Walt’s Worm – the magic of a bottom dweller

Walt’s Worm, Hares Ear Plus #1

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Tying Instructions

1. Attach the wire ribbing to the bottom of the hook shank and wrap to the bend of the hook above the barb.

2. Select a Wood-duck Flank feather that is flat on the top. Clip the tip with about 15-20 fibers. Measure the tip for a length to be about the same as the hook shank and attach the fibers at the bend of the hook.

3. Dub along the hook shank creating a tapered body to just past the midpoint of the shank.

4. Then wrap the ribbing to the end of the dubbing and tie off.

5. Using the feather that you clipped the tip from, utilize the remaining fibers for a collar hackle. Position the feather at the top of the shank with the ends just protruding beyond the hook bend. Using your thumb and index finger, distribute the fibers around the shank and tie off.

6. Trim the hackle tag and secure with thread wraps.

7. Add more dubbing for a thorax. This dubbed area should be larger in diameter than the body with a more buggy appearance. Cal would use his dubbing tool to create a dubbing loop that facilitated a looser appearance. Whip finish for a small thread head.

8. Add more dubbing for a thorax. This dubbed area should be larger in diameter than the body with a more buggy appearance. Cal would use his dubbing tool to create a dubbing loop that facilitated a looser appearance. Whip finish for a small thread head.

Materials to Order Material, click the link
Hook	Firehole 551 #12-16
Thread	Danville 6/0 Olive
Head	7/64 (2.8mm) Gold Slotted Tungsten Bead
Weight	0.015 Leadfree wire
Body	Hareline Dubbin Hare's Ear Plus #1

Walt Young

Walt’s Worm

The Walt’s Worm is a pattern designed by Walt Young in 1984 as he fished Spring Creek in Central Pennsylvania. Walt has been an avid fly tier and fly fisherman since the age of 12 and designed this pattern as a way to get his nymph rig down to the bottom. His pattern was simply a 2x nymph hook with 10-12 wraps of lead wire and some Hare’s ear dubbing to hide the wire. The body was cigar shaped but not tied to represent any particular insect or worm.

Many Adaptations

Walt used this pattern as his lead nymph and noted that he was out-fishing his “best” nymph, 23 to 3, with this new pattern. Soon, other locals wanted to know what Walt was using and he indicated that the fly as a “water worm” which was a term for a cranefly larvae. Soon the pattern was known as “the water worm that Walt ties” which eventually became known as Walt’s Worm. The original Walt’s Worm was tied with Hare’s Ear dubbing from Hareline. Later, Walt used the Hare’s Ear Plus dubbing since it had Antron within the mix. Loren Williams and Pat Weiss adapted the pattern towards Euro Nymphing by adding a slotted bead and a “hot spot”. The Sexy Walt’s Worm is a variation by Loren Williams adding a small holographic ribbing.

Euro Nymph favorite

Today, Walt’s Worm looks quite different from the original. It is a staple in most Euro Nymphing fly boxes with both a Tungsten slot bead and leadfree wire wraps beneath the dubbing. Hare’s Ear is still the desired dubbing but other dubbing mixes such a squirrel are used. Hot spots and tags are incorporated into the pattern for a wide range of attraction. The pattern is often a beginner’s choice since it is easily tied and very effective on the stream. For a Euro rig set-up, the pattern is usually less than 0.3 grams and is often used as the lead fly. A large selection of mottled slotted tungsten beads have become available for the euro nymphing market. Dave McKenna created a variation of the Sexy Walt’s Worm utilizing these mottled tungsten beads and incorporating a synthetic dubbed collar.

Walt’s Worm, Original

Hook	TMC 3769 #10-16
Thread	Uni-thread Tan 6/0
Head	Uni-thread Tan 6/0
Weight	0.020 Leadfree wire
Body	Hareline Dubbin Hare's Ear Plus #1

Walt’s Worm, Hot Orange Hot Spot

Hook	Firehole 516 #10-16
Thread	Veevus 10/0 White
Head	3/32 (2.4mm) Silver Slotted Tungsten Bead
Weight	0.020 Leadfree wire
Body	Hareline Dubbin Hare's Ear Plus #1
Collar	Veevus 12/0 Fluorescent Orange

Sexy Walt’s Worm, Olive

Hook	Firehole 551 #12-18
Thread	Veevus 10/0 Olive
Head	7/64 (2.8mm) Copper Slotted Tungsten Bead
Weight	0.020 Leadfree wire
Body	Hareline Dubbin Hare's Ear Plus Olive #6
Collar	Veevus 12/0 Fl. Green
Ribbing	Small Veevus Holographic Tinsel, Gold

Walt’s Worm Blow Torch

Hook	Firehole 516 #12-18
Thread	Veevus 10/0 Red
Head	7/64 (2.8mm) Gold Slotted Tungsten Bead
Weight	0.020 Leadfree wire
Body	Hareline Dubbin Hare's Ear Plus Tan
Collar	Veevus 10/0 Red
Tail	Danville Floss Red
Ribbing	Small Silver Wire

Sexy Walt’s Worm, McKenna

Hook	Firehole 516 #10-16
Thread	Veevus 10/0 white
Head	1/8 Mottled Red Slotted Tungsten
Weight	0.020 Leadfree wire , 5-6 wraps
Body	Hareline Dubbin Hare's Ear Plus Dark
Collar	Senyo Laser Hair dubbing, Purple
Ribbing	Small Silver wire