Walt's Worm

Walt Young's Walt's Worm is one of the most deceptively effective Euro-nymphing patterns ever created. Its simple construction — hare's ear dubbing wound over a wire-reinforced body — produces a rough, buggy silhouette that trout mistake for a wide range of invertebrates. The natural hare's ear fibers create movement and suggest gills, legs, and appendages without any complex tying. Fish it on the bottom with a tight-line Euro rig.

Type

nymph (Caddis)

Hook sizes

#10–16

Target species

trout

Difficulty

beginner

Best seasons

spring, summer, fall, winter

Materials

• hook: Jig hook #10–16
• thread: Black 8/0
• bead: Slotted tungsten bead
• weight: Lead-free wire underbody
• body: Natural hare's ear dubbing, rough and shaggy

Tying steps

1. Mount a size 10–16 jig hook; slide on a slotted tungsten bead.
2. Start black thread; wrap a smooth base to the bend.
3. Tie in fine lead-free wire for extra weight along the shank.
4. Dub rough, shaggy hare's ear from bend to behind the bead in a single layer.
5. Pick out the fibers with a dubbing needle to expose all the guard hairs and underfur.
6. Build a tight head against the bead; whip finish and cement.
7. Apply a small drop of head cement to the thread wraps behind the bead to prevent the bead from rotating.
8. Check that the body dubbing is properly picked out with a dubbing needle to expose guard hairs — the shaggier, the better.
9. Pick out several more dubbing fibers with a dubbing needle and pull them downward along the body to imitate the natural legs of a cranefly larva or worm.