modern Michigan wet fly · date unknown
Feenstra's Grapefruit Leech
Also called Grapefruit Head Leech
Likely origin Feenstra's own pattern sheet plus Fishwest, Mad River Outfitters and Motor City Anglers agree he designed it; no date found.
History
The Grapefruit Leech is another Kevin Feenstra swing fly from the Muskegon River. On his pattern sheet he calls it one of his most dependable winter flies and the one he reaches for when there is snow on the ground. The name comes from its pink chenille head with a chartreuse veil.
Fishwest notes that it has become a standard in steelhead boxes on Lake Michigan's eastern tributaries, and Mad River Outfitters says it has since spread beyond the Midwest.
Materials
| Hook | 3XL streamer (Daiichi 2461), sizes 4 to 2/0, or a shank with trailer hook |
|---|---|
| Thread | Black |
| Tail | Black marabou with a few strands of red flash |
| Body | Black marabou wound as a hackle |
| Hackle | Black or purple schlappen, palmered through |
| Collar | Large mallard flank (or blue eared pheasant) |
| Flash | Silver, blue and green Flashabou, layered |
| Head | Fuchsia cactus chenille with a veil of chartreuse Ice Dub |
Sources
- Feenstra, K. "Grapefruit Head Leech" (pattern sheet). Feenstra Guide Service.
- Sadusky, G. "How To Tie Feenstra's Grapefruit Leech." Fishwest, December 21, 2020.
- "Grapefruit Leech, Feenstra's." Mad River Outfitters (product page).
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No photo yet. Every photo on michfly is of a fly tied for the site, so they're added a few at a time.
Original recipe cards for many Michigan patterns are kept at the Michigan Dry Flies archive, built by the late Tom Deschaine.