I got worms

[Martin McFly]

Last time I went fishing I noticed this guy catching tilapias with small mealworms and a bobber. My first attempt to tie one of those never quite caught anything so I started to think about tying it in a different way. I used canvas yarn, which by the way is a great material for a lot of uses. Really simple, just wrapped around a curved hooked.


Since I haven't gone fishing much I got a lot of extra time at home so while I watched an mma fight and tied a lot of colors...what do you guys think? They might not look exactly like a mealworm but I bet it'll catch a fish or two.


This is my first attempt...

[Jax]

Martin. I reckon you will do a fair amount of damage with those flies. They look the part to me. have fun. Jax

[CharlaineC]

I'm surprised your first ones didn catch anything their nice. i catch on them all the time with min but i use rubber bands they work great just arry the strech as you wrap to taper the body then when done add the cure youwant to the hook. works well both for fly line and spinner set got me a nice large mouth on one afer a baby small took it. was a killer catch.

[51BC]

Nice looking flies, Martin. In the right situation, I could see them being taken for a cadis larva. Just where does one find canvas yarn ?

[Martin McFly]

I tied the first attempt as a carp fly but I have never gotten any hits, it could be because the waters I have been fishing don't hold a lotta fish or because the ones I use to fish were not producing a lot. I'm not saying I have given up on it but I wanted to try something else because if I don't start catching fish soon I'll go crazy (lol)
I found these little rolls of canvas yarn at Waly's and bought them for a carp slider pattern (it looks like a yarn crab with a marabou tail) and found just some colors, I bought them "just in case" I tied the carp slider and loved the material, it's really, really durable and you can give it a lot of uses. I went back to Waly's here in Socal but the don't carry what's called needloft so after some research I found the company that supplied the product to them. They have some wild colors and 10 yards of it is only $ 0.45.
If you guys want I can post photos of the flies I have tied with it.
Thanks for the kind words about my flies.

[Steven]

I have to add my surprise that the initial efforts didn't work - although targeting carp is tough.

My own mealworm fly is simply a cream/tan GRHE without the shell back. Works on the bluegills (of course, not much doesn't).

I fish in relatively shallow water and hang them about 9" below a stick on indicator. Tiny strips - more like a jiggle even - to give them "life."

[Martin McFly]

I agree with you steven, carp fishing is tuff. The thing is that it's a sight fishing kind of game so if there is no sight of them there is just no game. Maybe if I find waters with bluegills it might kill 'em.

[Lotech]

Martin, those are good looking flies. I'm sure they will work. Another option is to use thin cut strips of chamois (those leather rags used for drying your car). Get them damp, wrap a grub type body, wait for it to dry and coat with Sally Hansen's Hard As Nails. They are almost indestructible. I use curved egg hooks or a facsimile.

[JeffHamm]

Hi,

Those all look good to me. I'm surprised you had no joy with the original tie though. They look good. Did you get hits but no hook ups? The gap doesn't appear to be crowded out or anything like that. If you decide to revamp the original, maybe add 4-6 fibres from a mottled partridge feather tied in as a throat, quite short, with the tips only going back to the 2nd or 3rd turn of the rib from the front. Wouldn't be a wax worm, but it would make a good caddis grub!

- Jeff

[Big Bad Wulff]

The look GREAT!