Let's talk about the Medusa worm

[BilletHead]

     Let's go back a few years. Back when the Ned worm was beginning to get really, really popular. I was still doing a bunch of conventional gear fishing on the lakes mostly Stockton. I loved fishing the Ned. Learning much from OAF about fishing them. As I began more and more transitioning to mostly fly rods for just about everything I wondered about a Ned answer. Fast forward to four years ago. I started experimenting with materials again for this fly. I wanted light and floaty tail and stand up like the Ned jig. I couldn't find anything that fit the bill. I even glued a disc of foam sheeting same size as my chenille or mop material. Nothing working right. I finally found some material and bought it for making a hellgrammite imitation for anything that likes such things and everything likes a hellgrammite. A guy was doing this on another fly-fishing site. When I got this material it was very limp and bendy but best of all it was floaty. Then things got more serious. Working first with the bare bones of hook and bead from my Grinch bug. I was finally onto something. Using the same inverting tungsten bead and then picking out a fly jig hook I started tying and sink testing. Oof it was working. Made a few and showed pictures to Ham and Grizwilson. We are talking our cold winter I hope its behind us now. I had not even had it wet but once during a temporary thaw but water being frigid cold no bites. I could hardly wait until things warmed up. One day Pat and I met @Ham over at Bennett. All of us wanted to harass and catch some rock bass in a certain place there. I gave a couple to Ham. He tied one on as Pat and I fished Grinch bugs. Ham began to put on a clinic on how it worked. He was the first to catch on the Medusa worm. I did try and did catch one but Ham had it dialed in. I was tickled pink about this. Finally things stabilized water wise on water temperature. For those of you who seen our last pond outing the proof is there.  This is the result of what I came up with.  

   

   The Hook and bead I'm using 

  I put some thread under the bead and super glue on the thread to keep the bead tight and close to the hook eye. Remember we want this to stand up straight. With the material being kinda floaty and trapping some air in it. Working perfectly with this combination. 

    I know you all are wanting to know this material. Most of you can get this figured out by looking at it but I would like you all to put your thinking Cap on and find something else that can and will work. 

  For the amount of fish I clicked the official pond trial I used only two worms. One finally got shredded. The other one is still perfect.

I finally found time to get a big selection made up because Im going to ride this wave as long as they like it. I want to hit the big pressured lakes and give it a try. Would also like to try it in some clear water streams that have smallmouth and in numbers worth trying. I don't have any really close. 

 

[Ham]

So far, I think I like Black/Chart and Black/Black the best, but still willing to let the dis change my mind. 
I think carp will get all stupid over the smaller ones. I hope so anyway. 
Thanks for the samples Marty!

 

[tjm]

Reminds me of the air injected night crawlers of the 1970s. I bet it will catch fish anywhere that fish eat of the bottom. 

Did you try your erection system of jig hook and inverting bead with standard mop material? I've not used mops other than those found in the park, but they seem to float. 

[fishinwrench]

I took a couple of 3 1/2" versions down to the Spring branch yesterday evening, and had 3 little Kentucky's gobble it right up.   2 of the 3 were gut-hooked and committed suicide.  They truly wanted to eat it.   

[snagged in outlet 3]

15 hours ago, BilletHead said:

Would also like to try it in some clear water streams that have smallmouth and in numbers worth trying. I don't have any really close. 

I think pink and purple would be deadly on smallies.  

[BilletHead]

3 hours ago, snagged in outlet 3 said:

I think pink and purple would be deadly on smallies.  

Thanks those are two colors not available in this stuff but if I can devise my own compound dubbing brush with floaty material I will try it.