# Worm fly



## obrientimm (Jan 28, 2013)

getting super itchy to get to the keys. Wanted to see what everyone’s go to worm fly is.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Wait, I thought you fished the Gold Cup? If so, you should be tellin us what you think is best!



San Juan worm fly.


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## obrientimm (Jan 28, 2013)

Backwater said:


> Wait, I thought you fished the Gold Cup? If so, you should be tellin us what you think is best!
> 
> 
> Just looking for something new to play with.!!
> ...


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## Bonecracker (Mar 29, 2007)

Shhhh! Those things do not work!!!


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Depends on who's up on the PP. 

Wait, you are entering it and live in TX?


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Bonecracker said:


> Shhhh! Those things do not work!!!


They really don't if you are not on the right spot at the right time. It wouldn't happen in Islamorada.


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## obrientimm (Jan 28, 2013)

Backwater said:


> Depends on who's up on the PP.
> 
> Wait, you are entering it and live in TX?


This will be my 6th year. Lots of Texans. In fact weve been dominating the tourneys for the last decade.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

obrientimm said:


> This will be my 6th year. Lots of Texans. In fact weve been dominating the tourneys for the last decade.


dominating?


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## obrientimm (Jan 28, 2013)

6 texans have won in the last 7 years.


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## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

Who actually wins the Gold Cup, the guide(decision maker) or the angler?


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

Good question. I would imagine it's a team victory but I could be wrong. Bad captain = no shots at fish, poor positioning, wrong place at wrong time. Bad angler = inability to capitalize on opportunities provided.


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## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

el9surf said:


> Good question. I would imagine it's a team victory but I could be wrong. Bad captain = no shots at fish, poor positioning, wrong place at wrong time. Bad angler = inability to capitalize on opportunities provided.


I can't believe you said that.


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## obrientimm (Jan 28, 2013)

sjrobin said:


> Who actually wins the Gold Cup, the guide(decision maker) or the angler?


Team win. Both names are out on the trophy


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

obrientimm said:


> Team win. Both names are out on the trophy


That's what I was getting at. Never fished a tournament like that, so I have no idea how they credit folks. Fishig tournaments obviously aren't my thing lol.


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

Back to worm flies.
This one looks interesting


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## Finn Maccumhail (Apr 9, 2010)

el9surf said:


> Good question. I would imagine it's a team victory but I could be wrong. Bad captain = no shots at fish, poor positioning, wrong place at wrong time. Bad angler = inability to capitalize on opportunities provided.


Are there really any "bad captains" fishing in the Gold Cup? Or any of the big fly tournaments down in the Keys?


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

I think you missed my point, and are taking my comment out of context. I was merely suggesting it's a symbiotic relationship and I would imagine credit is given to both angler and the captain as one isn't likely to win the tournament without the other. 

How is it that we only have one worm fly posted here so far?


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## kenb (Aug 21, 2015)

Here's another.


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## Bonecracker (Mar 29, 2007)

Backwater said:


> They really don't if you are not on the right spot at the right time. It wouldn't happen in Islamorada.


Dang Ted, I just assumed if you fished around the full moon at the end of May or the beginning of June they would jump in the boat!

That reminds me of another funny story! I was down at Cudjoe a few years back with the family in the Bay Boat trying to put the girls on a Tarpon, Snapper, or a Dolphin!We were headed out of Kemp Channel one afternoon around 4:00 to go troll for some Mahi-Hahi and my step daughter says, "what are all those tarpon doing on the surface"? Then it hit me, the damn Worm hatch was going off and I am totally unprepared. I was throwing everything in the tickle box at them and they were very uninterested in my crabs and lures! Then I remember a guide buddy of mine was sitting outside of Looe Key with a client and I called him and said the words "Worm Hatch is going off at Kemp"! He ran over quickly and within 15 min his client jumped a tarpon on a worm fly! 15 mins later they had jumped 2 more and I was about the come out of my Sperry topsiders as the tarpon would not touch anything I had to offer and watching them from 100yds away was bout to drive me crazy! He threw me over a small 1/8oz Hook-up jig after a quick catch and release and it had a small brownish/red worm tied on to it and I had some blow up on it but no eats! His client got tired after 5-6 poons and gave the guide the front of the skiff and he is one of the best fly caster I know! He jumped 3/4 more fish and they had had there fill and went home! All I can say as I enjoyed the whole show while relaxing on my Pathfinder with a couple of cold beers and a good cigar wishing I had my 11wt! Oh well, live and learn!!


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## obrientimm (Jan 28, 2013)

kenb said:


> View attachment 26576
> Here's another.


Like that worm. What’s the body made of?


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## obrientimm (Jan 28, 2013)

Finn Maccumhail said:


> Are there really any "bad captains" fishing in the Gold Cup? Or any of the big fly tournaments down in the Keys?


There are no bad captains. The true difference is if your captain is extremely competitive or not. I’ve fished different guys and seen the difference. Thane Morgan and Dustin huff are about as competitive as they come and always a hard team to beat.


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## shb (Oct 29, 2013)

Every body has a fav. But it feels like anything close will work.

Impressionistic seems to beat realism in most things related to terminal tackle.


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## obrientimm (Jan 28, 2013)

A couple I tied up last night.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

obrientimm said:


> Like that worm. What’s the body made of?


Timm, I don't understand. If your Texas buddies are all dominating the tarpon fishing in those tourneys, then why don't you ask them?

In order to truly know if a worm fly is working, then you would have actually had to fish the hatch and then be able to rifle through all the worm flies you brought to see which one actually worked. And even if you found the right worm fly by accident, then you'd have to know EXACTLY how to work it to be effective. Then, you "might" have success....or not. Those who have done it successfully are few and far between. And even if you happen to find someone who's had success with it, you find that they will be very tight lipped about it and certainly will not post crap about it on the web.

Btw, even if you stumbled across the best worm fly, with no hatch, then you have a fly that will not be effective. Not in the right place but the right timing? You still have a fly that will not be effective. Ask your buddies about that one.

Aside from reading Bonecracker actually stumbling onto it by accident and was unprepared, in all my years of fishing for them, knowing where they were suppose to be (intel from buddies who live there), even sleeping on the boat multi nights during some years, when the Gods lined everything up just right and it was suppose to happen, but it didn't. Well at least not for me. So for me to show you a good looking Palolo worm fly, that I thought might work (which I have many of them), without actually having the stars aligned, being on the fish and proving one of them would actually work, would be dumb and useless information for me to provide. I've known guides that actually lived there, confess that they never been on an actual hatch. So any other info that you may see from others either on the web or in person (with no real experience on the hatch with those fish), personally, I'd can take that with a grain of salt.

All that being said, this is about the best one I've seen tied on youtube, so I'm sharing it because it public domain. But most of the good worm flies ones I've seen in person, are not shared publically. I've got a few of my own, but, well.... That's all I have to say about that. Matt just does it to help his bookings I guess. Note the weed guard. It's there for a reason, unlike the ones you just posted.




I recommend you tied them on an Owner 5180 2/0 and your "jump vs land" ratios will dramatically increase. Besides, silver colored hooks on a worm.... well.... it's just unnatural and sticks out like a sore thumb! That's a freebie! 

So my dumb ass might be back down there again this year (glutton for punishment). Maybe I'll have something better to report AFTER it happens... or not. And even if it happens for me (i'm not counting on it), it's gonna be... Not! 

Just my 2 cents worth. 

Good luck!

Ted Haas


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## obrientimm (Jan 28, 2013)

Ted
You are very completely incorrect. But I guess I appreciate your opinion.


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## Str8-Six (Jul 6, 2015)

Never tied one but if your using rabbit strip I would tie it so the leather is facing up. The tarpon looks up while feeding not down.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Str8-Six said:


> Never tied one but if your using rabbit strip I would tie it so the leather is facing up. The tarpon looks up while feeding not down.


They are stripped near the surface.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

obrientimm said:


> Ted
> You are very completely incorrect.


Oh I've found myself completely incorrect on many occasions. But curious, how so? I'm assuming you are referring to getting a poon to eat a worm, even tho it's not during a hatch, or near one. ? Then if so, you have experience with that, no?


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

The guide I fish with every year will fish worm flies on occasion, regardless of whether there is an actual hatch going on.


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## kenb (Aug 21, 2015)

Foam.


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## obrientimm (Jan 28, 2013)

Backwater said:


> Oh I've found myself completely incorrect on many occasions. But curious, how so? I'm assuming you are referring to getting a poon to eat a worm, even tho it's not during a hatch, or near one. ? Then if so, you have experience with that, no?


worm flies are used daily regardless of a hatch. On the ocean on the incoming tide it is usually my go to. On the fall and the water dirtys then for sure change up to a bigger bug. Some worms work one day and the next not. the foam is a fun fly to throw cuz you can actually see it but it can get tons of follows and tons of refusals. The Hawley was won last year on the foam worm with a little variation. Bear holeman used to tie up a painted tooth pick which we hooked fish on. Timmy Klein's worm is two tan hackles on a hook. Impossible to see but if you keep your fly line inline with the fish theyll eat it almost everytime.


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## backbone (Jan 4, 2016)

A pink Zima with fin racc has been good to me, but very hard to see/track.


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## paint it black (Nov 3, 2007)

Backwater said:


> Timm, I don't understand. If


This, essentially. But with a smaller hook. I tie them in different sizes, some bigger than others. First day of the good hatch last year, they were eating small ones. Next day, they ate bigger ones better. 

Here's a short video I put together from last year. We caught too many fish to keep track of. doubled up a few times, too.


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

I have been reading this and don't want to get caught with my pants...well you know what I mean. I've never seen a worm hatch and probably never will but you need to be prepared.
So I had some red para cord and looked up the real worm and this is what I came up with. Since I don't have a Palolo worm I didn't no the body/head shade of brown so I used both. Yea I know the hook is a little big/shiny but that's the only Tarpon hook I have now. I even put some brown foam on the hook to make it ride near the surface 
I'm going to tie 2 more when I get some black tarpon hooks and then that's it. Put in my box and wait for a miracle


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## Edublund (Sep 10, 2016)




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## EvanHammer (Aug 14, 2015)

paint it black said:


> This, essentially. But with a smaller hook. I tie them in different sizes, some bigger than others. First day of the good hatch last year, they were eating small ones. Next day, they ate bigger ones better.
> 
> Here's a short video I put together from last year. We caught too many fish to keep track of. doubled up a few times, too.


What song is that?


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

Edublund said:


> View attachment 26725


darn I should have used the lighter brown and I thought it had a black head.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

obrientimm said:


> worm flies are used daily regardless of a hatch. On the ocean on the incoming tide it is usually my go to.


Glad they're working for you. For me and some of the guys I know that fish the middle Keys, I've zero'ed out too many times over the years just to randomly reach for a worm fly, unless I'm around a hot spot where I think I may be close to the window (and these days, I don't chase windows). Otherwise, I want something that will push a little more water.

I do caution people to not mainly focus on using them, but definitely keep a few, just in case. Lots of guys get pumped up with the idea of being on it, like with PaintItBlack's video. But it can mean having blanked out the entire trip if that's all your gonna do is use them.


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## obrientimm (Jan 28, 2013)

Flies that push water on the ocean will get you zeroed out. Little flies will get it done but hard for most people to see and know where their fly is. Regardless..... tarpon fishing in the keys is tough enough that getting zeroed out is pretty typical


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Backwater said:


> Otherwise, I want something that will push a *little more water *(than a worm).





obrientimm said:


> Flies that push water on the ocean will get you zeroed out. Little flies will get it done but hard for most people to see and know where their fly is.


Tim, I've been fishing the Keys way back before you were born and not traveling halfway across the country just to do so. So I have it figured out for what works for myself around the areas that I fish down there (mostly middle Keys).  

But thanks for your pointers as there are plenty of people on here looking for more ways to improve their odds down there. Interesting to know that worms work throughout the entire season in the Islamorada area.


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## obrientimm (Jan 28, 2013)




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## paint it black (Nov 3, 2007)

EvanHammer said:


> What song is that?


Mike Stud - All Hits

It's a new song, came out the day that I edited that video.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

obrientimm said:


>


Nice video. You can post that in the "General Fishing" section of microskiff.


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

That's looks like a little boat to be out there and he should have colored his lure red with a sharpie


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## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

obrientimm said:


>


Red worm bite?


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

There ain't no Palolo worms in Texas...are they


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## Str8-Six (Jul 6, 2015)

sjrobin said:


> Red worm bite?


The angler was using a white fluke so I doubt it.


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## obrientimm (Jan 28, 2013)

saspeck said:


> Is this a Florida or Texas video? Just curious because your website makes it seem like it’s from LLM



Texas


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## Dpreston (Oct 16, 2015)

Tough crowd here, Tim...and I agree that there are some misconceptions here - worm flies or worm-like flies can be pretty effective any time there are fish swimming in the ocean. In addition to stand-by's like foam or cut down bunny, my oceanside box is full of wormy experiments and prototypes that I may throw anytime from April through July, with varying levels of moderate to high success. We'll probably never know exactly what the fish think they are eating depending on fly, spot, and time (shrimp, small baitfish, baby needle fish, etc, could probably all be mistaken) but there is no doubt the thin profile and soft landing of this type of fly can work wonders on heavily pressured clear water fish. And if it's anywhere near the time or place for a hatch, even better. PS. Texas is going down - and should stick to seatrout!


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## obrientimm (Jan 28, 2013)

Dpreston said:


> Tough crowd here, Tim...and I agree that there are some misconceptions here - worm flies or worm-like flies can be pretty effective any time there are fish swimming in the ocean. In addition to stand-by's like foam or cut down bunny, my oceanside box is full of wormy experiments and prototypes that I may throw anytime from April through July, with varying levels of moderate to high success. We'll probably never know exactly what the fish think they are eating depending on fly, spot, and time (shrimp, small baitfish, baby needle fish, etc, could probably all be mistaken) but there is no doubt the thin profile and soft landing of this type of fly can work wonders on heavily pressured clear water fish. And if it's anywhere near the time or place for a hatch, even better. PS. Texas is going down - and should stick to seatrout!


Dave,

Ive got some new worms that you are going to like.... Ive sent a bunch to Brett to start testing....


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