have Woolly Worms died away?

[JSzymczyk 0]

never hear anyone mention the lowly, simple woolly worm anymore- just bugger bugger bugger. Seems to me I've caught trout everywhere, all kinds of sunfish, rock bass, and other stuff with woolly worms ever since I was a kid, and plus it's a great fly to teach tying with.

 

Has it faded into obscurity since buggers have taken over?

[Fly_guy_stu 0]

Yeah i'd say so but I still tie anduse them, sometimes they work better than buggers IMO.

 

Stu

[Bruce Derington 0]

Its funny you should mention that because I was fishing steelhead the other day and opened my wolly bugger box and saw a wolly worm. I tied it on and BAM! 1st cast a nice buck whacked it :headbang: I use them alot here in Michigan for the bigger species and have great success

[Chase Creek 0]

You're right, you don't really hear about them much, but they're still around. I use them as the first pattern to tie when I teach Scouts tying. They're easy to tie, and they catch fish. Great combination.

[flyfishingtaz 0]

arent wooly worms, and buggers the same? havent tied em in years, and dont fish em ever.

[Fly_guy_stu 0]

They're almost identical but the worm doesn't have the 'bou tail.

[flyfishingtaz 0]

I might have to add some to my warmwater box. worms were the ones I had tied when I was starting out. The buggers might get bites, but I think the worms will be as effective, without the extra work.

[Teioneon 0]

I had tied up a bunch of olive worms sz 14 for our TU youth chapter to fish with and they worked quite well at a local pond.

 

I also used one later at a different lake and a very feisty smallmouth of about 6 inches hit and refused to give up until I unhooked him and sent him home.

 

I have even tied up 2 dozen worms for my annual CFR donation. I try to toss in something a little different every year with the usual suspects.

[JSzymczyk 0]

to my knowledge, the w. worm came first, then came the w. bugger. The worm originally had a tail of a few red hackle fibers, or a small bunch of short-clipped red wool yarn. Then chenille body and palmered hackle. I tie mine with a short tuft of fl. red glo-bug yarn as the tail. I like them on a 3xl hook, size 6 to 12, in any color and grizzly hackle always goes well. Favorites are black, yellow, green, chartreuse, white, well just about any color. Super simple and super effective in my experience. I've caught fish with them in tiny fast brooks to lakes. There was a beaver pond I used to fish up in N. Maine that had some really nice brookies, and they couldn't resist a black/griz w.worm cast out and just left to sink slowly all the way to the weeds. Had to watch the line tip for a little "tick" and then tighten up!

[Nick N 0]

I think that most people think that the 'bou tail makes it "more natural" and has more movement. Its a great fly for waters where there actually are leeches and worms, but in my trout waters a white yellow and black wooly WORM resembling a catipillar works great. There are so many overhanging trees that you cant get a cast off, but the little caterpillars just plop into the water. Its like a feast for the trout, and easy fishing for me :yahoo:

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

myself I love the w worm I use a black/brown/black alot in early spring to mid summer for brookies it mimmics the monarch butterfly caterpillar and it seems to be great on the brookies