The Twisted Worm Fly

THE ORIGINS OF THE SQUIRMY Wormy FLY PATTERN

The original squirmito was created by Dave Hise of Casters Online. A better worm fly and a variant of the better known San Juan worm. Known for crushing blows and said to be one of the only flies trout will actually chase…the Squirmy Wormy. It can be used for any fish that eats worms. The San Juan Worm has won more than his fair share in single fly tournaments and the Squirmy should too. The Squirmy Wormy is what I consider to be a better variant of the San Juan Worm.

MATERIALS AND QUALITY OF MOSCA

Laced with silicone threads that feel like rubber and have excellent rippling action. If he has or is nervous, don’t leave him in a hot car. If tying squirmies, do not use any type of adhesive or UV resin as the material will melt. Well-tied flies should catch more than a couple of fish, survive some strong bites, and last over 100 casts. The hooks that the fly is attached to should also be known… as there are many low quality, no name, no brand, poor performance hooks out there. A good hook is a Mustad, Dai Riki, MFC, J Stockard to start with. There are many premium brands one can use, but don’t expect anyone linking to them commercially to use them unless asked and you are willing to pay more and expect more. The silicone should be larger in diameter than the rubber feet, stretch 5 times its length before breaking, and not be brittle or cracked. Any folds over the fly should adhere evenly with a few threads sticking out. Any pearl…if used…must be of a non-toxic material. There should be NO cement or resin for the head. The silicone material should be cut even without tearing. If the thread shows on the body and creates sections in the material, then the fly is inferior and will destroy itself with strong bites as the thread will cut it. Some people wrap the material around the hook… I don’t. IF the material is not wrapped, it should not be placed under the hook…this is a skill not mastered by many…the pinch…and then the material “rolls” sideways and under the hook creating a hideous appearance . mess… If they are wrapped, they should be even sections that are not too tight.

SQUIRMY WORM FISHING

Any nymph rig should work with your fly rig, double nymph with hit indicator, a large dropper indicator floater, or just the twisted one, adding split shot if needed. For spinning, spincasting and casting rigs… use a spoon/spinner like Panther Martin, Mepps or others without the hooks and fly tying as a dropper. I myself use a 10lb mono test swivel bubble with a swivel tip and tie a 3lb tippet or mono to swivel about 18 inches long. You can also use rubber bands tied to the line in two places, one 18 inches above the wet nymph/fly and one at the desired depth to stop the spinning bubble. It uses the wedge-type spinning bubble to add water so you can cast a fly with gear other than a fishing rod. This works with most flies that you cannot cast with spinning, spincast or casting equipment due to weight issues. OHH…Almost forgot if you’ve never used spinning bubbles, use the clear ones that have a clear tube in the center that fits in and allows you to add water to cast the weight…use enough water to cast. You can add split shot near your nymph if there is current so you can get it down. Fishing a skipper in a stream and catching 100 brookies or killers doesn’t mean you have a good skipper. Fish in most streams here in Montana will touch anything the water touches from pine needles, grass, or pieces of tree bark.

TIE THE SQUIRMY WORM

The way I tie is like the Tightline Productions video on the YouTube and Orvis sites.

The list of materials is included on the Orvis site. For My Red Worms, I use the Quick Descent dub, though any dub that is the same color as the twisted material should work just fine. This is not an exact science. I will mention… again… do not use any type of glue, cement or resin with this fly as the reaction will melt the material. I half hook and then I use two 3 loop whip finishes to finish. There are many patterns that use the twisted material, just google and find one you like. Most of the techniques are covered in the Fly Tier Bench Reference.

BUY THE SQUIRMY WORM

You will find that many stores carry this pattern or a similar one. If you buy, just look for the telltale signs of poor quality that I covered above…enjoy and squeeze!

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