#5. Worm Flies

[Tom L]

This fly came naturally to me after tying the the hellgrammite fly by using the same technique on the extended tail of the hellgrammite.

 

 

Tying Notes:

1. The best parts of the craf furs for this fly are the stumps closest to the patch. They are densest and able to form thicker body.

2. Use strong thread for the extended body. I used GSP 200 thread.

3. Use liquid glue on the dubbing loop thread instead of wax as in traditional trout flies. I used Hard as Hull liquid.

[John Gillio]

Nice Tom!

[Guest rich mc]

11 more flies to go! they look nice and compared to my worms they have the sparkle in them. see how they cast when wet , if they are to limp they will foul on the hook. now there is a way for me to get a black worm since patons chenille stopped making it . richmc

[Tom L]

Thanks guys.

 

Rich - I start counting from:

 

1. Wiggler

2. Shiner

3. Tom's Tom

4. Hellgarmmite

5. Worm Flies

 

So, 7 more to go. Cheating a little .....

 

and thanks for the heads up on the foul hook of the tail. If they are too limp, I'll imbed a monofilament line inside the tail.

[Tim A]

Cool worms, Tom

[Mike G]

11 more flies to go! they look nice and compared to my worms they have the sparkle in them. see how they cast when wet , if they are to limp they will foul on the hook. now there is a way for me to get a black worm since patons chenille stopped making it . richmc

 

Tom,

 

The black chenille used to come in a 62 yard skein. How long would it take to dub a 62 yard loop?

[Tom L]

Tom,

 

The black chenille used to come in a 62 yard skein. How long would it take to dub a 62 yard loop?

The longest I had tried was 12" and it took me about 5 minutes. At that rate, it would take 186 hours or 7.75 days. But I don't think it is possible to hand dub a continueous 62 yards loop.

[Rob G]

With long worm flies, I hate it when the fish aren't real agressive and often I've seen them come up from behind and take in the last inch or two of a worm fly, mouth it for just an instant in order to determine its authenticity and then they blow it out with never a chance for a hookset. The amazing thing to me is that here you are watching him with part of your fly in his mouth, and yet you aren't feeling the hit and there's no line movement as well. Sneaky sons of guns!

 

btw Tom,

lovely flies!

[ronk]

Has anyone ever tried san juan worms for smb? As affective as they are for trout they might be as appealing to bass. Being hooked in the middle may also eliminate short strikes. A larger size would represent a night crawler possibly a good fnf option in summer.

[Mike G]

Has anyone ever tried san juan worms for smb? As affective as they are for trout they might be as appealing to bass. Being hooked in the middle may also eliminate short strikes. A larger size would represent a night crawler possibly a good fnf option in summer.

 

Rich should be all over this question in a minute. We are looking for the fly equivalent of a wacky worm.

[Guest rich mc]

still working on the wacky rig chenille worm. it has the shape but needs the spring action and fall rate . suprised ron mentioned worms he told me worms dont work for smallies. rich mc

[Mike G]

With long worm flies, I hate it when the fish aren't real agressive and often I've seen them come up from behind and take in the last inch or two of a worm fly, mouth it for just an instant in order to determine its authenticity and then they blow it out with never a chance for a hookset. The amazing thing to me is that here you are watching him with part of your fly in his mouth, and yet you aren't feeling the hit and there's no line movement as well. Sneaky sons of guns!

 

btw Tom,

lovely flies!

 

We have the same problem with a Texas rigged plastic worm. Though you loose the weedless properties of the TX rig, one solution is a stinger hook. Here's how to make a worm fly with a stinger at the tip of the tail.

 

Tie a length of Spiderwire or Fireline to the eye of the main hook.¹ Back a little further than you want for the length of the worm, tie a small stinger hook to the Spiderwire. Put the main hook in the vise, start thread, wrap thread over the Spiderwire back to the bend, and knot. Tie in two lengths of Chenille² at the bend, knot, cut thread add a touch of cement. Recalling your Boyscout Lanyard days, braid the chenille and Spiderline together back to the stinger hook. Take the main hook out of the vise and put the stinger into the vise. Start thread, tie the ends of the chenille to the stinger, trim excess, knot, cut thread, and apply head cement. Remove the stinger from the vise and put the main hook in the vise. Start thread at the bend of the hook and apply the body.

 

Notes:

 

¹The braiding process shortens the stinger line depending on the thickness of the chenille. Experiment to get your desired length. Be sure to use a good "braid" knot like the palomar.

²Various thicknesses and colors of chenille can be used depending on the worm you want to produce.

[Tom L]

Rob & Mike - Will this do the trick?

 

 

Some of the worms, if I found them to be too limpy, I imbeded mono line inside the tails.

[Guest rich mc]

tom, youll see when you get a few of my worms that back wrapping the tail makes them stiffer and the tail still wiggles. i think i would use power pro or a thinbraid for running another hook back. rich

[Tom L]

Rich - I got the package yesterday. Thanks for the flies and materials. I see you used the same techn on both the worm and the shannon streamer. Cool flies.

 

What kind of fur is the small black patch? Using it in dubbing loops would make really buggy legs.....

[Guest rich mc]

thats a sample from distinctive fabrics called minky

[Rob G]

Rob & Mike - Will this do the trick?

 

 

Tom,

looking good, can you give it a cast or two and see if the tail ends up fouling with the hook?

[Tom L]

Tom,

looking good, can you give it a cast or two and see if the tail ends up fouling with the hook?

Test casted the worm yesterday. It was a little stiff, because I used a 16lbs mono inbeded inside the tail. Next time I'll try a flyline backing that I have leftover or fireline as you'd suggested.

 

I'm playing with samples of Bohemian chenilles that Rich sent also.

[Mike G]

Allow me to introduce the Worm of Frankenstein (vermis frankensteini) so named because it borrows from many sources just like Frankenstein was made from many people.

 

 

My instructions looked so good, I had to make one myself. If it looks blurry, it is because it is my first fly after cataract surgery on my left eye. Doc says it will clear in a week or two.

 

Credits:

 

Braided stinger tail--Fly Anglers on Line.

Use of Gilt Eyelash--Terry Dodge

Use of Bohemian Chenille--rich

Splitting Bohemian to Make Smaller Strand--Me

Body--from rich's Shannon Minnow

Palmered Body--Jack Gartside's Wiggle Worm

Using Latin--Rob G.

 

Here's how Chenille splits.

 

 

Here's the braiding under way. Tip cover the hook points with tape to aviod snags.

 

 

 

 

Tie a length of Spiderwire or Fireline to the eye of the main hook.¹ Back a little further than you want for the length of the worm, tie a small stinger hook to the Spiderwire. Put the main hook in the vise, start thread, wrap thread over the Spiderwire back to the bend, and knot. Tie in two lengths of Chenille² at the bend, knot, cut thread add a touch of cement. Recalling your Boyscout Lanyard days, braid the chenille and Spiderline together back to the stinger hook. Take the main hook out of the vise and put the stinger into the vise. Start thread, tie the ends of the chenille to the stinger, trim excess, knot, cut thread, and apply head cement. Remove the stinger from the vise and put the main hook in the vise. Start thread at the bend of the hook and apply the body.

 

Notes:

 

¹The braiding process shortens the stinger line depending on the thickness of the chenille. Experiment to get your desired length. Be sure to use a good "braid" knot like the palomar. Use loop of 6-8 # mono to pull Spider Wire through tiny hook eyes.

²Various thicknesses and colors of chenille can be used depending on the worm you want to produce.

[Tom L]

One mean looking worm, Mike.