San Juan and Squirmy Wormy

[jifigz]

MWheaps, let's do some winter smallmouth fishing. I usually hit it pretty hard but the last few winters I've been doing more trout.

 

[LigonierA1]

so being judged by veteran fly fishers about it being a fly or not isn’t particularly high on my priority list.

This is precisely why I love squirmys and mops. I just can not resist the irreverent behavior. That and the fact that they are incredibly effective.

Tim referenced Fred of Yorks IPW. Crazy effective fly. But I will agree that the Squirmy may just have surpassed it. Maybe. It offends just as well lol.

 

[jifigz]

I've never caught a fish on the mop, but I've never fished it much either.

 

[ColdBore]

LigonierA1 wrote:

so being judged by veteran fly fishers about it being a fly or not isn’t particularly high on my priority list.

This is precisely why I love squirmys and mops. I just can not resist the irreverent behavior.

NOOOOOOO!!! :-o

Sqirmys are bad; mops should be outlawed! Sacrilege!

I've tried, really I have. But every time I try to tie one on, my hands start to shake and I break out in a cold sweat.

I just can't do it.....

(But others, with obviously lower moral standards, and no respect for tradition, are welcome to sully their hands, and contaminate their gear, with the... the... the... mop!) ;-)

 

[ColdBore]

Before anybody freaks out, notice the ;-) at the end of my post.

But seriously, I just can't make myself fish the mop.

Others, as long as they are fishing legally and ethically, are obviously free to fish with whatever they like.

Just don't make me watch. ;-)

 

[BTbandit]

I carried a red squirmy in my fly box for a while that I took out of a big golden rainbow’s mouth that someone must’ve snapped off. A few weeks ago on Pine wasn’t having much luck on anything so decided to try it and hooked/ caught 5-6 fish. Worked well enough I think I’ll tie some up. It didn’t last long though until the one end ripped off.

 

[tracker12]

Out4trout
Those are really nice worms. I have used the Orvis ones with great success but they are not very durable. I have tried doing my own but not have had as good success. Would be interested in a tutorial on how yours are tied.

 

[afishinado]

tracker12 wrote:
Out4trout
Those are really nice worms. I have used the Orvis ones with great success but they are not very durable. I have tried doing my own but not have had as good success. Would be interested in a tutorial on how yours are tied.

Here is a tutorial for how to tie a SW that's more durable >

 

[jifigz]

Tim Flagler makes THE BEST fly tying videos on the web. He teaches you to literally tie any type of fly that you could ever need. I have gained a lot from his videos, I know that, and it would be the first place I would send anyone learning to tie some flies.

 

[Acristickid]

Mops, San Juan’s, squirmys Oh my.

Andrew’s Back.

 

[Fly-Swatter]

Tim's the man! I've spent countless winter days moving from computer to basement to tie after watching a tip or tying video.

Thanks for posting that.

 

[LigonierA1]

ColdBore wrote:
Before anybody freaks out, notice the ;-) at the end of my post.

But seriously, I just can't make myself fish the mop.

Others, as long as they are fishing legally and ethically, are obviously free to fish with whatever they like.

Just don't make me watch. ;-)

See? The irreverent nature even offends San Juan Worm fishers...not just boo toting, tweed cap wearing, dry fly only kind of ffrs lol.

In chartreuse, they are merely the evolution of the green weenie much as we have been discussing the Squirmy vs SJW. In mottled grey they are the best crane fly larvae imitation available. And now back to our regularly scheduled program........

 

[jbewley]

I have to admit that I had ever heard of the Squirmy Wormy, until I started reading this thread. I was at the TCO Fly Shop, in Bowling Springs, this morning and looked at the material. Now that is a realistic, free moving, worm pattern, if ever I have seen one. Much more action then the traditional SJW, so I bought a package, as well as the dubbing shown in the video. I guess I am becoming a "junkie". :-D

Jim

 

[larkmark]

This comment also applies to the observe and match the hatch thread.
I never heard of that thing before either until a few years ago I was on Kettle and there was a great hatch of big March Browns. The flies were floating down and trout were grabbing them. If you got your dry over them no matter the drift they took it. A guy came and stood above me with his nymph rig and excitedly told me that he had caught two that evening on a squirmy worm. He was oblivious to what was happening right in front of him.
I've caught trout on the San Juan worm and also plenty of suckers.

 

[afishinado]

larkmark wrote:
This comment also applies to the observe and match the hatch thread.
I never heard of that thing before either until a few years ago I was on Kettle and there was a great hatch of big March Browns. The flies were floating down and trout were grabbing them. If you got your dry over them no matter the drift they took it. A guy came and stood above me with his nymph rig and excitedly told me that he had caught two that evening on a squirmy worm. He was oblivious to what was happening right in front of him.
I've caught trout on the San Juan worm and also plenty of suckers.

I started the "junk fly" thread because of some of the things I read in this thread. Everyone is out there FFing to have fun, and I'm not trying to tell anyone how to fish, but anyone that fishes junk in the middle of a great hatch like the guy in the story above is missing out on fun.

It's most often a rare occasion when a great hatch happens and the fish are on them. That's what dreams are made of for many FFers, and hatches like you describe is what makes FFing special, IMO.

I worked in a fly shop for years, and you would be surprised how many anglers just fish buy junk and go to a stream not prepared to fish even the most common hatches. Each to his own, though.

Does you fly box look like this!!! :-o

 

[jifigz]

Dang Tom, how did you get a picture of my box..I'm just kidding. I rarely fish "junk flies" except for when they are appropriate. I would certainly not fish them during a hatch. I may be inclined to swing wets during a good hatch or fish dries, or a mixture of both, but I definitely wouldn't be throwing a squirmy.

For me, however, a San Juan worm has been one of the most effective flies during the dead of winter on mtn freestone streams. Just as in the summer when I see zero bug activity a green weenie is tough to top on wild browns here on the limestone influenced streams of central PA. I don't know, I certainly carry them, but I also carry a ton of other patterns. Mostly simple because I like quick ties and effective patterns, so it is generally Walt's worms, my version of a PT nymph, Caddis larva, brassie (one of the best flies ever, imo) and other stuff. And who knows, maybe some of you guys consider those flies to be "junk." Whatever, I'm happy..

 

[jbewley]

Based on the three posts above, perhaps I did not understand the full intent of this thread. Of course one would not use a worm during a hatch, as that would be silly. I only use, so called "junk" flies, when nothing is going on that I can see. I only carry one box, containing such flies and it is a small one, but I will go to it when the conditions call for it.

Jim

 

[Dave_W]

Speaking as a fairly junky guy who lacks any semblance of shame...

There are many of us who fish for trout throughout the year and under conditions ill suited for dry flies or hatch matching. Combine this with the reality that streams in SCPA, and the Cumberland Valley in particular, just don't generate the hatches more commonly seen upstate... means we resort to dredging the bottom.

So, my go-to nymph system is a traditional nymph of some sort (think PT or Hare's Ear) with a SJW dropper. Oftentimes, the two flies catch fish at about the same rate. Some days, however, one of these flies strongly out-fishes the other - think 10 or 20 trout to 1 or none.

Take a guess which fly - nymph or SJW - scores these big, out of proportion catch totals.

(Just my experience, of course. As the cool kids say: YMMV.)

 

[afishinado]

As far as fly selection as well as technique selection when I get to the stream, I will usually check out what is happening on and in and around the stream. From what I see or don't see, I'll choose how to and what to fish. As well, I'll consider stream conditions e.g. high/low flow, clear/murky, warm/cold, etc. Plus I'll factor in what I expect to be hatching on this stream at this time of year and under these conditions.

If it looks like a dredge it up with nymph day, I'll often fish a nymph representing by size, shape and color something I expect to be active on the stream at this time. I'll usually fish a second fly that more generic and different with respect to size, color and/or shape.

In higher off-color conditions I may choose a streamer.

Low. clear conditions, and most especially if I see an occasional rise, I'll may start off blind fishing a dry and may drop off a smaller fly, a lightweight nymph or emerger to the dry.

 

[jifigz]

I have more or less given up on fishing 2 flies at once altogether. I always feel bad when a trout takes my lead nymph and then the dropper nymph hooks into the fish's flesh while it is thrashing in the net. Anymore, if I'm going nymphs it is one and high sticking/tight lining or an indicator and if I'm fishing dries it is generally just one dry fly. Maybe I'm selling myself short and missing some fish but I like it that way and I'm content.