thanks again for your Alberta voice on fly tying :)
Thank you Philip for all the precious advice with this leech pattern. Could you tell me what kind of indicator you use and what is the recommended distance between leech and indicator.
Hi Lydie, great question. I primarily use Quick Release Indicators. You can find these on mine and Brian Chan's online Stillwater Fly Fishing Store (www.stillwaterflyfishingstore.com/). As for depth I always start trying to suspend my fly about one foot off the bottom and work my way up through the water in one-foot increments. The majority of the food in lakes lives on or near the bottom plus it's safer for the fish to feed there. For example, if I was fishing in 10 feet of water I would start with my fly one foot off the bottom or nine feet between the indicator and fly. I hope this helps. If you have any additional questions please don't hesitate to ask. Thanks, Phil
Just came across your video and it's awesome! Question: What knot do you use to tie the tippet to the eye of the hook? Is it a loose type so it can jiggle more?
Hi lineshooter5w, thanks for the kind words regarding my video. I am pleased to hear that you enjoyed it. I use only one knot for tying my flies to my tippet, the non-slip loop knot. It is a knot that does not tighten against the eye like a clinch knot. The knot remains open and allows the fly to move to further suggest life. Thanks, Phil
I'm excited to make this leech pattern. I am fairly new to tying so may sound like a dumb question but does the jig hook not ride upside down and as I have heard mentioned somewhere that this could harm small fish. Sorry if this sounds like dumb question.
+Cathy Fiedler Hi Cathy, great question. I have found that this fly tends to hook fish in the upper snout area. If you react quickly to a take the fish doesn't have the time to take the fly deep reducing the chance of injury. Large wide open gape hooks can injure fish of almost any size. I hope this answers your question. Once again a great one.
+Duncan Stewart Hi Duncan, I might have. I can't remember. In this instance it is called a Bruised Leeches due to the black/blue coloration of the dubbing used for the body. Should be a good Lago Strobel fly!
I enjoyed your video. I know that professional tyers love to carry the scissors in their hand all the time, for the sake of efficiency. However, if I may be so bold as to make a suggestion, I think it would be a good idea not to do this when filming videos. The scissor blades often blocked my view of the hook. Although this was only momentary, I found it very distracting.
Hi Mary, I am pleased to hear that you enjoyed your video. Thanks as well for your comments regarding my scissors. This one of the first videos uploaded to my channel. We have tried to reduce blocking the camera. If you look at some of my more recent videos such as my most recent video, the Feather Leech you will see that the scissors are only brought into the frame for cutting. I am doing my best to ensure that I don't carry them in my hand. Old habits are hard to quit sometimes. Thanks, Phil
Irve Denenberg Hi Irve, don't worry too much. The flies should be more or less horizontal. A little tail or bead down posture is fine. Keep in mind under an indicator that they pitch up and down anyway. Water is also a more dense than air so a fly that seems out of balance will be supported by the water and fish with a more horizontal profile. Finally, if you flies are a bit tail heavy you can balance your fly so they are a bit nose heavy before tying. I hope this helps, if you have any additional questions please don't hesitate to ask. Thanks, Phil
Hi Phil.. Just tied one of these but I'm having the same problem as Irve where it's not balancing at all after I form it. I'll keep trying tho, I may have not cut the pin short enough. Thanks for the great videos! :))
+Stryker 2 Hi, thanks for taking the time to ask your question. You can increase the bead size to help balance the fly. It is important to use tungsten beads as brass beads don't have enough mass to balance the fly. I now use Daiichi hooks, for #10 and smaller the 4640 and #8 and larger 4660. The 4640 is a stout hook and requires a heavier bead to balance it. I use 1/8" tungsten. When balancing a fly I usually look to extend the bead and pin assembly about two bead widths past the downturned hook eye. If the finished fly doesn't balance perfectly that is fine. Under an indicator the fly will still fish horizontally as the natural wave action animates the fly. Water is also a more dense medium than air and tends to support the fly. I also use balanced flies without an indicator and when they hit the bottom they land nose down, hook point up making them very snag resistant. Using a short strip retrieve the pitching action of a stripped balanced fly is tough for fish to resist. i hope this helps. If you have any further questions please don't hesitate to ask. Thanks, Phil
Hi Particle Pete, you can still fish a regular leech pattern beneath an indicator with good success. But from the experiments I have done using the same patterns within feet of each other, one balanced the other not, the balanced fly out performs the standard tie by a considerable margin, 8 or 9 to 1 on one occasion. Balanced flies also work well cast and retrieved without an indicator. They are essentially small jigs and provide a unique retrieve motion. They also ride point up, nose down, when crawled along a smooth relatively weed free bottom.
Hey Phil! What's your take on a 90° vs a 60° jig hook? Seems like the hook gape would feel less crowded with a 60, you'd just have to extend the pin a tad further to make up for the change in angle. Just curious if it makes any difference in your experience between the two. Thanks!
Hi Eric, my current favorite jig hook is the Daiichi 4640. It is a 60 degree hook that is availalbe in sizes 10-16. If I want to tie larger balanced flies, size 8 and up I use the Daiichi 4660. It is a 90 degree hook. The angle makes no difference to me as the jig hook's primary purpose is to ensure that once the fly is finished I have a visible hook eye I can tie my tippet onto. Prior to using jig hooks we used a standard down eye hook. Many times if you weren't careful you obscured the hook eye during the tying process. You ended up with a balanced fly that couldn't be tied on. In summary it is the size of the fly that governs which hooks I use nothing else. I have found in the Daiichi range both hooks work equally well. I hope this helps explain my jig hook rationale. Thanks, Phil
Makes sense. Thanks for the quick reply. Maybe I will see you again at the Lynnwood, WA show next year. I've only been focusing on Stillwater for a couple of seasons now, so your knowledge is extremely valuable. Thanks for all the help!
W O W ,,,,,, THANK YOU FOR SHARING AND TEACHING US YOUR CREATIVITY,,, IN A STEP BY STEP FORMAT,,,, THIS IS A GREAT CHANNEL,,, THAT I AM SURE,,, HELPS THOUSANDS OF US,,,, WELL DONE 👍 PLEASE STAY SAFE AND HEALTHY,,,,
Thanks EJ, I am pleased to hear that you enjoyed my tying video. If you ever have any questions please don't hesitate to ask.
Best of the season.
Cheers, Phil
Great looking fly. I've found the best way to test for balance is to fill a sink with water, tie on some tippet and dip the fly in. A wetted fly hangs differently than a non-wetted fly, often tipping forward when dry, but levelling out when wet, which of course happens when it's in the lake. Once you've tied one and tested it wet, you have a better idea of exactly where to place the bead. The various combinations of hook, pin, bead, dubbing, tail, body thickness, etc. can alter how balanced flies hang in the water. I tie balanced flies using varied hook and bead sizes, different tail and dubbing materials, etc. depending on what I'm trying to imitate; minnow, damsel, leech, attractor, etc. As always Phil, great stuff!
Hi Mark, thanks for the kind words I am pleased to hear that you enjoyed my tying video.
I used to test balance my flies but after tying so many I have the proportions figured out. You are quite correct, a balanced fly hangs differently in the air as it does in the water. They are an excellent tying style to imitate a wide range of trout food.
Cheers, Phil
@@PhilRowleyFlyFishing Thank you Phil, great to hear from you. We've discovered yet another variation that has worked well when tying white (un)balanced leeches to imitate minnows: weight the fly distinctly forward so that it acts more like a jig pattern. First, tie in a little olive marabou off the back, so when inverted it becomes the "back" of the minnow, then white marabou or rabbit over that, dub the body forward in white and tie it off. The weighted forward style really causes the tail to "whip" or undulate rapidly which has proven on more than one occasion to really excite the fish. Take care!
@@markmendenhall7348 Hi Mark, I have been tying some similar patterns using either slotted or the new Tungsten Head Turner beads from Canadian Llama to create a similar effect. I love the simplicity of your pattern.
Cheers, Phil
Thank you Phil for this amazing pattern-:)
Hi David,
I am pleased to hear that you enjoyed my video and this fly. I recently added an updated video of this fly and how I now tie it. Here is the link, czcams.com/video/7Wkh7TradlE/video.htmlsi=pYTcc-8uCv1QJRUE.
Cheers, Phil
Thank you Phil
I’m checking out the link right now-:)
David 😊
Thanks a lot Phil. That is a brilliant solution to the standard nose down attitude. I have many dozens of 555 hooks in a size 10 that gonna get used now.
Thanks Robert
agree...this colour combo has been a go to at all times of the year...
Thanks for this video Phil. Really appreciate your willingness to share and teach!
Thanks Michael, glad you enjoyed my video.
Cheers, Phil
Philip, thanks so much for introducing me to these balanced leech patterns. I've never come across these before and I've a feeling that they are going to transform my fishing! Just ordered a box of sequin pins and some tungsten beads. Regards from the UK.
Hi David, I hope they work well for you. Keep in mind that they are great cast and retrieve patterns too. Trout and other fish love the pitching, jigging action they have.
Thanks, Phil
really nice video. I like how you explained every step, especially the loop dubbing and brushing with velcro. Thank you! john
Thanks John, I am pleased to hear that you found this video helpful.
Cheers, Phil
Tied a bunch of color combinations of the balanced leech they look amazing. Can't wait to get out there and try them out.
Great video! This is by far my top producer in stillwater. Tied my first one today! Thanks to this video it actually turned out pretty well!
Thanks for the kind words. I am glad you enjoyed the video and especially that your Balanced Leech is producing for you.
Cheers, Phil
Thanks! I learned several good practices from this session
Thanks I am pleased to year that you enjoyed the video and learned a few more tying tricks too.
Cheers, Phil
Great leech pattern Phil, was one of my two go too's last summer, micro leech being the other. The micro has worked pretty well ice fishing this year too.
Thanks Bob, it is arguably my go-to leech pattern both in its regular size and as a micro leech too.
Cheers, Phil
Can’t wait to tie some of these up
I love your flies Phil and I learn a lot from your videos. However, I thought the same thing about the tail material adding weight, but I actually found the opposite once you get the fly in the water. The material seems to make the tail side more buoyant in the water which lifts the tail side up. If you balance the naked fly slightly tail down and head up then it will swim perfectly horizontal in the water which is perfect for a slow retrieve under and indicator.
Hi Jason, thanks for your feedback. I am glad to hear you enjoyed my videos. Looking back I probably should have made my comment about watching the tail proportions and volumes to balance the fly. Some tail materials such as rabbit and squirrel strips can unbalance the fly if you aren't careful.
Cheers, Phil
You just put me onto these , what a stroke of genius, can't wait to get this guy tied and fished , thanks again for the advice. Bob
Hi Bob, Balanced Flies have really changed the way I look at flies and fly tying. If there is a challenge I am trying to overcome I always look towards a balanced fly first.
If you break the pin to length with pliers instead of cutting it, you won't have such a sharp end and it won't cut your thread. Pins easily break when bent at a sharp angle, so breaking them with pliers works better. Also leeches swim level unless they are diving to deeper water, which wouldn't be the case during a retrieve under an indicator. When you fish them slow under indicators, you want them to hang "level". So as a tip, don't heavily tie your head/pin to the shank until after you check it. Only attached the head/pin with a few wraps so you can slide the pin forwards or backwards so it balances level. When fish are super fussy, they will come right to the fly and investigate it before biting. Having the leech level is especially important during calm days when they chop isn't providing much action. Good demo overall. I learn a lot from Phil.
Hi Jason, if you check out some of my more recent balanced flies such as the CBO you will see that I now use sequin pins. These are short pins to the need to bend or cut pins is now eliminated. When retrieving or adding the odd strip to the fly the movement often triggers a grab. You can also use balanced flies without an indicator using 4-6 slow strips coupled with pauses. Fish find the jigging action of a stripped balanced leech or minnow tough to resist at times.
Thanks, Phil
Hi Phil. I will check out the sequin pins. Thanks for the info. Are you fishing in the Kelowna area any time soon? Thanks for all the information you provide. You sure helped me become a better flyfisherman.
Thanks Jason, no plans for Kelowna right now but you never know. As for the sequin pins check out the stitchery section at Michael's. They come about 800/package in either gold or silver. I get both. Sometimes you get a batch with small pin heads which don't always mesh with larger 1/8" beads. If you can try to make sure the pins are ok. I have found this with the gold pins, silver so far has been fine.
Cheers, Phil
Hi particle Pete,
Jig makes it ride point up, less snags. Jig also enables horizontal presentation in the water. Under an indicator on water with a light ripple, drives fish wild.
I agree. I recently started tying and using balanced leeches this summer. My catch rate has greatly improved as compared to leeches tied on a standard hook. I don't think I would use any other kind.
Hi Randy, under an indicator balanced flies, leeches and other kinds, are tough to beat. Glad to hear of your success this past summer.
Fantastic video !!!!
Thanks Sean, I am pleased to hear that you enjoyed my video. If you ever have any questions at all please don't hesitate to ask.
Thanks, Phil
Will do Phil , thank you.
Splendid!
Thanks, I am glad you enjoyed the video.
Cheers, Phil
What is not mentioned, and I cannot see in the video is are the dubbing wraps touching or spaced out? It would help to know.
Hi Phil,
Sorry I didn’t explain it better on the video. The wraps are placed one wrap next to the previous wrap when I form the body.
Cheers, Phil
Great video great fly
Thanks Eric, I am pleased to hear that you enjoyed my video. The Bruised Leech is perhaps my number one go-to fly. It seems to work throughout the season, shallow to deep, under an indicator or cast and retrieved and for a variety of species.
Cheers, Phil
great presentation
Thanks Bill. I am glad you enjoyed the video.
Cheers, Phil
First, thanks for replying to my last comment. However, I have to say that this is one of the most frustrating ties I have experienced. The questions that come up are: how much Simi Seal do you use and how do you measure the amount? How long is the dubbing loop? The traditional 3" is not enough. I have run short several times and had to do a second loop to finish the fly. Once the dubbing is in the loop how long should it spin? Too long and you end up with a rope, too short and the dubbing pulls out when it is brushed back. My apologies for the long comment, but as I said this is a frustrating tie. Thanks in advance for any thoughts/comments.
Hi Phil,
Sorry to hear you are still having challenges. I use a sparse amount of Simi Seal when inserting it into the loop. The pinches of dubbing are about 5/8” in diameter and you can easily see through it. My dubbing loop is about 4” long. Anything longer becomes awkward to wrap. If I am tying a larger fly when using dubbing loops I use multiple loops like you have.
I spin the loop tight so the dubbing fibres radiate out 90 degrees to the loop. Another measure is if the twisted loop has an element of elasticity to it. If you push up slight on the loop it will want to fuel or twist on itself.
Once the loop os tight I use a dubbing brush to free up as many of the fibres as can before winding the loop forward to form the body.
If you watch some of my later balanced leech videos such as my CBO it might also be of assistance.
I hope these tips help. If you have any other questions at all please do t hesitate to ask.
Cheers. Phil
@@PhilRowleyFlyFishing Many thanks for the quick reply. I failed to say that I was tying on a #6 4x long shank which I may have been part of the problem. I will definitely dig into more of your videos and keep trying. I also read somewhere that after the fly is finished to dunk them in boiling water to loosen the dubbing and make it flow back better. Looking forward to the weather warming up so I can give these a try. By the way, what is the largest hook size you have used for these?
@@philstevens6934 Hi Phil,
I tie my balanced leeches on size 10 or smaller hooks. Big balanced flies and the bead size needed to balance them have not been fun to cast for me.
I you check out the end of the Ruby Eye Leech on my channel I show how to style a dubbed leech using hot water.
Cheers Phil.
What are your thoughts with using buck tail in place of marabou or rabbit fur?
You could certainly use bucktail. I have to admit I prefer the movement marabou or rabbit fur provides to suggest a natural leech.
Cheers, Phil
Phil, is there more detail on the straight pin? A size or something? Or a source for ordering them? Sorry for the naive question.
Hi Keith, great question. You can use a number of different extensions. Right now I am using sequin pins which I get at Michael's in the stitchery section. They are also available online through Amazon, amzn.to/2UWYj8j. You can also use a common household pin and cut it to length. I usually cut my pins a length equal to the distance from the hook eye to the hook point. Pins will hold beads from 1/8" diameter or smaller. For larger beads, you can use escutcheon pins (small nails) which you can pick up at Home Depot, Lowe's etc.
I hope this helps if you need anything else please don't hesitate to ask.
Thanks, Phil
Thanks for the info
Thanks phil. This is the best video on CZcams for tying this type of leech and figuring out a dubbing loop. My first one looked like a pregnant leech but getting the hang of it now. What type of superglue do you use?
Thanks for the kind words. I am glad you enjoyed the video and found the tying tips helpful. I use two different brands of superglue currently, Crazy Glue and Lepages (formerly Loctite).
Cheers, Phil
hello, Philip, I love your videos it was nice to meet you and brian at the Utah fly expo so do you only use size 10 jig hooks or do you use other sizes like size 8,12, and 14 the project healing water fly fishing guys were wondering thanks for all your help
Hi, thanks for the kind words. I am glad you enjoyed the video. You can definitely tie this fly in other sizes. When I first filmed this video you could only get the Mustad hooks as small as size 10. I now use Daiichi 4640 jig hooks. They are available from size 6 through 16. They are a great hook for balanced flies and jig flies such as my Baby Leech which is also on my channel.
Thanks, Phil
@@PhilRowleyFlyFishing thanks again for the great videos
Phil, have you ever done a test of a balanced leech vs a vertical one? Preferably this would be done on a day where a lot of hungry trout are in the water. Tks.
Hi, great question. When I first began using balanced flies and leeches, in particular, I compared a regular leech and a balanced leech in a side by side comparison. I was using a balanced leech a good friend of mine, in the same boat, was using the exact same leech tied traditionally so it hung vertically. It was fall and fish were aggressively hunting in the shallows, The balanced leech outperformed the traditional leech by a large margin. So much so that my friend eventually changed up to a balanced leech. I am a firm believer in the balanced fly philosophy whether I suspend them under an indicator or cast and retrieve them.
Thanks, Phil
@@PhilRowleyFlyFishing That's a good test and makes the extra time it takes to tie this fly (over a regular leech) worthwhile. Thanks for the info and the video.
Hi Phil thanks for the ballanced leach. we have alot of chubs in the lake i fish, can you tell me what colors would work for a balanced chub leach? thanks.
Hi Randy, if you look at the Balanced Minnow on my channel you could get some ideas for a Balanced Chub. I would choose a dubbing blend that matches the colors of the chub in your lakes. There are a number of chub species and each one is a bit different. There are a number of Simi Seal blends that would be great for any balanced baitfish pattern.
Thanks, Phil
Phil, I an intrigued with this pattern and am going to tie some up. We fish a lot of still water here in Colorado and I think it will be awesome. Have you ever tried them, or know someone who has, through the ice? Wondering what size and pattern might work. Thanks for the awesome video.
Hi David, thanks for the kind words on my video. I am glad you enjoyed it.
I have a lot of friends in Colorado who use my Balanced Leeches with great results. Lots of people also use them through the ice too and have good success.
Thanks, Phil
great flies
Very cool
Thanks, I am pleased to hear you enjoyed the video.
Cheers, Phil
Hi Phil.. I'm an Alberta girl and I love your videos! Quick question tho, I can't seem to get my balanced leeches to sit horizontal, I am leaving 2 bead lengths behind the pin but still won't balance. Any ideas what I'm doing wrong? seems simple enough...Thanks for the instructional videos, I would love to attend your bug seminar if you still do them.
Hi, thanks for the kind words regarding my videos I am pleased to hear that you are enjoying them. I am assuming you are using tungsten beads as brass beads don't work due to their reduced weight. You might have to extend a bit further or watch the length and amount of tail material as that adds weight to the back of the fly. Hook type has an effect too. If you use a Mustad 32833BLN then a small bead such as a 7/64" tungsten will work. I now use the Daiichi 4640 jig hook. These are stout hooks and need a 1/8" bead to balance properly. You can even use a larger bead but I find these tough to cast. The fly doesn't have to balance perfectly either. More or less horizontal is fine as under an indicator it pitches anyway if there is any sort of chop on the water. Water also supports the fly better than air so your flies may balance fine when it counts most.
I hope this helps. If you have any additional questions please don't hesitate to ask.
Thanks, Phil
Thanks Phil...Yes I did some experimenting with different sized beads and did figure it out eventually! I tried the system at my new favorite pot hole and it worked fantastically! Thanks again for your Alberta voice on fly tying :)
@@stryker2764 That's great glad to hear everything worked out, both at the vise and especially on the water.
Thanks, Phil
Thank you Philip for all the precious advice with this leech pattern. Could you tell me what kind of indicator you use and what is the recommended distance between leech and indicator.
Hi Lydie, great question.
I primarily use Quick Release Indicators. You can find these on mine and Brian Chan's online Stillwater Fly Fishing Store (www.stillwaterflyfishingstore.com/). As for depth I always start trying to suspend my fly about one foot off the bottom and work my way up through the water in one-foot increments. The majority of the food in lakes lives on or near the bottom plus it's safer for the fish to feed there. For example, if I was fishing in 10 feet of water I would start with my fly one foot off the bottom or nine feet between the indicator and fly.
I hope this helps. If you have any additional questions please don't hesitate to ask.
Thanks, Phil
Just came across your video and it's awesome! Question: What knot do you use to tie the tippet to the eye of the hook? Is it a loose type so it can jiggle more?
Hi lineshooter5w, thanks for the kind words regarding my video. I am pleased to hear that you enjoyed it. I use only one knot for tying my flies to my tippet, the non-slip loop knot. It is a knot that does not tighten against the eye like a clinch knot. The knot remains open and allows the fly to move to further suggest life.
Thanks, Phil
I'm excited to make this leech pattern. I am fairly new to tying so may sound like a dumb question but does the jig hook not ride upside down and as I have heard mentioned somewhere that this could harm small fish. Sorry if this sounds like dumb question.
+Cathy Fiedler Hi Cathy, great question. I have found that this fly tends to hook fish in the upper snout area. If you react quickly to a take the fish doesn't have the time to take the fly deep reducing the chance of injury. Large wide open gape hooks can injure fish of almost any size. I hope this answers your question. Once again a great one.
Can lava lace be used to tie these. Great video.
rouryglen Yes you could. Once the balanced chassis is built you use any materials you wish.
Thanks, Phil
Cheers for that 👍
Oh my God, what breed of dog is on your boat, I really wanna know, came for the fly, stayed for the 🐕
Hi, that is my friend's Elk Hound, he and his wife have two.
Would squirrel tail work for tail and dubbing ? thanks new to tying thanks your video s awesome 👍
Hi Raul, you can use any materials you would like including squirrel tail and dubbing.
Cheers, Phil
@@PhilRowleyFlyFishing thanks for info your the best!
HMMM. didn't you come up with the term bruised at Minnie Lake
+Duncan Stewart Hi Duncan, I might have. I can't remember. In this instance it is called a Bruised Leeches due to the black/blue coloration of the dubbing used for the body. Should be a good Lago Strobel fly!
I enjoyed your video. I know that professional tyers love to carry the scissors in their hand all the time, for the sake of efficiency. However, if I may be so bold as to make a suggestion, I think it would be a good idea not to do this when filming videos. The scissor blades often blocked my view of the hook. Although this was only momentary, I found it very distracting.
Hi Mary, I am pleased to hear that you enjoyed your video. Thanks as well for your comments regarding my scissors. This one of the first videos uploaded to my channel. We have tried to reduce blocking the camera. If you look at some of my more recent videos such as my most recent video, the Feather Leech you will see that the scissors are only brought into the frame for cutting. I am doing my best to ensure that I don't carry them in my hand. Old habits are hard to quit sometimes.
Thanks, Phil
my leeches seem to balance well. However after I dip them in the hot water to profile they get to be a bit tail heavy and do not balance??
Irve Denenberg Hi Irve, don't worry too much. The flies should be more or less horizontal. A little tail or bead down posture is fine. Keep in mind under an indicator that they pitch up and down anyway. Water is also a more dense than air so a fly that seems out of balance will be supported by the water and fish with a more horizontal profile. Finally, if you flies are a bit tail heavy you can balance your fly so they are a bit nose heavy before tying. I hope this helps, if you have any additional questions please don't hesitate to ask.
Thanks, Phil
Hello Phil, What vise are you using in this video?
Hi Jerry this was a Renzetti Traveller, I now use a Regal Vise which I really enjoy, simple sturdy and tough.
Thanks, Phil
Hi Phil.. Just tied one of these but I'm having the same problem as Irve where it's not balancing at all after I form it. I'll keep trying tho, I may have not cut the pin short enough. Thanks for the great videos! :))
+Stryker 2 Hi, thanks for taking the time to ask your question. You can increase the bead size to help balance the fly. It is important to use tungsten beads as brass beads don't have enough mass to balance the fly. I now use Daiichi hooks, for #10 and smaller the 4640 and #8 and larger 4660. The 4640 is a stout hook and requires a heavier bead to balance it. I use 1/8" tungsten. When balancing a fly I usually look to extend the bead and pin assembly about two bead widths past the downturned hook eye. If the finished fly doesn't balance perfectly that is fine. Under an indicator the fly will still fish horizontally as the natural wave action animates the fly. Water is also a more dense medium than air and tends to support the fly. I also use balanced flies without an indicator and when they hit the bottom they land nose down, hook point up making them very snag resistant. Using a short strip retrieve the pitching action of a stripped balanced fly is tough for fish to resist.
i hope this helps. If you have any further questions please don't hesitate to ask.
Thanks, Phil
+Philip Rowley Thanks Phil for the explanation, I didn't use Tungsten so that is most definitely part of the problem. :))
Yes the beads have to be tungsten. That switch alone should help things considerably.
Thanks, Phil
Stryker 2 q
If you use brass then you may need to add some wire lead to help balance the fly towards the bead.
Call me thick but why make a balanced rig instead of just using a strong normal hook?and does the balancing make it fish better?
Hi Particle Pete, you can still fish a regular leech pattern beneath an indicator with good success. But from the experiments I have done using the same patterns within feet of each other, one balanced the other not, the balanced fly out performs the standard tie by a considerable margin, 8 or 9 to 1 on one occasion. Balanced flies also work well cast and retrieved without an indicator. They are essentially small jigs and provide a unique retrieve motion. They also ride point up, nose down, when crawled along a smooth relatively weed free bottom.
Cheers for the reply.
Hey Phil! What's your take on a 90° vs a 60° jig hook? Seems like the hook gape would feel less crowded with a 60, you'd just have to extend the pin a tad further to make up for the change in angle. Just curious if it makes any difference in your experience between the two. Thanks!
Hi Eric, my current favorite jig hook is the Daiichi 4640. It is a 60 degree hook that is availalbe in sizes 10-16. If I want to tie larger balanced flies, size 8 and up I use the Daiichi 4660. It is a 90 degree hook. The angle makes no difference to me as the jig hook's primary purpose is to ensure that once the fly is finished I have a visible hook eye I can tie my tippet onto. Prior to using jig hooks we used a standard down eye hook. Many times if you weren't careful you obscured the hook eye during the tying process. You ended up with a balanced fly that couldn't be tied on. In summary it is the size of the fly that governs which hooks I use nothing else. I have found in the Daiichi range both hooks work equally well. I hope this helps explain my jig hook rationale.
Thanks, Phil
Makes sense. Thanks for the quick reply. Maybe I will see you again at the Lynnwood, WA show next year. I've only been focusing on Stillwater for a couple of seasons now, so your knowledge is extremely valuable. Thanks for all the help!
Thank you for the web site info.
Bill
Missed your web site on your response . Would you please sent it. Thank you
Sure thing Bill. My website is, www.flycraftangling.com.
Cheers, Phi
I am getting nervous with scissors flying about. Expecting blood soon.
Just be careful, you should be fine. ;)
Thanks, Phil
TOH