San Juan Worm

San Juan Worm Pattern

San Juan Worm Recipe

Hatch
Hook:

Hook - TMC 2488 - 12

Thread:

Thread - Uni Thread - Pink - 6/0

Body:

Chenille - Chenille - Pink - Small

Recipe By
Jay VerHelst

About the San Juan Worm

This fly is about a classic of a nymph as there is. Any guide out west will have more than a few of these flies in multiple different colors and sizes. This is fly everyone first ties because it is easy and it works! Fish this fly for trout in the spring or after a rain when the water is a bit high and off color. It is also a great point fly anytime with a double nymph rig. Feel free to tie these up in a wide range of colors and sizes. Size 12-16 in pink, red, and tan are the most common.

How to tie the San Juan Worm


Tying San Juan Worm: Step 1
Step 1: Hook

Lock your hook into your vise and tie in your thread. Wrap back to the bend of the hook


Tying San Juan Worm: Step 2
Step 2: Tie in body

Measure out chenille so it is three times the hook length. Tie in the back one third of the chenille


Tying San Juan Worm: Step 3
Step 3: Advance

Wrap your thread up the hook shank to just behind the eye of the hook


Tying San Juan Worm: Step 4
Step 4: Tie in

Pull the chenille flat against the top of the hook shank and tie in the chenille with a few tight wraps of the thread


Tying San Juan Worm: Step 5
Step 5: Finish

Whip finish the thread and cut the tag end. Finish off the fly by using a lighter to quickly melt both end tips of the chenille to keep it from fraying. Don’t over do it or your Chenille will melt away and your fly will need to be started over!