Balanced Leech Purple

The Balanced Leech Purple imitates a swimming leech just like other balanced leech patterns, but uses a purple body to add contrast and visibility. While leeches aren’t naturally purple, trout often respond strongly to this color because it stands out well in low light, stained water, and deeper depths where other colors fade. The balanced design keeps the fly suspended horizontally, matching the true posture of a leech in motion. When given slow, rhythmic twitches or allowed to hang under an indicator, the purple version gives off a subtle, lifelike movement combined with a color that triggers curiosity and predatory reactions from trout.

History 
The Balanced Leech Purple developed as part of the broader balanced leech movement pioneered by stillwater innovators like Phil Rowley and other Pacific Northwest lake anglers. After the success of black and olive variations, fly tiers experimented with alternative colors that offered greater visibility and a stronger silhouette in challenging conditions. Purple quickly became a standout because it remains visible at depth and often produces strikes when more “natural” colors fail. Over time, the purple balanced leech cemented its reputation as a confidence pattern—especially during low-light periods, early spring, or in lakes with tannic or cloudy water—earning a regular spot beside the classic colors in modern stillwater fly boxes.