San Juan Worm
Aquatic worms are real, trout eat them constantly, and this is what one looks like.
- Hook size
- 16
- Pack
- 12 flies
How to fish it
Fishing notes
Fish it deep on a dead drift the moment flows come up or colour arrives. Point fly under an indicator, set deep. Change colour rather than pattern if you are not getting takes.
About this fly
Aquatic worms are real, trout eat them constantly, and this is what one looks like.
Aquatic worms live in the silt of most trout rivers and get dislodged in numbers whenever flows rise. That is not a trick — it is one of the most predictable feeding events on a tailwater, and the San Juan Worm is a direct imitation of what is drifting.
Five colours because water clarity, light and river silt vary: red and brown are the naturals, pink and purple show up in stained water, tan is the quiet option on a clear low flow.
Key features
- Direct imitation of the aquatic worms dislodged when flows rise
- The first fly to tie on after rain or a dam release
- Five colours cover clear water, stained water and every light condition
- Size 16 fishes on a standard nymph rig without extra weight
- Red and brown for naturals; pink and purple when visibility drops
Further reading
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