Sandworms galore!
 

Was out on the reef today. Just messing around. There were sandworms literally swimming past my legs! I grabbed a dozen of them but after realizing I didn't have any hooks, I let them go. But they were all over the place. I'm betting there were some bass on the otherside of the drop off waiting for some of those critters to fall off the edge.

Anyone see any sandworm flies ever?

Confucious say "SANDWORM FLIES when on the end of sandeel rake" !!!!!! YUCK! I dont care if they are gods gift to stripers......they are the most disgusting things.....Sorry I am a little bit wound (again) tonight.....

Yeah they are pretty nasty. If you hate how they are now, leave them in the car on an august afternoon :)

While I'm responding, I might as well place my idea for a sandworm fly. I've been thinking about this all night. Perhaps one of the more skilled fly tyers wants to try this out.

I'm not too sure how well this fly will work. It's just another product of my imagination so bear with me here.

Put your hook in the vice. I would say a 1-2/0 would be good. Long shank preferably. Maybe even a keel-fly hook.

Since this is going to be fished near the bottom, I would put the hook so the point is facing up so you don't get snagged. It could be put face down since this would probably be fished over sand. Personal preference.

1. The first step, put a single bead a little ways back from the eye of the hook. Maybe 1/4 of a way back.

2. Take some red bucktail. Starting from the back put bunches on the sides of the hook and go all the way up to the eye.

3. Take silicon with a dentist's pick and lightly run the pick through the ends of the red bucktail so they come out ward a little bit. These are your "legs" You just want put a very tiny bit in. Just so a few pieces of bucktail clump together but it's still flexible.

4. After that silicon dries, flip the fly upside down. Put a long strip of white saltwater bucktail on the bottom. Tie a bunch near the bend, then tie some up near the eye. I noticed a lot of the sandworm's bottom parts were white, why not mimic it?

5. Flip the fly back over so it's in the fishing position. On the top of sandworms, I've noticed the actual bodies have different colors. Some are greenish, while others are blueish purple. Start right behind that bead. I would mix some purple or blue with olive. not too much or the worm will look too fat. Then tie that right behind that bead you put on earlier.

6. Now take a thicker hunk of the purple/olive mix and tie that right in front of the bead.

7. Take that bunch of hair you just tied and push it down against the hook. Silicon that down. Make sure it's tight. Now that is dry. Well now you have all that hair pushed up agains the bead right? Silicon that back over the bead. Let that dry and your fly is complete.

This is obviously going to be used with a sinking line. Or some sort of intermediate. My theory is, that little lip you create in front of the lure will keep it down to the bottom and maybe even give the tail end a little wiggle to it. The bead will also provide a little more weight.

Now if no one has created a fly like this before, I will name it. Now all I need is a name.... hmmm.... How about, "SquirmWorm" unless that name is already taken. I've only seen a quite a few flys but none of them have imitated sandworms. Sorta feel like an important part of the Striper's diet has been neglected. Especially when other baits are absent.

I'm off to work on ideas for a clam fly ;)