Bead Head Woolly Worm
By Elaine Cook
Bead Head Woolly Worm
By Elaine Cook
This pattern was probably designed for trout fishing. HOWEVER, Sam Bishop uses it in the surf for surfperch, and anything else that comes along. His success rate with this fly is outstanding! He modified the original (dark chenille or peacock herl body with soft grizzly hackle) by using a bright colored body and uses the bead head variation. The Club will probably sponsor a local surf fishout this spring, so be sure to tie some of these up.
[ed. note: The woolly worm or woolly bear is a tiger moth caterpillar. This fly that looks sort of like the caterpillar is thought to be taken for fish fly or Dobson fly larvae, any number of mayfly larvae with prominent lateral abdominal filaments, or maybe just something good to eat. Years ago I tied up a bunch with stiff dry fly hackle. They looked like bottle brushes in the water. Trout just fled in terror. But stiff hackle might even be better than softer hackle in salt water. Ask Sam.]
| Hook: | wet fly 2XL, Mustad 9671, Tiemco TMC 5262 or equivalent size 4 or 6 (4 - 12 for trout) |
| Thread: | red 3/0 or Monocord (black for trout) |
| Head: | large gold bead (omit for trout-you may add lead-free wire as weight) |
| Tail: | yellow wool yarn (red for trout) |
| Body: | bright/deep (fire) orange chenille (black, brown, olive or peacock herl for trout) |
| Hackle: | grizzly saddle, barb length 1 1/2 hook gap (webby grizzly or brown for trout) |
1. Crimp barb.
2. Thread bead onto hook, small opening first.
3. Attach thread behind bead. (Optional: for trout, wrap non-toxic lead wire onto shank.)
4. Tie in tail material behind bead and lash it to the top of the shank, wrapping thread to the end of the shank. Cut tail to one hook gape in length.
5. Prepare hackle by cutting off fuzzy end, then cutting several barbs short on each side of the end of the stem. Tie in place at the rear of the shank, tip to rear and dull side toward you.
6. Tie in body material at rear of shank. (Strip fuzz from end 1/8 inch of chenille and tie the bare thread down.)
7. Wrap body material forward in close turns. Tie off behind bead and cut excess. (For trout, leave enough room for a head.)
8. Swing the hackle to the far side of the shank. Wrap it flat (not on edge), with enough tension to sink the stem into the chenille (or between the wraps) and force the barbs upright. Palmer it to the bead in four to six evenly spaced turns. Tie off at bead and cut excess. (For trout, leave room for head.)
9. Take several turns of thread against the bead, until a very narrow band of thread can be seen (see diagram). Whip finish or take several half hitches to tie off. Cut excess.
10. Apply a small amount of Zap-a Gap or head cement to thread only.