Wet · #156 of 532

Woolly Worm

Imitates: Caterpillar, stonefly nymph, hellgrammite, or general attractor

How to Rig It

Fish alone, or trail it behind a larger dry as a dropper in rough water.

Dead-drift it, twitch it, or swing it. It is effective precisely because it can be fished several ways.

The chenille body and palmered hackle move a lot of water and suggest life. Trout and panfish both treat it like an easy buggy meal.

The Woolly Worm predates the Woolly Bugger and is one of the classic American attractor wet flies that influenced many modern streamer patterns.

Fish the olive version for trout and the black version in stained water. The red tail often seals the deal.

Woolly Worm vs Woolly Bugger?+

The Woolly Worm is the older, simpler pattern. The Woolly Bugger added a marabou tail and more leech-like motion.

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