Wacky Worm Fly

[Mike G]

It seems the trout fishermen have had their Wacky San Juan worm for a while. Well it is really a mini Wacky worm. But there should be a way to grow one larger with fatter rubber.

 

http://midcurrent.com/videos/how-to-tie-a-son-of-san-juan-worm/?utm_source=MidCurrent+Fly+Fishing+Email+Newsletter&utm_campaign=0a3d375584-MidCurrent_March_23_2016&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_8efbf3b958-0a3d375584-18956357

[Steve S.]

My brother ties these and we used them when I was in NC. They worked really well in every stream we fished; almost felt like it was cheating. He calls them the squirmy worm, or something like that. I see no reason why a larger version wouldn't work well for smallmouth.

[Guest rich mc]

problem with a larger size fly is the ends wont wiggle but will fold back like a v. i found some small thin cable ties that may work. rich mc

[Rob G]

I wonder if a piece of red string licorice would suffice, if they won't hit it, I'm sure I would eat it

[Mike G]

I wonder if a piece of red string licorice would suffice, if they won't hit it, I'm sure I would eat it

 

I seen a horse fly.

I seen a dragon Fly.

I seen a house fly, O Yeah.

 

I saw a peanut stand.

I heard a rubber band.

I seen a needle wink its eye.

But I think I'd seen about everything,

when I see a licorice fly.

 

O Yeah, I saw a back porch swing.

I heard a diamond ring.

It made me laugh so that I cried.

But I think I'd seen about everything,

when I see a licorice fly.

 

OOOO YYYeeeaaahhh, wwhhhheeeen, IIIII ssseeeee a lic--or--ice fly-eye.

[Rob G]

Now Mike, don't be too quick to mock my suggestion. When I was a boy, my father would take me catfishin' and we would also put out throw lines for snappers in the local creeks and ponds, for which we would often use chicken liver soaked in anise oil. And guess what also contains anise oil....black licorice, so maybe I need some black string licorice (do they make such a thing?)

[Guest rich mc]

black licorice on dark days , strawberry or cherry on bright days .

[Norm M]

when would you use chocolate licorice

[Rob G]

Just sayin'

 

=

[Guest rich mc]

chocolate licorice doesnt make it from the store to the parking lot JUST SAYING is saw those same sour apple licorice at Bass Pro!

[Mike G]

I heard a fireside chat.

I saw a baseball bat.

I seen a hurocane close its eye.

But I think i've seen about everything

When I see an licorice fly.

 

Rob,

 

My bad for not hearing out your line of thought. I will allow that any day, a Texas Rigged Twizler or a Twizler Trailer on a swim jig might be the bait that fills your live well. But I am not sure that a Twizler Muddler will hold up to the yin-yang of fly fishing. You rightly imply that we should add the scent - not necessarily using the material. We know that anise is a favorite in recipes for soft plastics. (Cooks say you can substitute Taragon.)

 

That opens another can of worms. Like, how do we add the anise scent to a fly? Where can I buy anise chenille? There is a caution before we go into that. Remember that, among fly fishing purists, scented flies have a bad odor.

 

Just my two cents.

[Rob G]

I met the famed Dave Whitlock over at the Indy fly fishing show a few weeks ago and he mentioned using Dr. Juice or some crawfish scent for his "Near nuff crawdad" fly when fishing for carp or bass. I would think some of our fly materials such as chenille would soak that stuff up well.

 

And now for my challenge:

 

Who can catch a fish on a "fly" where some form of licorice is used to create said "fly" ? I've got an idea or two and it gets my creative juices flowing !

 

Any takers?

 

(after seeing Mike's pun filled statement above, I now realize that I'm only at stage 2 of the disease where Mike has moved along to stage 3 for sure)

[Guest rich mc]

i have placed a few chenille worms in a bag with scented plastics it hold the scent well. just thinking since there is a open center in the licorice perhaps tying on it like the tube flies?

[Rob G]

Like Babe Ruth calling out his home run beforehand, I'm declaring this to be one sweet fly and if it ever stops pouring down here, I might just sneak out and see what it can produce

 

Oh ye of little faith.

 

 

[Mike G]

Like Babe Ruth calling out his home run beforehand, I'm declaring this to be one sweet fly and if it ever stops pouring down here, I might just sneak out and see what it can produce

 

Oh ye of little faith.

 

 

 

Now I have seen a licorice fly.

 

Thanks Rob

[Mike G]

 

The repartee with Rob is more than just a pastime. As rob noted it stimulates creativity. It is a mental fertilizer.

 

The original SOSJ (Son of San Juan) was a little small for my fishing style at #20. Yet it did show a nice springiness in the video demo reminding me of the wack fly. Since I had some live rubber skirt material, I went ahead and produced some lager versions on 10, 8 and 6 hooks. the longest in the picture is 5 inches. In tub tests they have a nice wacky action since the long front antenna turns the fly sideways-no need to tie materials at 90 degs to hook shank.

 

The round rubber comes in strips about 1.25 in wide with about 40 individual strands bonded together in the strip. I put a tight knot at the end of the multistrand strip that I separated from the roll. These little Wackies are not beauty contest winners, but they look like they will catch fish like the original San Juan.