The Infamous Pink Worm Pattern & Tying Instructions
Fly Tying Recipe:
The Infamous Pink Worm
Show / Hide The Infamous Pink Worm Transcript Video Transcript:
The Infamous Pink Worm was created by Fred Bridge of York, Pennsylvania. Scoff if you like, but you can’t argue with this fly’s ability to catch fish. My version of the Infamous Pink Worm is very similar to Fred’s with just a couple of minor tweaks. The original calls for egg yarn to be dubbed in an elongated football shape around the shank. I prefer to use Antron dubbing instead, and form a more spherical egg shape and then add a blood dot. The original recipe calls for a dry fly hook but here I’m going to use a Dai-Riki #125 size 14 emerger hook.
For thread, I’ve chosen UTC 70 Denier in fluorescent shell pink as it closely matches the color of the worm material. Start your thread about 1/3 of the way down the hook shank and take wraps rearward before snipping or breaking off the tag. Continue taking wraps to above the barb and then end with your thread right in front of the hook point.
Standard sized Ultra chenille in fluorescent pink is used for the worm part of the fly. Snip a card-width segment free. Using this length ensures consistency between flies and really helps to maximize the material. If the segment has a slightly folded over end, just snip it off. With a lighter, carefully melt and taper both ends of the chenille.
Fold the chenille over so one end is about 1/4 inch shy of the other. Reorient your fingers to locate the fold and then place it on top of the hook shank at the tie-in point. Take nice firm thread wraps to bind the fold to the top of the hook. Once tied in, both ends of the chenille should be pointed rearward.
I find Antron dubbing, here fluorescent orange, much easier to dub than egg yarn and I also like the way it shimmers. Dub a 3-4 inch long noodle on your tying thread. It helps if you can make the noodle thicker in the middle and gently tapered at both ends. Start taking wraps with the dubbing noodle to build up a roughly spherical shape. Try to leave about an eye-length space open behind the eye.
Fold the longer of the two chenille legs forward, over top of the dubbing ball and secure it to the shank behind the eye with 3 wraps, one on top of the other, follow this with 3 or 4 wraps just around the shank. While pulling the chenille back, do a 4 or 5 turn whip finish right behind the hook eye and then snip or cut your tying thread free. Although not essential, I do like to add a permanent marker blood dot to the side of the egg to spice things up a bit.
An egg and a worm in one fly, what’s not to like? Adding a drop of head cement to the underside of the thread wraps ensures the fly will stand up to abuse.
Tying the fly in the manner suggested gives the illusion of a single strand of chenille fastened in back and in front of the egg. Folding the chenille helps to get the majority of the egg’s sphere on top of the hook shank so it doesn’t block the hook gap quite so much.
Once you get going, the Infamous Pink Worm is a remarkably quick tie. Your bamboo rod, silk line, dry fly buddies will absolutely be clambering for them, guaranteed.
For thread, I’ve chosen UTC 70 Denier in fluorescent shell pink as it closely matches the color of the worm material. Start your thread about 1/3 of the way down the hook shank and take wraps rearward before snipping or breaking off the tag. Continue taking wraps to above the barb and then end with your thread right in front of the hook point.
Standard sized Ultra chenille in fluorescent pink is used for the worm part of the fly. Snip a card-width segment free. Using this length ensures consistency between flies and really helps to maximize the material. If the segment has a slightly folded over end, just snip it off. With a lighter, carefully melt and taper both ends of the chenille.
Fold the chenille over so one end is about 1/4 inch shy of the other. Reorient your fingers to locate the fold and then place it on top of the hook shank at the tie-in point. Take nice firm thread wraps to bind the fold to the top of the hook. Once tied in, both ends of the chenille should be pointed rearward.
I find Antron dubbing, here fluorescent orange, much easier to dub than egg yarn and I also like the way it shimmers. Dub a 3-4 inch long noodle on your tying thread. It helps if you can make the noodle thicker in the middle and gently tapered at both ends. Start taking wraps with the dubbing noodle to build up a roughly spherical shape. Try to leave about an eye-length space open behind the eye.
Fold the longer of the two chenille legs forward, over top of the dubbing ball and secure it to the shank behind the eye with 3 wraps, one on top of the other, follow this with 3 or 4 wraps just around the shank. While pulling the chenille back, do a 4 or 5 turn whip finish right behind the hook eye and then snip or cut your tying thread free. Although not essential, I do like to add a permanent marker blood dot to the side of the egg to spice things up a bit.
An egg and a worm in one fly, what’s not to like? Adding a drop of head cement to the underside of the thread wraps ensures the fly will stand up to abuse.
Tying the fly in the manner suggested gives the illusion of a single strand of chenille fastened in back and in front of the egg. Folding the chenille helps to get the majority of the egg’s sphere on top of the hook shank so it doesn’t block the hook gap quite so much.
Once you get going, the Infamous Pink Worm is a remarkably quick tie. Your bamboo rod, silk line, dry fly buddies will absolutely be clambering for them, guaranteed.
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