Tailwater Sowbug – sensible with simple versatility

Tailwater Sowbug, Rainbow

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Tying Instructions

1. I am using a TMC 3769 , size 14 hook. Mash down the barb with the vise and attach the hook. Wrap about 6-7 times with 0.015″ leadfree wire near the center of the hook shank.

2. Attach the thread to the hook shank and secure the leadfree wire wraps with thread wraps, then wrap the thread to the bend of the hook for the tail tie-in.

3. Tailing is optional on this pattern. However, Lance Egan prefers to use a small stubby tail on this patter with Coq de Leon Tailing fibers. I am using the Dark Pardo.

4. Clip off 7-8 tailing fibers and tie in the tips at the bend of the hook to the top of the shank. The length of the tails should be no more than half the hook shank length. Trim off the tag end of the tailing fibers.

5. Secure a small Silver wire to the bottom of the hook shank behind the wire wraps. Secure to the bend of the hook.

6. Hareline makes both a Dark Shade and Light Shade of Rainbow Scud Dubbing. I am using the Light Shade. The material has long fibers so you may want to cut the material into smaller lengths prior to dubbing the thread.

7. Wrap the dubbing around the thread. The fibers will interlock with a twist of your index finger and thumb. Some will use a dubbing loop but I find that the red thread shows too much using this technique.

8. Lock in the dubbing fibers with the first two wraps, then twist the dubbing material around the thread creating a dubbing rope. This will really help hide the thread coloration.

9. Build up a thick heavy body that is tapered.

10. Wrap the silver wire 4-5 times with spirol wraps to the eye of the hook.

11. Build a small head with the red thread and whip finish. Trim off the thread.

12. Take a dubbing brush or velcro strip and groom the fibers out in a plane perpendicular to the hook shank. Work both the top and bottom of the sowbug dubbing to tease out the fibers.

13. Mark the top spline of the pattern with a Sepia colored marker.

14. The marker will give the appearance of a shellback. Trim the dubbing fibers in an semi-oval around the length of the shank. If you have any errant fibers on the top or bottom, trim these away. The a pattern should be somewhat disc shaped.

15. The finished Tailwater Sowbug.

 

 

Materials to Order Material, click the link
Hook	TMC 3769 #14-18
Thread	Veevus Red 10/0
Weight	0.015 Leadfree wire
Body	Rainbow Scud Dub, Light Shade
Shellback	Sepia Copic Marker
Ribbing	Extra Small Silver Wire

Lance Egan

Tailwater Sowbug

The Tailwater Sowbug is a pattern designed by Lance Egan of Lehi, Utah. He was a member of Team USA in 13 World Championships and was a 3-time National Fly Fishing Champion, including a 3-time World medalist in Team Silver, Team Bronze, and Individual Bronze.

Aquatic Sowbugs

The Tailwater Sowbug was designed for fishing both large tailwater rivers and smaller creeks. You can utilize a Tungsten bead to get the pattern deep into the pools or without a bead for the skinnier waters. Sowbugs are an important food source for trout and they live within vegetation-rich waters. Lance will often fish this pattern as a dropper below an indicator dry fly or as a dropper on a Euro rig.

Simple Pattern

The pattern is quite simple with a picked-out dubbed body, some wire ribbing to enhance segmentation and durability and a color-marked back to represent a shellback. A red thread collar is often used for a trigger aspect. He prefers to add a small tuft of tailing fibers which is often absent from the commercially tied flies. The CDC is a recent variation that Lance has added. He wanted a soft hackle and tried Hen Saddle, Partridge, and Grouse but the CDC had the best results and that is what he recommends.

The pattern is tied in sizes 14-18 and can be tied in a number of colors, although the Rainbow Scud Light Shade is the dominant coloration.

Tailwater Sowbug CDC

Hook	TMC 3769 #14-18
Thread	Danville Light Cahill 6/0
Weight	0.015 Leadfree wire
Antennae	Coq de Leon Medium Pardo
Body	Rainbow Scud Dub, Light Shade
Collar	CDC, Light Gray Dun
Ribbing	Extra Small Silver Wire

Tailwater Sowbug, Jig Style

Hook	Hanak 400 BL #14-18
Thread	Danville Red 6/0
Bead	Slotted Tungsten Bead, Silver
Weight	0.015 Leadfree wire
Antennae	Coq de Leon Medium Pardo
Body	Rainbow Scud Dub, Light Shade
Shellback	Sepia Copic Marker
Ribbing	Extra Small Silver Wire

Tailwater Sowbug CDC Jig

Hook	Hanak 400 BL #14-18
Thread	Danville Light Cahill 6/0
Weight	0.015 Leadfree wire
Antennae	Coq de Leon Medium Pardo
Body	Rainbow Scud Dub, Light Shade
Collar Hackle	CDC Light Dun
Ribbing	Extra Small Silver Wire

Tailwater Sowbug Orange

Hook	TMC 3769 #14-18
Thread	Danville Light Cahill 6/0
Weight	0.015 Leadfree wire
Body	Golden Yellow Laser Hair and Orange Ice Dubbing
Shellback	Medium Pearlescent Tinsel
Ribbing	Extra Small Silver Wire

Tailwater Sowbug Pink

Hook	TMC 3769 #14-18
Thread	Veevus Pink 6/0
Weight	0.015 Leadfree wire
Body	Shrimp Pink Scud Duband Pink Ice Dubbing
Shellback	Medium Pearlescent Tinsel
Ribbing	Extra Small Silver Wire