San Juan Worm

Materials

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Hook Daiichi 1130, sizes 10-16
Thread Danville Red 6/0
Weighted Black Tungsten Bead
Body Red and Hot Orange Ultra Chenille
Ribbing Small Red Wire
bloodworm
bloodworm
Jim Aubrey

Jim Aubrey

San Juan Worm

The San Juan Worm originated with Jim Aubrey in the 1970’s. Jim was a well-known fly tier and fisherman attending many FFI conclaves were he was involved in teaching fly fishing. He also taught school kids and adults in Durango, Colorado and Albuquerque, New Mexico. Jim passed away at the age of 90 years in 2021.

Ultra Chenille

The actual San Juan Worm is about two inches and resides with the silty river bottom of the San Juan River, New Mexico. Jim utilized Ultra Chenille for the body and burned the ends of the material to keep it from unfraying. The pattern was the impetus to the infamous “San Juan Shuffle”, in which fly fishermen used to scuff along the bottom to dislodge the worms and create a feeding frenzy with the local trout inhabitants. This technique has become “unsporting” and is not looked upon favorably by most fly fishermen. Nevertheless, the San Juan Worm pattern has found a niche in most flyboxes.

Blood Midge

In the Sierra, it imitates the blood midge which frequents many of the eastside alkaline lakes. It also is used as a midge larvae patterns within most of the Sierran streams. The pattern is particularly useful when fishing in high water situations after a rainstorm. The natural terrestrial worms will become evident within the stream from bank erosion and the leaf worms will be washed into the stream from the overhead cover by the rain. The stained conditions of the water at this time also enhances it’s usefulness and darker colors such as Purple and Red might be a good choice.

Try other colors

Colors can vary from Orange, Chartreuse, Tan, Claret, Pink, Red, or Earth tones.  Add a bead to the hook shank to get the pattern to go deeper in the water column or during fast stream flows. Use a slow twitching action. The San Juan Worm with a tungsten bead has become a popular anchor fly pattern for euro nymphing.

Variations

San Juan Worm , Worm Brown
San Juan Worm , Worm Brown

San Juan Worm , Worm Brown

Hook Daiichi 1130, sizes 10-16
Thread Uni-thread Rusty Brown 8/0
Weighted Gold Tungsten Bead
Body Ultra Chenille, Worm Brown
Clitellum Medium Amber D-Rib
Tan San Juan Worm
Tan San Juan Worm

Tan San Juan Worm

Hook Daiichi 1120, sizes 10-16
Thread Danville Tan 6/0
Body Tan Ultra Chenille
Orange San Juan Worm w/bead
Orange San Juan Worm w/bead

Orange San Juan Worm w/bead

Hook Daiichi 1120, sizes 10-16
Thread Danville Fire Orange 6/0
Weighted Brass Cyclop Bead
Body Orange Ultra Chenille
Rust Diamond Braid San Juan Worm w/Hourglass Bead
Rust Diamond Braid San Juan Worm w/Hourglass Bead

Rust Diamond Braid San Juan Worm w/Hourglass Bead

Hook Daiichi 1130, sizes 10-16
Thread Uni-thread Rusty Brown 8/0
Weighted Hourglass Bead
Body Midge Diamond Braid, Rust
Pink San Juan Worm
Pink San Juan Worm

Pink San Juan Worm

Hook Daiichi 1130, sizes 10-16
Thread Danville Red 6/0
Body Pink Ultra Chenille
Purple San Juan Worm w/Dazzle Bead
Purple San Juan Worm w/Dazzle Bead

Purple San Juan Worm w/Dazzle Bead

Hook Daiichi 1130, sizes 10-16
Thread Danville Purple 6/0
Weighted Dazzle Bead, Fl Pink
Body Purple Ultra Chenille