I want to tie some up but have not had much luck with the San Juan worm nor another brown worm segmented lace body type fly version locally. Is there a version that works better than others for lakes and rivers for trout around here? Here being Grays Harbor.

Also, has anyone ever used them for summer run steelhead?

What technique do you use with them that works for you? Might just be that I am fishing them wrong and the fish don't recognize them as normal prey.

The midge larva commonly called bloodworm is most easily imitated by simply lashing a length of extra-small vernille to a hook, usually a curved scud-style hook, leaving a length projecting at both ends. I usually melt the ends to create a little taper (and fuse the material). Bloodworms occur in a variety of colors ranging from claret and red to tan and cream and don't have a lot of distinguishing features; they are slightly segmented and have an inconspicuous head and legs.

F4A,
In rivers, I've found a small pink SJ worm to work extremely well.

As far as lakes go during springtime, I think the color red is more important then the pattern when fish are keying in on bloodworms. A red chrironomid pupa pattern is hard to beat at this time of the year.
I posted this picture in a previous thread. This might give you a few ideas for bloodworm patterns.
SF

Stonefish, thank you. That gives me a lot of things to focus on. I tied up some Larva Lace gold bead head ones to try.



Looks like I may need to get some silver beads. Don't see any gold on yours. I have a lot of black beads though.

I do know I am gonna have to learn and practice better techniques after reading a lot about fishing for trout with flies. My focus has been on the top 2 feet of the lake. Mainly because I use a casting float and flies a lot to catch a LOT of trout. But that is when circumstances are perfect and a lot of fish are surfacing but are not very good for trying to throw a fly with wind in the face.

F4A,
I use gold beads, just not much when tying red bloodworms or chironomids. I like black, black nickel and white when using red.

You can also vary your sink rate depending on whether you use a bead or not and the type of bead you use.
If you tie your flies blind (no bead), you can get some great takes fishing just below the surface with a floating line. This works extremely well when fish are rising and taking the pupa that are just emerging from their schuck. Having some wind to give you the "chironomid chop" helps as well.
A standard bead will sink well, but stuffed with .010 lead will sink even better. A tungsten bead will sink like a rock. It really depends on how you want and like to fish.

I like your ties. I would suggest a different hook though due to the lack of gap between the hook shank and head. As you can see, I've tied on similar style hooks. The final product looks great but the hooking ability leave something to be desired.

SF

Is the the only curved hook I had so just experimenting. Is a hook I use for bait more than flies, good one for corner of mouth like a circle hook.

Gonna order some fly hooks soon, nymph and others.

Have you ever tied a pin bead fly? I have hematite beads that will never go over a hook but maybe in front of the eye with a pin might work?? Guess I won't know until I try it and post a picture or 2.

Never tied a pin bead fly. More work then required for a trout fly IMHO.
Keep it simple......

Just wanted a way to use the hematite beads. I guess I could put them on with mono-filament. I am gonna order some really small jig hooks for making bead pin jigs/flies. I wish the hematite beads would go over the shank but there is no way even on the thinnest wire for most of them.

Your beads will work with jig hooks.
Best small jig hooks I've found are Mustad 32833BLN. A bit overkill for trout based on the wire size, but it is hard to find 90 degree jig hooks like these that go down to size 10.
They are nice for tying micro leeches to fish vertical under a indicator. You can also add a second eye if you want to fish a drop but not off the hook bend.

Love the 32833, just need to get smaller ones. 2-1/0 a little large for plant trout. May get some EC 630 just because of the cost but they are good stout hooks. Never used small ones though so will have to see.

32833's go to down size 10.
I buy them from Barlow's Tackle in Texas.

Had some fun up in Canadian lakes with these. In the above photo with 4 flies... we had some of those, and also some that had a hackle spiraled down under the floss body, then trimmed the hackle hairs off to about 1/16", so there was a stubble around the fly. That one outfished the "bare" wrap so much we quit using them that trip, and ran out of the hackle ones. We musta matched the hatch somehow, Fish can get picky. I've never had luck with chenille in a lake, only in rivers. I think the big presentation works best in faster running rivers, where the smaller, more delicate flies have worked better for me in the lakes or very slow water.

I've found that sparkle red and pink san juans are adept at producing a steelhead by catch when fishing for whitefish in some local trout waters.

Honest to goodness I was just fishing for whitefish - size 14 hook and everything.