Fishing a Balanced Leech
The hot new talked-about fly this season is the balanced leech. On our home stream right now, it's all about dry flies – Hendricksons, March Browns and Caddis – and we're loving it, but there's rain in the forecast for the weekend and if the water comes up you can bet we'll be tying on leeches and fishing underneath.
We first saw the balanced leech last year in Argentina. The guides there were using it in lakes and rivers and we saw how effective the fly can be in the right conditions. You don't strip a balanced leech. It's tied with a down eye underneath the head of the fly so that it sits completely balanced and straight in the water. And you fish it dead drift with an indicator. Since leeches are often found mid-way in the water column, experiment with drifting the leech well off the bottom, and leeches like low light which makes it the perfect fly for overcast days and early and late in the day. On bright days run it deeper where there is less light. Like the super bugger, it's a fly that's effective for other species, try it on bass and lake trout too. Try it with the Air Lock Foam Indicators in our “Extras” section.
We've just added the Balanced Leech to our online store. Tied by our guide, Tom Harris, these flies are available in olive or black. Tied on #12 Fulling Mill jig force hook.
A Look At San Huberto Lodge
As many of you know, San Huberto Estancia in Argentina is one of our favorite places to visit and fish, and for many of our readers it has become a favorite as well. We have many friends who return with us often to fish the hallowed waters of the Rio Malleo, a spring creek which flows through the estancia, or ranch.
We have had the opportunity to fish this spring creek for many years (actually decades), and can honestly say that it is as good today as it was 30 years ago. There aren't many watersheds in the world that can boast of that, but this one can. The spring creek, famous for hatches and dry fly fishing, flows out of Lago Tromen through approximately 20 miles of the ranch – and, there is even another smaller tributary spring creek to the Malleo that fishes well through much of the season, so there is more water here than one can fish in a season....or more!
The Olsen family came to this valley in the 1890s and the 24,000 acre cattle ranch has been in the family ever since. The estancia is positioned on the Tramen Pass, an important route crossing the Andes between Argentina and Chile and provides spectacular scenery on many of the beats. There's an old saying, “God isn't making any more rivers”, but thank goodness he made this one!
We hope you enjoy the photos.
Fishing Report
We saw the first Grannom Caddis this week and as the days get warmer, the hatch will get heavier. It's always a bit of a challenge to fish because the flies are in the air and not the water, but the fish will take the occasional caddis. The flies are a 14, light tan wing and the females have a bright green egg sack. Our poly fluff caddis have been working well at times. We have Hendricksons and March Browns which are just getting started and will continue to get heavier. The next couple of weeks should be very good dry fly fishing with both duns through the day and spinners in the evening. It's a beautiful time of year and we hope you are getting out to enjoy it. Here's a look at some of our past week's guiding clients.
That's it for this week. Enjoy the beautiful spring weather and the early season hatches! Happy Mother's Day!