I learned a little dilly that may help someone out. Sorry about the slightly fuzzy photos but you well get the jest.



First of all I didn’t like octopus hooks they let the worm slide down and cover the hook, so I use a long shanked hook used to tie nymphs. You can pick them up at any fly shop. I like the down turned eye because after you tie a Snell knot it does not tear up the inside of the worm. Leave a short piece of line behind the Snell it well turn backwards inside the worm and well help keep the worm from sliding on the hook.



I use the worm threader with the hollow center that you thread the worm on. Place the hook in the hole and back the worm off. Notice the worm after slid onto the hook/line well be backwards. Steelhead almost always bite the fat end of the worm and the weigh of the hook well make the worm flat vertical when fished under a float. Also I only go ¾ up the worm so the tail well dance when the float hits turbulence or I mend my line on the drift.




This is what it looks like after threaded. Next well be the deal sealer.



Each river I fish has a color that seems to work better the others, when you figure it out add a little crown of marabou feathers in that color on the tip of the hook. The river I fish red seems to key the bite reflex. I don’t always use one with the crown but sometimes it helps. It does get gunked up after getting soaked in oil but if the worm is not riped apart by bites from fish at the end of the day your not doing it right. Plus they are pretty cheap.




Next I cut some foam in 5 X 4 squares and put slits top and bottom. I wrap the line around the slits place the foam in a Ziploc bag, squirt in your favorite scent
And place in your vest. Next time the fish wont bite give the pink worm a try. I fish it under a float I like the vertical worm hanging about a foot off the bottom. I have a weight and a swivel about 18 to 24 inches above the worm but below the float. I use 20 pound power pro line because it floats and is easy to mend. Also if you throw it into a small eddy and you lift the rod high the line is light enough to let the float just ride in the eddy (no line in the water to drag the float down stream). It also can be drift fished below a slinky weight….

Nice Post DJ, thanks-

Nice photo presentation.Good luck,
STRIKE ZONE

Thanks for sharing with your fellow wormers. I'll rig one like that and give it a shot this weekend.

I also agree, great post and tip, I'll give it a try. I love fishing anything with Marabou, even straight marabou on a hook. This little creation of yours resembles a tube worm off of a dock, which makes a lot of sense because I have witnessed steelhead during the winter come right up to the edmonds ferry dock and pier and nibble on something off the dock. Come to think of it, it was probably a tube worm. The couple fish I seen were not very skiddidh or spooky at all they just swam along right under the surface real lazy like. Oh, and these fish weren't piling perch or big SRC's, they were definately a salmon or a steelie. I've also seen silvers caught on tube worm off the kingston pier last summer. Strange huh? Maybe this technique of yours will work on fall silvers too.

Up here where this pink worm deal all started ,people such as myself have been using and experimenting with variations of rigging them till no end.My personal favorite method is to use a berkley power worm 6 inch or 4 inch depending on water clarity and using a large needle pull the line thru inside of worm till theres a third of the worm dangling below the hook,never mind the upside down buisness as right side up is more productive.Between the hook and the worm add a small bead ,i prefer pearl colored beads that i pick up from the craft store,these keep the worm from ripping or sliding onto the hook.
Last but most important fish with a float,and always remember to short float,which means to present your offering a foot up from bottom so fish can see and grab your worm easier .Short floating could be the most important thing youve ever added to your steelheading arsenal.
BENT RODS and strait backs

This is the first year that I've seriously slung the worm. so I'm definately not an expert by any means. What I find is that it attracts the bigger more agressive fish from a reasonably long distance. Similar to throwing large spoons or spinners. I've learned to cover the water quickly and either move on or switch to bait and rework the water. What I really like is the no nonsense strikes that worms produce. I guess that the big strike response could be due to the large size of the work. No little nip at a brightly colored little object , just a kill it quick response.