Pumpkin Head Leech

This leech fly pattern was designed by John Kent and was influenced by Denny Rickards Stillwater Nymph. It is essentially a micro bugger pattern and John has developed the pattern into several high performing variations. I've modified my version a little bit by adding a counter rib on the fly and by using a different (but similar) colored hackle.
Once John had tied a prototype of the fly, he tested it on some local trout. Amazingly enough, the fly produced 12 fish on 12 casts. Enough said.
John ties the fly commercially for a select few fly shops in BC with variations using yellow, red or orange beads and with different colors of marabou. The hackle prescribed on the original is a burnt orange grizzly hackle. this remains constant among all variations. I've gone off script here using a dark barred ginger saddle hackle.
The hackle should be on the short side with the barbs not extending much past the width of the hook gape.

The fly is fished under a strike indicator with a few light twitches added. the retrieve is extremely slow. It may also be cast out and retrieved with a slow twist.

Pumpkin Head Leech(John Kent)

Hook: Firehole 718 #10-12
Bead: #8 Silver lined amber / orange / red
Thread: 8/0 (70d) olive
Tail: Olive marabou
Ribbing: Copper wire fine
Body: Olive Diamond Dubbing or Ice Dubbing
Hackle: Grizzly dyed burnt orange or barred ginger

You can find this pattern and many others in Phil Rowley's Stillwater Selections book - https://www.stillwaterflyfishingstore.com/index.php?main_page=product_i…

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