Trout's Tail-Race Treats - The most successfull flies for tail-race fly fishermen

Tail-Race Nymphs

Without a doubt, the most productive patterns in tail-race trout streams are Sowbug, Scuds, Crawfish, Worm Scuds, Planarian, San Juan Worms, Oligochaete Worms, and Leeches. Why? Because these bugs never fly away. They remain on the bottom of the stream throughout the entire year. Here, they carry out their life cycle of birth, breeding and death. They are the most stable and plentiful portion of a tail-race trout's diet. In any stream where they are found they occupy 70-95% of a trout's total food intake. To you as an angler this translates into a 70-95% success ratio any day that you fish these patterns. Though the color of the bugs vary from river to river depending upon what they eat (Sowbugs, Scuds, Worm Scuds) or what species they are (Crawfish, Planarian, and Leeches), or the amount of light entering the water (San Juan and Oligochaete Worms), they all are basically very similar. We at Willow Ford are offering what we consider the best selection of size and colors of these patterns to be found anywhere. If your are not sure which of these patterns are the best for your fishing trip in the South, give us a call and let us share our knowledge so you can make a better choice.

Fox's Dead-Drifter Sowbugs $1.50 Each

White River Sowbug (Dark Olive Back)

Hook Size

Cumberland River Sowbug (Medium Olive Back)

Hook Size

Fox's Arkansas Scuds $2.00 Each

Dark Olive Arkansas Scud

Hook Size

Pre-Molt Chocolate Arkansas Scud

Hook Size

Medium Red-Brown Arkansas Scud

Hook Size

Molting Copper Arkansas Scud

Hook Size

Fox's Gimp-Feather Crawfish $1.75 Each

White River Red-Brown Gimp-Feather Crawfish

Hook Size

Eleven Points River Blue (Dark Olive Back) Gimp-Feather Crawfish

Hook Size

Buffalo River Olive Gimp-Feather Crawfish

Hook Size

Spring River Chocolate Gimp-Feather Crawfish

Hook Size

Fox's Worm Scuds $1.00 Each

Golden Brown Worm Scuds

Hook Size

Chocolate Brown Worm Scuds

Hook Size

Earthworm Brown Worm Scuds

Hook Size

Dark Tan Worm Scuds

Hook Size

Sculpin Olive Worm Scuds

Hook Size

Fox's Planarian $1.00 Each

Dark Gray Planarian, #18

Medium Gray Planarian, #18

Leeches $1.00 Each

Dark Brown Olive Leeches, #18

Oligochaete Worms $2.00
Oligochaete Worms come in two sizes. The Low-Water size (small) is tied on a #14 hook, tied with micro ultra chenille, and unweighted. The High-Water size (large) is tied on a #10 hook, tied with medium ultra chenille, and weighted.

Fluorescent Orange Oligochaete Worm

Worm Size

Fluorescent Red Oligochaete Worm

Worm Size

Fluorescent Pink Oligochaete Worm

Worm Size

Fluorescent Cerise Oligochaete Worm

Worm Size

Wine Oligochaete Worm

Worm Size

Earthworm Brown Oligochaete Worm

Worm Size

Tan Oligochaete Worm

Worm Size

Red Oligochaete Worm

Worm Size

San Juan Worms $1.00
San Juan Worms come in two sizes. The Low-Water size (small) is about 1-1/4 inch long tied on a #14 hook and tied with micro ultra chenille, the High-Water size (large) is about 1-3/4 inches long tied on a #10 hook and tied with medium ultra chenille.

Fluorescent Orange San Juan Worm

Worm Size

Fluorescent Red San Juan Worm

Worm Size

Fluorescent Pink San Juan Worm

Worm Size

Fluorescent Cerise San Juan Worm

Worm Size

Wine San Juan Worm

Worm Size

Earthworm Brown San Juan Worm

Worm Size

Tan San Juan Worm

Worm Size

Red San Juan Worm

Worm Size