Fly Fishers' Republic

Sanchez Sluggo Leech

February 19, 2007

by Raif Killips

Sanchez Sluggo Leech

Recipe:

Uses:

The Sluggo Leech is a variation on Scott Sanchez’s Sluggo Fly. The bendback hook profile used in this pattern helps avoid hang-ups on weed and other structure, and achieves in a better hookup rate on fish than the traditional mono weed guard. These large flies are meant primarily for targeting largemouth and smallmouth bass; however, they have been successfully used to catch stripers, sunfish, pike, cutthroat and brown trout.

How to fish:

You can fish this pattern at any depth on full floating, through intermediate, to heavy sinking fly-lines. It works well on the drop, fished sink and draw, and also works well twitched slowly over and through weed beds and flats.

Tying:

The hide strip is coated with a thin layer of marine caulking and sprinkled with extra-fine pearlescent glitter before it dries. The caulking helps prevent the hook from pulling back through the hide.

Variations:

Use different coloured rabbit strips and tying thread. Deke Meyer suggests you can also introduce more flash and colour by using a needle to thread the hide with synthetic 'flash' material before applying the caulking.

Further reading:

Hot Bass Flies Patterns & Tactics from the Experts, 2003, Deke Meyer, Frank Amato Publications, ISBN 1-57188-285-5 (softbound), ISBN 1-57188-286-3 (spiral hardbound).