[Rick J]

Hope the photo comes out - first attempt at this - these are really easy to tie as long as you have 2 vises and you can make them any size you want - really awsomw looking in the water - have yet to actually fish them as rivers are blown but soon I hope....

 

[t_richerzhagen]

How about

some tying directions, please? Talk about a chicken and a half. It must be fight or flight for the fish.

 

[voodoofly]

how do you fish these?

Hi Rick,

Cool flies. those things are huge. what are you fishing them with? i have some flies that are about 5" long and they are really difficult to cast (maybe too light of rod/line). They have long rabbit tails and big fat wool heads. they make a "splat" sound when they hit the water. i can only get them out with overhead casting.

Gary

 

[Rambo]

Wow

Those look right up my ally how did you tie those. I have been throwing big leaches this year and getting really good hits. but those I bet have a ton of action in them. is that artic fox in a dubbing loop. please do tell.
Thanks
Rambo

 

[Rick J]

First saw the pattern in the Winter 2005 Northwest Fly Fishing magazine complete with tying instructions.

I use a double strand of 35# spectron - loop it to the trailing hook in vice #1. Vise #2 has the front hook where I tie the specton down and overwrap. Usually wrap a bit of lead on this front hook along with the bead or cone head to help create a jigging action. The whole fly is tied with rabbit stips. Keep the spectron strands tight between the two vises, trim tip of rabbit strip and insert between two strands of spectron just ahead of trailing hook and apply a drop of super glue. Then apply super glue in short sections up the strand and wrap the rabbit strip up the strand. Any time you want a color change just cut the first and insert a second. Wrap onto front hook and before finishing off with front color tie in a few strands of flash. Usually tie in a bit of dubbing to cover tread wraps. Cut off hook at bend on front file and file it smooth.

Regarding how to cast them, they are not as bad as they look but depends on how long they are - the shorter ones I can cast on my Scott 1287 or my Anderson 13'3" 7 wt with a Delta and sink tip or even on the xlt cut back for tips.
The longer ones I tend to go to my 1509. Just need to slow things down. Am looking forward to trying the new skagit lines as the mass of these lines should help turn over!!

 

[Rambo]

thanks

you using crosscut or standard rabbit strips. seems easy enough thanks for the tying isntructions. I am assuming that dacron and spectron is pretty much the same thing.
Thanks again
rambo

 

[t_richerzhagen]

Spectra

and dacron are very different. Spectra, is a version of gel spun polyethylene, thin, abrasive, and slick.

 

[Gillie]

Rick,
What knid of hook is that (the trailer)? Other question is are you using crosscut or Zonker ?

Gillie

 

[Rick J]

The article called for 50# spectra but all I had was 35# - don't think it matters and I expect dacron would work as well. The rabbit is crosscut.

The hook in the pattern calls for Gamakatsu offset bait hook or any octopus-style hook. I had some old #1/0 eagle claw hooks from eons ago!!

I took out one of the 5-inch ones and it was tough casting on the 7. But shorter ones work ok. Need to keep the leader short.

 

[sean]

Just for accuracies sake the correct name is the M.O.A.L (Mother of all leaches).

-sean

 

[Grampa Spey]

Rick, which of our California Rivers do you plan to use the MOAL in.

I was on the Russian yesterday above Healdsburg. The water quality was great.

A purple tube fly was basically stripped of its purple feathers by missed strikes. I finally caught 14-15 inch half pounder, not a blue back, but a half pounder.

Thanks to a kind property owner I have the keys to the gates of property below the bridge at Geyersville to close the canoe put in/camp ground.

If you would like to join me there some day, pm me. I basically free anyday and prefer the weekdays to avoid the boaters.

Dave, aka Grampa Spey

 

[Rick J]

Thanks for the correction Sean - I noticed my misspelling when I reread the article and was going to mention that.

Been thinking this technique might also work with marabou and be less bulky and easier to cast though the super glue can be a pain to work with if you are not careful.

Grampa Spey - I would like that and will try to set something up - I live over in Lake but commute to SR each day. Not really sure where I would use those big guys - likely up on the Smith and Chetco. I have yet to spend much time casting them as all the rivers are high - I expect that 7 incher may be problematic but got carried away with the spectra ( a good stiff spinning rod should cast it nicely )

 

[Grampa Spey]

Russian River and size of the MOAL

Last year on the Gualala as I was taking down my rod after a zero day, a fish and game guy came up.

After he realized that I had a lifetime license, he went from semi crabby to very friendly.

He asked what flies I had used. I showed him the usual Gualala and Russian River flies.

He said that the best flies for both rivers were big bunny leeches in black, purple or a combo. I showed him a copy of John Shewey's big leeches (3 inches). He said that those were the right size and to slip an orange plastic bead over the top. Apparently the steelhead think that the leech is try to eat one of their eggs and the males will hammer these flies.

I never got to try the big leeches, but I still remember his comments.

Give a holler re the Russian, we have to do it before rain or a week after a rain to get in and out the areas.