By definition, the articulated leech is two or more flies, joined to make one long, wiggly, artificial. The size in itself is enough to draw attention, but its lifelike swimming motion adds a degree of realism that drives fish nuts. Most often, it's tied in black, but various colors and flashy materials can also be used to create the ultimate attractor.

For increased motion on the triple, you can add weight to the head of the first fly, the tail of the second fly, and the head of the third fly. For a double, add weight to the head of the first, and tail of the second. When you fish them with a strip retrieve, they bend at the joints, and then straighten with a strip, resulting in a swimming leech.

Materials: Hooks - Size 4 long-shank streamer Thread - Heavy black, e.g. Danville Monocord or Flymaster Plus. Head - Weighted Conehead. (Optional) Underbody material - .020 to .030 lead wire. (Optional) Joint - 30 # monofilament Body - Stripped Rabbit, black Gill - Rabbit hair or similar material, red Body Flash - Flashabou, black. (Optional)

TYING STEPS:

REAR Fly

1. Cover the shank of the hook with tying thread to form a base.
2. Tie in the lead wire halfway back from the eye, then wrap the forward one-half of the shank. Using thread, thoroughly wrap the lead to secure.
3. Tie in small clump of Flashabou at the bend, leaving one-inch extending rearward past the bend as a tail.
4. Tie in a long piece of stripped rabbit near the bend leaving one inch extending rearward past the bend as a tail. Move thread to the head. Wrap the rabbit strip forward around the shank to just behind the eye. Place 3 or 4 wraps of thread over the rabbit, cut and remove excess.
5. Place multiple wraps of thread over the cut end of the rabbit behind the eye. Whip finish and cement.

MIDDLE Fly

FRONT FLY