How pervasive are leeches throughout your area of Illinois?

[Rob G]

Was getting ready to tie up some different flies and a leech pattern was suggested to me. Though I see them all the time up north, I almost never see one on our local rivers down here in central Illinois. Was curious just how pervasive they are throughout Illinois. Thanks.

[tjtroester]

rob, i know they were common as bait when i was a kid in decatur. my dad used them frequently around decatur and clinton in ponds and long creek. timothy

[Scott Ferguson]

I don't think it matters. Bass will eat anything they think might be food. I've never seen a spinner bait in the wild but fish still try and eat them. The old Berkely Power leech was a dynamite bait in the rivers around here so there is no reason a leech pattern fly would not catch fish. Rabbit strip flies do a good leech imitation and they work well.

[Paul F]

Never seen one in the DuPage river, but I occasionaly find one stuck on my leg when I wet wade in the vermillion river..

 

Either way, If it has good action in the water something will eat it. I too used to fish the berkley power leech in ponds that I knew had no leech population and yet the bass were slamming them with a vengeance.

[ronk]

A meatwhistle & a zonker which I use less because it's not as durable are 2 of my best producing flies.Both are leech imitators with a seductive undulating action.