Fall Webworm Moth — White Spruce Moth

By Me, submitted by Steve Vaughn.

Description

Fishing St. Joe River in Idaho in September I witnessed the trout taking what I originally called a Spruce Moth (actually the Fall Webworm Moth, essentially a white Spruce Moth), I have been playing with imitations for them. Mainly trying to capture the broad wings which would lay flat on the water. Never saw one hit the water travel more than a dozen feet before being taken by a trout.

Tying Process

1. Cut strips of white 2mm foam in about a 2mm width for the body. 2. Lay a thread base on the hook and tie in the foam strip at the back. 3. Advance thread to 3-4 eye lengths from the eye of the hook and wrap foam in touching wraps to that point and tie off. 4. Tie in two white hen hackle tips for wings that lay horizontally and extend 1/3 to 1/2 the shank length beyond the body. 5. Tie in white or cream dry fly hackle and add 4-5 wraps and tie off. 6. Make a small thread head, whip finish, and clip the hackle below the shank (should lie flat on the water). Note: Haven't tried this fly yet, but I doubt those wings will stand up to more than one or two fish. Tie up a bunch or substitute shaped poly wings or something more durable.

Materials

• Body: 2mm Foam

Hooks

• Umpqua U202

Target species: Westslope Cutthroat

Fly types: Dry Fly, Terrestrial