The Feather Leech is designed to suggest the movement of a swimming leech. The schlappen marabou hackle of the feather leech moves, breathes, and pulses with little to no movement. This fly also does an excellent job suggesting other key stillwater food sources, including dragon nymphs, crayfish and small baitfish.
You can fish this pattern using standard cast and retrieve techniques using a variety of fly lines, from floating to the fastest sinking. If you use a clinch knot snugged tight against the hook eye and cocked slightly back towards the hook bend, it will also suspend horizontally beneath an indicator, just like a Balanced Leech.