Carp Fly - McCage's Trouser Worm

[tctrout]

For the carp fly fishermen out there...enjoy the McTage's Trouser Worm! Seriously, how can you go wrong with a name like that one???

TC

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DoAPyVyRhM[/youtube]

 

[govtmule]

Looks sweet...I flip the rabbit strip the other the way....just preference

 

[tctrout]

govtmule wrote:
Looks sweet...I flip the rabbit strip the other the way....just preference

Thanks for the comment, and definitely a great pattern for carp. I don't know if flipping the strip has that great of an impact, but I will try it and see if there is a difference.

TC

 

[Cold]

I started making them leeches as opposed to worms: flip the strip, then make the body a shaggy dubbing loop...also upped the weight, going to a black cone head and lead eyes.

 

[dc410]

tc,

Thanks for sharing this carp pattern. I never really fished any worm patterns for carp yet. I like the look and the action of this fly. I tied a few up tonight and will definitely give them a try on my next carp outing. I didn't have any black tungsten beads that size so I used a copper one with black bead chain eyes. I used black/pearl Krystal flash for the body. Thanks again for the new addition to the carp box.

 

[dc410]

I gave this pattern a try out the other morning. On a few sample casts it was definitely much heavier than any other fly I ever used for carp. The water was very off color from the almost 2 inches of rain we got a couple of days before. Many carp were actively feeding according to the mud clouds and bubbles. My first cast landed about 18" in front of the bubbles and the water literally exploded with mud clouds and wakes heading to all points of the compass. This fly was way to heavy for the fish I target, this was not there first rodeo. With the reaction I got I may have actually bounced it right on top of another carp that I didn't know was there. I played around with the pattern and really like the action of it. I am going to tie some up with just the medium bead chain eyes and forego the tungsten and try them tomorrow morning on some different fish. I may have to wait until next season to target these same fish with the trouser worm to avoid them having flashbacks of July 17. I think it is a great pattern just way to heavy for me under the conditions that I normally fish for carp. Back to the vise!

 

[barrybarry]

I always learn something from your videos. Thanks.

When tying the Dumbbell eyes I like to helicopter them. That really tightens up the wrap. Wrap from the underside of one eye to the underside of the other eye without going under the hook. It pulls all the x-wraps tight.

I think most people tie them that way.

 

[barrybarry]

Sorry.

Watched it again and realized you were tying bead chain eyes. Never used them but I would imagine they lock down just fine.

 

[codym21]

I too have tried this pattern and found that it was too heavy as DC was saying. I have been wanting to try the foam tail verison has anyone tried this ?

 

[dc410]

codym21 wrote:
I have been wanting to try the foam tail verison has anyone tried this ?

I saw the foam tail version but haven't tried them yet. I was on the stream at 6 AM this morning to try my bead chain eye only version of the trouser worm. The carp were ultra spooky this morning. I was sneaking along through a meadow of shoulder high grass and blowing carp out 10 yards ahead of me. I couldn't buy a hit on the worm pattern. These carp really took me to school this morning. The lighter version fished real well as far as presentation but the fish were just - tough! I did manage to hook and land a fiesty 20 incher just before leaving on one of my "go to" patterns to avoid being skunked. I have not given up on the trouser worm pattern. I just think I need some clearer water conditions where I can truly sight fish for them with this pattern.

 

[tctrout]

Great comments on this, and with all things fly fishing, there's a "right place, right time" for the Trouser Worm. I believe that it's a fly to fish when you can begin targeting carp, with the expectation that the cast has to be in front of the school.

McTage mentioned that he (like DC) will skip the tungsten bead altogether and fish the pattern with a light bead-chain only. I know that he also fishes it more in slow-moving rivers, so those are factors to consider. The foam version may prove more effective in ponds/lakes, with more weight useful in moving water.

The other area to keep in mind is the color. The original is red, and black is one that I recommend in off-color situations (sounded perfect for your situation, DC...I wondered if you hit one or the fish just simply were that aware).

***Barry, using a helicopter method is absolutely useful on larger dumbbell eyes. You're right that with bead-chain, there really is no need because they are secured with a heavy thread over thin wire.

TC

 

[MD_Gene]

Here's an article from my favorite magazine "American Angler". They have interesting articles in every issue. I recommend it.