San juan Worm colors

[rbaileydav]

I recently had a chance to fish dukes creek and some private water a couple of times each within a few days of some heavy rain. As we all know san juan worms are a great option after a rain (for those who are not to purebred to use them) so that was what I tried. As most of us do i have several colors all tied in fairly small sizes 14 mostly which have worked for me well over the years but was unsure of the most succesful colors. So I fished each color (red, natural, dark red/moroon, orange, hot pink and light pink) with split shot and a strike indicator in an upstream deaddrift for a couple of hours each day on multiple days and kept count of the results. All of them caught fish to one degree or the other but light pink was by far the most successful almost two to one ( and i mean a very light pink, baby type color). Followed by hot pink, then natural then red then orange and then the dark red. While the results were far from a true scientific study there were enough common themes that i think the results were fairly accurate and certainly will change the color of san juans I use most (light pink). Although like all of us i will still probably carry them all just in case.

*****Davis

[Mr T]

RBD -- This is good information. Thanks for posting it. I would never have thought of a pink San Juan as being the best. Have always thought the red was the most popular and therefore the most successful. I was planning to tie a few over Christmas and they all probably would have been red and brown. Now they'll be mostly pink and hot pink.

This is the kind of stuff that makes this board so great.

Happy Holidays

Mr. T

[Steve Hudson]

Try fluorescent green too, which also doubles as a neat inchworm!

[edwin]

Before y'all go off tying nothing but hot pink and green San Juan worms, let me offer an alternate explanation to the success that may be had with such an unnatural looking color. It is quite possible that the you caught the trout you did because it was an attractor. Attractors (especially brightly colored ones) often work well right after a rain or any other time when the water is cloudy. Furthermore, the trout may have just been curious as to what was drifting by them. I fish attractors alot, but I seem to do better with more natural colors on 9/10 days. The attractor works well when the action is slow (I think it piques their curiousity), as a searching pattern, or on cloudy days with few hatches. That said, they're great to keep in the ole box as standbys, and I always do, but I rely mostly on flies that are similar in color to their surroundings. Just my two cents. --Edwin

[rbaileydav]

as i said in the original post i still carry all of the colors as well because u never know besides how else will i fill up all those little pockets on my vest.

For what it is worth though i fished the light pink san juan worm today on dukes creek in clear conditions and caught 11 fish ranging form 6 inches to three over 17-18 incehs(none over 20). I agree it does act as an attractor but the results are far from a curiosity fish here and there...... the results speak for themselves for low water winter fishing in NGA I will bet my two cents on light pink or hot pink san juans against a natural(Including a princes nymph and pheansant tails which were my lead fly tries which yeilded only one fish all day) . 10+ fish days on a low water winter time dukes creek are still unusual.

Anyway each to their own..... try them if you like they have worked for me.....but alot of different flys and colors have worked for others. I still say what you will catch the most fish on is a fly that you personally have confidence in i don't know why but it always seems to hold true. Maybe you fish that fly harder than the others before switching.

*****davis

[edwin]

I agree with everything you said, especially about fishing a fly that you have confidence in. I just thought I'd throw out some other info that might be helpful. Sorry if I went off on a tangent. As for the hot pink fly, I'm definitely going to try it. A fly that works should never be overlooked.

[Jimmy Harris]

For a testimonial on the success of the hot pink San Juan worm, just ask any of the participants in the First Annual Dukes Creek One Fly contest the Foothills Chapter hosted last March as a fund raiser for the education program at Smithgall Woods. The worm was used by the Foothills team; conservatively, it caught 3 times as many trout as all the other teams' flies combined. It's one of the guides "go-to flies" around here.

JH

[Drifter]

Fellows,

What's the recipe for this creature? Is it simply hot pink chenille tied to a dry/nymph hook? What size chenille, thread, hook, and hook type? Thanks in advance.

The Drifter

[Steve Hudson]

Tying San Juans is very easy.

MATERIALS:

Hook: Curved-shank hooks are ideal. I'm currently using Mustad 37160 series in 14-16-18, because that's what's on hand. Lacking curved hooks, you can (1) "curve" your own with smooth (ideally, rounded and smooth) jaw pliers or (2) use a standard or short straight shank hook. The trout probably won't mind.

Chenille: Ultra chenille. I like "micro" size.

Thread: To match chenille color.

Tying is much easier to do than describe, but here are the steps.

CHENILLE PREP

Cut the chenille into worm-length pieces. Typically this will be about 3x the length of the hook shank.

Now (carefully, and at your own risk) singe the tips of each piece. This melts the material, thus preventing unravelling, and automatically gives you a neat wormy-looking taper on each end.

TYING

1. Start thread at eye and wrap to bend. Make sure you go far enough back. If your first effort looks odd, it's probably because you didn't take the thread back far enough at this point.

2. Secure a piece of the chenille with a third of its length hanging off the back of the hook. Use a single turn of thread to do this. More turns may mat down the chenille, which you don't want to do.

3. Pull the forward portion of the chenille out of the way. If you're fishing for metric trout, advance the thread on the hook shank only for a distance of 2 or 3 mm. If you're fishing for American trout, advance the thread about an eighth of an inch. If you're fishing for Bubba trout, advance the thread 'bout this much.

4. Pull the chenille forward again and secure with another single turn of thread.

5. Repeat 3 and 4 till you get to the eye of the hook. Finish with a couple of half hitches (on the shank only). Add a drop of head cement to hold things in place, and you're done.

ALTERNATE FOR SAN JUAN WORM WITH SHOULDERS:

1. Start thread near bend.
2. Tie in a 6-in. piece of the chenille. (Note how much is left when you're done, and use that info to cut a more exact length piece for the next one.)
3. Advance thread to eye.
4. Wrap chenille in tight wraps to eye.
5. Tie down chenille at eye.
6. Half hitch in front of chenille (on hook shank) to secure thread, and cut thread.
7. Trim front and rear overhanging chenille to length.

Hope this helps. Let me know if I can answer any questions.

Steve

[Steve Hudson]

Tying San Juans is very easy.

MATERIALS:

Hook: Curved-shank hooks are ideal. I'm currently using Mustad 37160 series in 14-16-18, because that's what's on hand. Lacking curved hooks, you can (1) "curve" your own with smooth (ideally, rounded and smooth) jaw pliers or (2) use a standard or short straight shank hook. The trout probably won't mind.

Chenille: Ultra chenille. I like "micro" size.

Thread: To match chenille color.

Tying is much easier to do than describe, but here are the steps.

CHENILLE PREP

Cut the chenille into worm-length pieces. Typically this will be about 3x the length of the hook shank.

Now (carefully, and at your own risk) singe the tips of each piece. This melts the material, thus preventing unravelling, and automatically gives you a neat wormy-looking taper on each end.

TYING

1. Start thread at eye and wrap to bend. Make sure you go far enough back. If your first effort looks odd, it's probably because you didn't take the thread back far enough at this point.

2. Secure a piece of the chenille with a third of its length hanging off the back of the hook. Use a single turn of thread to do this. More turns may mat down the chenille, which you don't want to do.

3. Pull the forward portion of the chenille out of the way. If you're fishing for metric trout, advance the thread on the hook shank only for a distance of 2 or 3 mm. If you're fishing for American trout, advance the thread about an eighth of an inch. If you're fishing for Bubba trout, advance the thread 'bout this much.

4. Pull the chenille forward again and secure with another single turn of thread.

5. Repeat 3 and 4 till you get to the eye of the hook. Finish with a couple of half hitches (on the shank only). Add a drop of head cement to hold things in place, and you're done.

ALTERNATE FOR SAN JUAN WORM WITH SHOULDERS:

1. Start thread near bend.
2. Tie in a 6-in. piece of the chenille. (Note how much is left when you're done, and use that info to cut a more exact length piece for the next one.)
3. Advance thread to eye.
4. Wrap chenille in tight wraps to eye.
5. Tie down chenille at eye.
6. Half hitch in front of chenille (on hook shank) to secure thread, and cut thread.
7. Trim front and rear overhanging chenille to length.

Hope this helps. Let me know if I can answer any questions.

Steve

[NetBoy]

Another material to use is Vernille. It's a little larger than ultra chenille. I think this is the same material used in the commercial san juans.

Whatever material you use, get PINK.

NetBoy

[Mr T1]

Steve -- Thanks for posting the recipe and instructions. I plan on getting serious about tying next week now that my bride has all her Christmas stuff out of the way. This couldn't be more simple to tie.

Mr. T