Woolly Worm
The Woolly Worm is an attractor nymph that predates the Woolly Bugger by many decades, with roots going back to 19th-century British wet-fly traditions. Its chenille body and palmered hackle imitate a wide range of large aquatic invertebrates — stonefly nymphs, caddis larvae, and hellgrammites. Fish it dead-drift under an indicator in fast runs, or swing it on the traditional downstream wet-fly method.
- Type
- nymph (Stonefly)
- Hook sizes
- #4–10
- Target species
- trout, bass
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Best seasons
- spring, summer, fall, winter
Materials
- hook: 2X long nymph hook #4–10
- thread: Black 6/0
- weight: Lead wire underbody (optional)
- tail: Short red yarn or red hackle fibers
- body: Black or olive chenille
- body hackle: Brown or grizzly rooster hackle, palmered over body
Tying steps
- Mount a size 4–10 2XL nymph hook; optionally wrap lead wire for weight.
- Start black thread; tie in a short red yarn or red hackle fiber tail.
- Tie in a brown or grizzly palmered hackle by the tip at the bend.
- Wind black or olive chenille in tight, even layers from bend to the eye.
- Palmer the hackle forward in evenly spaced open spirals over the chenille.
- Tie off hackle and trim; build a neat head, whip finish, and cement.
- Apply a coat of head cement to the thread head and let cure before fishing.
- Counter-rib a fine gold or copper wire through the palmered hackle in the opposite direction to lock the hackle in place.
- Pull the palmered hackle gently from the front to test it does not unravel — if it slips, unwind and add a counter-rib of fine wire before the final whip finish.