Balanced Leech

A leech pattern tied on a straight pin with a counterweight bead so it hangs perfectly horizontal when suspended — a natural swimming posture no conventional leech tie achieves at rest. Phil Rowley's signature stillwater pattern; pairs with slip-indicator rigs the same way a chironomid does.

Key points

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The mechanic: a straight pin extends the shank and a bead counterbalances the hook, so the fly tracks horizontally instead of nose-down bc flyfishing youtube library 2026 07.

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Colourways: "Bruised" (tying tutorial below) and CBO — Canadian Black & Orange for dark or low-visibility water bc flyfishing youtube library 2026 07.

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How it's fished: suspended sub-surface — Rowley's specialty is balanced-fly theory with slip indicators; hang it at feeding depth and let waves give it life bc flyfishing youtube library 2026 07.

Tying videos

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Tying a Balanced Leech: Bruised — full pin-and-bead build.

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Balanced Leech-CBO — the dark-water colour profile.

Imitates

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leeches — year-round big food on Kootenay stillwaters.

Open questions

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Sizes/colours that produce on our local lakes (Premier, North Star, Peckhams) — field notes needed. #open

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leeches — the natural.

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phil rowley — pattern author; more balanced-fly theory on his page.

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woolly bugger — the stripped/trolled alternative when fish want a moving leech.

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chironomid under indicator — the same suspension game, different food.

Sources

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BC YouTube resource library — design theory, colourways, tying tutorials.