Killer Fly Pattern for BC Lakes

Take heart my friends. Sometimes one just happens upon a solution that can make a bit of difference. A number of years ago I was fishing Corbett Lake, south of Merritt, BC (before it became a private fishery) and was having a heck of a time getting into any fish at all. It was mid-fall and the aerator had just been turned on to oxygenate the water for winter.

There were a number of fish moving around the aerator but I and everyone else were not having much luck at all. On the second day that I fished the lake (I was working in the area so I had a few hours every day to fish) I managed to hook a nice 2 pound rainbow on red spratley. Not wanting to wait another 2 days for a fish, I gently pumped it's stomach and found that it was full of glassworms... hundreds of them. I had nothing in my box that could match the hatch but I thought about it as I drove home and decided to tie my own pattern.

As luck would have it, the results were simply spectacular.

Upon returning to Corbett Lake I rowed out toward the aerator and anchored about 50 feet out from the aerator. The water was churning and the freshwater invertebrates (shrimp,chironomids and glassworms) were rolling around in the artificial current. I began using a sink tip line with my new pattern and casted across the churning water. Bang! It didn't take long. The fish were on to my new fly in a hurry and continued for the rest of the afternoon. I didn't make an exact count but I'm sure 20+ fish made it to my boat including a few 3+ pound rainbows. It was an exciting afternoon. Although I can't say that I have had the same extreme success since that time, I have had moderate success at Jacko Lake with the same pattern (without the aerator).

Below is a description of 2 glassworm patterns for fishing that I have had reasonable results when all else is failing. Carry a few with you because you never know when you might need them.

1) The Tinsel Glass Worm

Hook: Mustad 9271 or 9272 - size 12 to 18

Body Material: silver tinsel

Thread: Black - 3/0

Tie the tinsel near the head and wrap to the bend in the hook and back up to the eye. Tie off at the head. That's it. Depending on the depth of the water, the pattern is best fished with a sinking, sink tip or intermediate line with flourocarbon leader material. (this pattern can also be tied with silver wire with just one set of wraps moving forward from the bend to the eye - make sure to make it a tight wrap with no gaps)

2) The Larvae Lace Glassworm

Hook: Mustad 9271 or 9272 - size 12 to 18

Body Material: Clear fine larvae lace or other fine tubing Silver wire (copper or red wire makes an interesting variation)

Thread: Gray, black or clear 3/0

Dress the hook along the shaft with one layer of thread. Cut a piece of clear larvae lace or tubing about 3x the length of the hook. Insert a length of wire into the tubing and trim at both ends.

I tie this 2 ways, with or without ribbing.

First - with ribbing -

- when dressing the hook, leave the thread/bobbin attached at the base of the hook near the curve - lay the tubing with the wire core across the top of the hook leaving some overhang at both ends - carefully and as firm as you can, wind the thread to the eye creating 6-7 segments with the thread but at the same time securing the tubing to the hook - Tie off behind the eye and trim both ends. I usually trim the head end short and leave a little more overhang at the tail end - apply head cement

Second - without ribbing

- dress the hook as above with black or gray thread - attach the tubing c/w wire at the head - apply head cement

The wire in the tubing has 3 functions. First, it gives the tubing an attracting sparkle and second, it allows you to shape the glassworm on the overhangs. I tie many of my bloodworm patterns like this too by just changing the colour of the tubing. Last but not least, the wire reduces air in the tubing through displacement and adds weight to the fly, both allowing the fly to sink at a moderate rate.

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