The Worm Fly

[John H]

The problem with fly fishing for bass is you really only have two tricks to fool them with - topwater and streamers. If you can get a bobber working that is three tricks. The gear guy seems to have an unlimited number of tricks and as a result can catch fish under a lot of conditions where the fly rod does not produce. If you want them on flies you really have to pick the time and place you think you can get the flies to work. The gear guy can go out whenever he wants to and run through his endless bag of tricks until he finds what they want. It is probably not quite like that but it does seem that way to me.

I saw a guy in a kayak who told me he had gotten some on a senko worm and on a chatterbait. I don't have any chatterbait flies but I made a worm fly last year that I like but have not used much. I fished it along some riprap and got a few bass including one about four pounds. The worm fly could be my fourth trick.

I jumped a guy's battery for him as I was leaving. I think I have seen him out there before. He offered me some striper. I did not want any but guessed right that he had gotten them on live bluegill. That seems to be the bait of choice. I asked what they weighed and guessed 10 pounds. He said they were a little bigger than that but his face said they were a lot bigger. After we got his truck started he said he was heading home to drink a beer and watch the ball game. That guy knew how to get them. I think I will stick with throwing flies for the stripers but I am with him on the beer and the ballgame.

http://i.imgur.com/mhIXQ7l.jpg (https://imgur.com/mhIXQ7l)

http://i.imgur.com/vWtrlr2.jpg (https://imgur.com/vWtrlr2)

[Darian]

That's a great lookin' Bass fly. Can't see a weed guard. Does it hang up much???

[John H]

It has not hung up much yet. The hook rides point up which helps. The riprap was pretty steep and there were not many weeds so that helped. The lead eyes are pretty bashed up so I think it is hitting the rocks. I made another one that was way too heavy. The problem is you can’t feel the fly or the bite very well. You jig it and if it feels like it is hung up on something you might have a fish. I got one fish because I saw a boil in the water and guessed it was a bite.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Inspiring post John.............




Nor Cal guide Fred Gordon told me about a long black worm fly he used for bass in ponds years ago.

He used some heavy braided dacron line for a long extended body that he palmered with black hackle.

The entire fly was just all black palmered hackle.........

___________________________________

We use to fish a long black fly for Stripers some years ago.

Short shanked hook, beadch ain eyes, black chenille body and long narrow black saddle hackles.


During a low water spring, Joe Shirshac and I were wading the mouth of the Feather river after dark.

On the far side of the Feather river, just up from the confluence, was a huge log and I saw a fish busting alongside it.

I had just built a 9' #11 line, 2 piece Lamiglas fiberglass rod for Stripers that I was using with 25' of lead core.

I had one of those big black eel flies on and cast it to the top of the big log that was parallel to the bank.

A good fish took it right away but then it started jumping wildly and Joe said it was not a Striper.

Turned out to be a smallmouth bass over 5 pounds.................

[Steve S]

On the few occasions that I have been able to out fish my bass fishing buddies that use gear it has been using a 6" straight cut rabbit strip tied unweighted on a 2/0 or smaller Tiemco 8089 or similar style bass worm hook. It's not a particularly pretty or creative fly, but it is especially good on lethargic fish that want it s-l-o-w and undulating on the drop. Black and olive have been my two go to colors with purple being a close third on bright sunny days. It's not the most fun fly to cast when wet, but I've cast worse.

My other sleeper go to fly that will out gun gear is a soft hackle damsel during pre-spawn when the bass are patrolling shoreline looking for a place to build a nest and they are wary of gear. You can land it softly, it is small and sinks slowly and it doesn't spook them as long you don't move around too while delivering the cast.

I don't fish beds.

[Carl Blackledge]

Steve , I also love a rabbit strip

[MThompson]

Do a little research on the Ned Rig and I bet you could modify that worm fly accordingly. Bigger isn't better most of the time. Even on the Delta.
I pour my head's on size 2, 1, and 1/0 light wire 90 degree jig hooks. I use eighth ounce heads mostly but the technique traditionally calls for much lighter heads. I bet a guy that likes to tinker and is hellbent on using a flyrod for bass could mimic the action of this lure. It would probably cast fairly easy with the more compact profile also.
The biggest issue and the reason I don't bother doing this myself is maintaining contact and feel with the fly on the bottom with a flyrod. The current and depth changes where I normally fish this technique makes it even harder. I bet someone with more patience than me could make it work though.

[DPLee]

From California Winter Steelhead, Life History and Fly Fishing

"there are few fly patterns meant to imitate an actual worm. One example is the One Worm, or Rag Worm, credited to Scandinavian fly tyers. The Rag Worm is an attempt to imitate different types of marine rag worms including Nereis diversicolor. The adult worm comes in a variety of colors and lives most of its adult life in the bottom of the sea. In early spring, the worms emerge from the bottom and form big mating schools. Rag worm imitations are reported to be effective for sea run brown trout."

A Rag Worm pattern might also be effective for black bass. Below are three I tied playing around with the Scandinavian string tying method.

Dennis
www.dennisplee.com
17220

[Jay Murakoshi]

To make a ned rig fly, I. use a large scud hook with lead eyes. I dub the body, wrap a turn or two of hen hackle then use a variegated strip of magnum rabbit. Same design as the loco moco carp fly. I have some under water video of the fly in action that I shot in my pool.

[MThompson]

From California Winter Steelhead, Life History and Fly Fishing

"there are few fly patterns meant to imitate an actual worm. One example is the One Worm, or Rag Worm, credited to Scandinavian fly tyers. The Rag Worm is an attempt to imitate different types of marine rag worms including Nereis diversicolor. The adult worm comes in a variety of colors and lives most of its adult life in the bottom of the sea. In early spring, the worms emerge from the bottom and form big mating schools. Rag worm imitations are reported to be effective for sea run brown trout."

A Rag Worm pattern might also be effective for black bass. Below are three I tied playing around with the Scandinavian string tying method.

Dennis
www.dennisplee.com
17220
Those flies would definitely work for bass. That hot pink one would get hammered during the spawn. Reminds me of the ol Methiolate trick worm.

[MThompson]

To make a ned rig fly, I. use a large scud hook with lead eyes. I dub the body, wrap a turn or two of hen hackle then use a variegated strip of magnum rabbit. Same design as the loco moco carp fly. I have some under water video of the fly in action that I shot in my pool.
I'd love to see that video footage Jay.

[John H]

I will check out the Ned Rig. There are a lot of different rigs in bass fishing. I hear the names but mostly don’t know what they are. The problem with jigging and bouncing worms on the fly rod is feeling the fly and the bite. A bobber partially solves that but has drawbacks of its own that offset the benefits. My quest for bass on the fly rod is heading to Oregon to fish a small coastal lake. I will post something in a few weeks when I get back. I am not expecting big fish but you never know. We are also doing a Pacific City dory trip and a halibut day so hopefully seafood will be caught and eaten. I want to get on a tuna boat but I don’t think that is going to work out.

DP - I am reading your half pounder book right now. Good stuff. Thanks for writing it. I should be very knowledgeable about the half pounder when I go to catch some at the Klamath in October.