Estaz Worm

February 20, 2007

by Raif Killips

Recipe:

• Hook: 2 Tiemco 8089
• Thread: Black 6/0 Uni
• Tail: Black Estaz, furled
• Body: Black Estaz
• Weight: Lead wire
• Eyes: Bead-chain
• Weed-guard: Mason hard mono or Tynex

Uses:

The ‘worm’ flies were developed to help fly fishers emulate soft worm angling techniques for catching largemouth and smallmouth bass.

How to fish:

You can fish this pattern at any depth on full floating, through intermediate, to heavy sinking fly-lines. It works well on the drop, fished sink and draw, and also works well twitched slowly over and through weed beds and flats.

Further reading:

Hot Bass Flies Patterns & Tactics from the Experts, 2003, Deke Meyer, Frank Amato Publications, ISBN 1-57188-285-5 (softbound), ISBN 1-57188-286-3 (spiral hardbound).

Method:

The body is made by furling Estaz. The basic principle for a furled body is explained in the tying section.

Variations:

The best colour variations are chartreuse, purple, peacock green. You can add lead wire under the body to sink the pattern faster.