True Wooly Worm

acal · May 4, 2009, 2:37pm

I’ve been doing some reading on Wooly Worms and find the terms “True Wooly Worm” being used with no explanation given of what is meant by the term True. Does anyone have any information regarding this terminology ?

The only thing I can find to date is that it had a red tail, and that is all that is mentioned.

Is there a pattern for a True Wooly Worm ?

Any help would be appreciated.

system · May 4, 2009, 3:36pm

heres some history

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woolly_Worm_(imitation)

Chuck441 · May 4, 2009, 8:54pm

There is (was?) a fly called a True wooly worm. It was created by a tier named Bill True, I believe. It had a body of chenille: 1/3 orange, 1/3 black, 1/3 orange. I can’t remember any other details.

Chuck

kengore · May 4, 2009, 11:56pm

We get these little guys during the fall, I’ve seen ‘true woolly worm’ flies tied to imitate…1/3 black, 1/3 orange, 1/3 black chenille for the body, with a sparse black rooster hackle palmered over the body.

Chuck441 · May 5, 2009, 3:41am

Oops- got the order wrong. The True Wooly is black/orange/black. Thanks for the pic.

Chuck

J_Castwell · May 5, 2009, 6:49am

Does it really mater how manny l’s therre ar in wolly?

system · May 5, 2009, 9:36am

or o’s

FishnDave · May 5, 2009, 2:15pm

I found myself spelling it different ways sometimes, and decided I would at least be CONSISTENT in my own spelling of it. So, right or wrong, I go with “woolly”. :rolleyes:

mr_blur · May 5, 2009, 2:20pm

well if you say it out loud and focus on the syllables, you’d spell it w-o-o-l-l-y.

WarrenP · May 5, 2009, 2:54pm

“Oops- got the order wrong. The True Wooly is black/orange/black.” Thanks for the pic.

Chuck

…But, what color would you tie it if there is going to be a mild winter???

acal · May 5, 2009, 11:14pm

Well, the info I read inferred other ideas rather than the true Wooly Worm as pictured here.

Thanks much people, very much appreciated.

BobC · May 5, 2009, 11:46pm

The line can get blurred so quickly. I look at Rich Osthoff’s Woolly Worm and see Frailey’s Woolly Fur Bugger. Someone else will go back 40yrs and see something else. Don’t know, but I just fish it and let the fish decide if it’s good or not!!

Gnu_Bee_Flyer · May 6, 2009, 2:58am

PS those little buggers BITE!

jdubach · May 6, 2009, 2:11pm

As a kid growing up in Illinois I remember seeing all black, medium brown and cream colored wooly worms in later summer/early fall crawling across the old country roads between corn fields. I used to run over them with my bike and make 'em go “POP”. Fun times for a demented little imp.

But never saw black/brown/black. Must be a regional thing.

BobC · May 6, 2009, 5:15pm

Must be. We had a lot of them in the fall growing up in NJ near the Great Swamp.