Can of Worms

Last week we opened a can of worms deep within our federal Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO). However, I found the can’s contents so disturbing that I put the cover back on, at least for now. This week, with our trout season rapidly approaching, we’ll take a look at a different type of worm, a fly known as the infamous San Juan Worm.

Master American angler and writer Lefty Kreh, in his book Advanced Fly-Fishing Techniques, considers the San Juan Worm “so effective that some anglers consider it unsporting, and on certain waters there are attempts to forbid its use.” Others argue that this worm imitation, fashioned from neither fur nor feathers, shouldn’t even be called a fly. On the other hand, it is fished exactly like a nymph, so what’s the problem?

So, we can decide for ourselves whether or not to use the fly, and it is perfectly legal to do so, even when regulations forbid bait fishing. The obvious time for fly fishers to try the San Juan Worm is when we secretly wish we had brought along a can of worms.

Vernille San Juan Worm

Hook: Wet fly hook such as Mustad 3399, sizes 8 – 14

Thread: Red

Worm: Earthworm colored Vernille tied to hook shank, not wrapped, with

both ends singed with a lighter to prevent fraying

Body: Claret Vernille wrapped around hook shank and worm

Head: Brass bead, optional. Cement head with a thin, high-penetrating head cement like Pro-Lak.

Vernille, also sold as “Ultra Chenille”, is a dense, high-quality chenille that withstands the rigors of fly-casting. Regular chenille looks OK but isn’t really durable enough for this fly.

I often add a 4 mm brass bead to the head of the fly to add weight and flash. We worm-chuckers learned at an early age that a flashy spinner seems to make bait fishing far more effective. Please note that metal bead flies ARE considered weighted flies, allowed in some waters, like lakes and brooks, but illegal in others, like the St. Mary’s River.

Please stay on the line ...