Tri-County Fly Fishers

 

Tyer -- Ed Russell
The Woolly Worm is a very versatile pattern that will take many different fish species. It can be tied using several colors and color combinations, the most popular being yellow body/grizzly hackle, olive/grizzly, purple/grizzly, brown/grizzly, black/grizzly. Tie them both weighted and unweighted in sizes 1-12. In standing waters,  these flies are usually fished slowly with frequent pauses to allow the hackle fibers to vibrate and undulate in the water.
Materials:
Thread: Black pre-waxed
Hook: Mustad 9672 sizes 8-12
Tail: Few strands red yarn
Body: Wide chenille ( yellow, olive, black, brown, tan. )
Hackle: One grisley wet fly hackle
Lateral rib: Two strands peacock herl
1. Secure the hook in the vise, attach thread and wrap hook shank with thread. Tie a small piece of red yarn at the hook bend forming a tail. Clip end of tail short, about even with the widest portion of hook bend.
2. Tie in a grizzly hackle feather, two peacock herl and a 3-4 inch piece of chenille on top of the hook in that order, at the same point where the tail was tied on. Tie the grizzly hackle feather convex side towards the hook shank so when the feather is, wound the hackle fibers will flare forward toward the hook eye.
3. Wrap tying thread forward, stopping 1/8 inch behind the hook eye. Wind the chenille forward forming the body, and tie off behind the hook eye where the thread wraps ended. Trim excess material.
4. Pull the peacock herl forward over the top of the fly creating the lateral stripe, and tie off behind the hook eye. Trim.

5. Wind the grizzly hackle forward palmer style around the hook shank and through the chenille body. Tie off behind the hook eye and trim.  Form the head, whip finish, trim and cement.

 

 

 

Woolly Worm