Green Inch Worm-looking for a good pattern

[Steeltrap]

I recall fishing Laurel Hill creek last year and green inch worms were dropping from the sky!! I tied on my "version" of an inch worm with nothing to show for it. But my buddy was killing 'em on his pattern. IIRC I think his had a red thread head, and maybe....maybe more defined body sections.

Does anyone have a "killer" green inch worm pattern? I'm not speaking of the "Green Weinie", but an inch worm.

Thanks!

 

[tomgamber]

Sounds like you know what you need. This is what I used to like when I tied a lot. Creating something that works out of need. Often found out later someone else had already done it but it was still fun.

 

[lestrout]

Yo Stee - is it possible your buddy's success was due more to the inch worm pattern's action, rather than the pattern itself? I ran into a heavy "hatch" of inch worms on the Davidson in the Smokies, though they were tan, not green. Since they were dangling from threads like spiders, the tactic that worked was to simply drag and draw the imitation on the surface. You can't overdo the motion, which is actually subtle, and you have to be consistent with the direction of the wind.

 

[JeffK]

I do a couple of simple ones on size 14 hooks. The sinking one is chartreuse thread built up to about the thickness of an inch worm, then the thread is spun up tight and applied as a rib to give it a segmented look. I have occasionally had success with this when I was skunked at trico time. (last year my trico fishing was extended over the morning by using a sunken inchworm or 14 black thread ant and a sunk trico trailer. Spinner action is for a short time - sunk spinner fishing is all morning after spinner fall)

My floating one is chartreuse deer body hair tied facing forward with a chartreuse thread. Pull the deer hair back like a bullet head tie and wrap the thread in open wrap to bind the hair into a worm shape. Wind it past the hook for a short tail, wrap a few turns to hold the end of the tail, wind forward and tie off. Clip tail and don't cut the tying thread. I like traditional deer hair terrestrials, but cutting a strip of green foam and tying it to a hook will likely catch as many fish and last a lot longer.

 

[troutbert]

Just wrap chartreuse chenille on a hook. Use yellow or chartreuse thread.

Make it about 1 inch long.

 

[afishinado]

Just wrap chartreuse chenille on a hook. Use yellow or chartreuse thread.

Make it about 1 inch long.

yup^.....aka a Green Weenie.

 

[Steeltrap]

I've just never had luck with the "Green Weenie" pattern. BTW, I tied up what I think will work....or I should say what I recall of the successful pattern. For the "legs" I used Orvis Spectra dubbing.

I appreciate all your responses to my question. I'm always looking for that "killer pattern". (Like who isn't?) BTW....when those inch worms hit the stream, they sank like a rock!! Obviously I've got a good helping of lead under the chenille.

I may need to give those back legs a bit of a trim. Maybe to many legs?

 

[Biggie]

I would recommend looking up the Don Duple greenie worm. You won't be sorry.

 

[Bamboozle]

Don't overthink terrestrial patterns which represent an opportunistic meal. I tie a simple inchworm that floats like a cork, works fantastic and if you can’t tie 2 dozen in under 30 minutes, turn in your bobbin.

All you need is some insect green foam cylinders like Bill Skilton sells that come in three different diameters:

Get a size 16 hook; lash the foam cylinder aft leaving a short tag.

Wind your thread (I use chartreuse) to the head area covering the hook shank completely in thread. Here's another tip, avoid fine thread when working with foam as it can cut it. I only use 3/0 thread (180 denier) when working with foam.

Tie off the foam cylinder at the head leaving a slight hump of foam between the front & back.

Leave a short tag of foam at the front, cut it off and whip finish the fly.

The pattern looks exactly like the fly on the package of foam I posted because that’s where I got the idea.

It’s the only inchworm pattern I tie and if you make them in black, you can call them gypsy moth or tent caterpillars.

 

[troutbert]

yup^.....aka a Green Weenie.

View attachment 1641224116

 

[troutbert]

You can add the loop tail, which makes it a Green Weenie.

Or just wrap the chenille on the hook. Which is the Sinking Inchworm, which was around long before the Green Weenie.

I don't think the tail makes it any better.

 

[JeffK]

I do like the loop tailed ones with no weight for quieter pools. Cast them upstream with no weight and let them slowly flutter as they sink. They have somewhat the motion of a sinking Senko. Some days it really turns on the fish sitting quietly in a pool ignoring your usual offerings. One of those things that doesn't happen every day, but when conditions are right you will be glad you had one in your box. The weighted ones seem to drop straight down without the flutter and don't get the same effect for me.

Some guys I know used different color heads to tell weighted from unweighted versions.

In general I don't do well with Green Weenies on my local streams. However, some days it's first cousin the Red Hot (tied with fluorescent red chenille) does the job. What works doesn't always make sense to me.

 

[tomgamber]

My phone can't decide what color they should be but I assure you it's standard worm green ultra chenille. I've crushed them with my windshield along creek roads before. Next time it happens I'll chuck one. Good idea.

 

[troutbert]

Real inchworms don't have red heads.

 

[tomgamber]

Real inchworms don't have red heads.

This one does...

 

[Steeltrap]

Real inchworms don't have red heads.

You may be right about that.....but some do have a yellow head. Mebby the trout aren't that fussy when they can see a color change of the head??

 

[Steeltrap]

This one does...

View attachment 1641224127

I tell ya.....this one is gonna be really tough to cast with a 4wt setup!!

 

[CRB]

use a curved cadis style hook.

 

[tomgamber]

I kinda like the swimming nymph hook. I have plenty of pupae already in that worm green color.

 

[JerryC]

If you can do a Green Weenie, why not a mop fly. The bead head one is my new "Green Weenie", if I would tie it imitate a sinking green inch worm I would change the thorax from black to green/chartreuse.

This is a floating one that I tied up for when the inch worms were hitting the water and floating. I know the sunfish liked them. I'm changing the pattern a bit, replacing the foam cylinder with foam dumbbell eyes made from foam cylinders.