How I Tie a San Juan Worm with a bead in the center

[Steve Totten]

Start with a size 10 Dai Riki 135 scud hook with an appropriate size bead.  Attach your thread near the center of the hook and wrap back to the top of the bend.  Attach the micro chenille in your choice of color.Wrap the thread under the chenille back up to where it attached.  Hold the chenille on top of the hook and wrap the thread over the  chenille locking it into position, trim the chenille and whip finish.

Now slide the bead up against the whip finish you just made and re-attach the thread behind the hook eye and wrap to the bead and back to the hook eye.  Using another piece of chenille attach just behind the hook eye.

I attach the chenille, wrap over the yarn to the bead and back to the hook eye, whip finish and trim the chenille.This is my big secret for the San Juan worms, use a match or lighter to carefully burn the ends of the chenille, this seals the center thread together and slightly tapers the ends of the yarn making it look more realistic, also will make the ends a little stiff.

There it is, really easy to do.  I make these in size 14 up to about a size 8, in various color patterns.  One of my favorites is this shade of brown and a red or yellow, either one works

[Leo Nguyen]

Very nice instruction Steve. What's the sink rate on this thing?

[Steve Totten]

Sink rate will vary with the size of the bead you use, the length of the chenille, the size of your tippet, the weight of the hook, lots of variables.  This one that I tied for the photos will sink like a rock!

[Leo Nguyen]

LOL That kind of sink rate will scare the fishes around here silly. I'll definitely use hollow glass beads and hydrophobic chenille to slow it down. Can't seem to find the match color scheme like yours with the hydrophobic materials. Maybe catawba worm scheme maybe?

[Steve Totten]

I normally use a much smaller bead Leo, just for the reason you mentioned.  The chenille I prefer is the micro chenille and much finer wire hooks and I haven't found a color combination that doesn't get bit.  Red ears seem to like them on the bottom, BG on the fall, just keep your line tight and watch for unusual movements.

[dick tabbert]

Thanks Steve I'm going to try a couple. Any color work better for you that others.

[Steve Totten]

Most any color combo will catch fish Dick.  My favorite is Brown tail red head with a black bead.

[DAVID L EITUTIS]

Thanks Steve very straight forward tie and will have to give em a shot again. Tied em years ago for trout and never thought to try em for panfish, THANKS...........

[Alexander Gordh]

That seems like a good fly, I'll have to try it on the lake with dad today.