Ray Charles

Materials

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Hook TMC 2457, #14-18
Thread Danville Red 6/0
Head Danville Red 6/0
Body Tan Ostrich Herl
Flashback Pearl Tinsel, Medium
Ribbing Extra Small Silver Wire
Aquatic Sowbug
Aquatic Sowbug

Ray Charles

The “Ray Charles” is an excellent pattern for a sow bug. It originated in Montana as a guide fly in the early 1990’s on the Big Horn River. According to one story, a client asked the guide the origin of the name and the guide replied it was named since “even a blind man can catch fish with this fly”. The pattern quickly became popular on other rivers that have a good sow bug population like the Crooked and Deschutes.

A sow bug is not a scud and this pattern differentiates the two. Tan and Gray are popular colors, particularly in size 16. and should be fished near the stream bottom. After 30 years on the Big Horn, the Ray Charles is still one of the top producing patterns. The wire ribbing was added sometime later in it’s history to protect the Ostrich Herl from unraveling.

Later, with the introduction of the UV resin products, the wire has been replaced with a coating of thick Fly Finish covering the flashback material and the head. This gives a very durable aspect to the pattern. The soft hackle variation has been highly effective in showing the fish something different and will be used as a point fly with a dropper. Grey and Pink are popular soft hackle colorations utilizing a orange “hot colored” bead.

Variations

Ray Charles, Gray
Ray Charles, Gray

Ray Charles, Gray

Hook TMC 2457, #14-18
Thread Veevus 12/0 Hot Orange
Head Danville Red 6/0
Body Gray Ostrich Herl
Flashback Pearl Flashabou
Ribbing Extra Small Silver Wire
Firebead Ray Charles, Soft Hackle, Gray
Firebead Ray Charles, Soft Hackle, Gray

Firebead Ray Charles, Soft Hackle, Gray

Hook TMC 2457, #14-18
Thread Veevus 12/0 Hot Orange
Head Fire Orange Dazzle Bead
Body Gray Ostrich Herl
Flashback Pearl Flashabou
Collar Hen Cape Hackle Light Dun
Ribbing Extra Small Silver Wire
Firebead Ray Charles, Soft Hackle, Pink
Firebead Ray Charles, Soft Hackle, Pink

Firebead Ray Charles, Soft Hackle, Pink

Hook TMC 2457, #14-18
Thread Danville Red 6/0
Head Hot Pink Dazzle Bead
Body Pink Ostrich Herl
Flashback Pearl Flashabou
Collar Hen Cape Hackle Light Dun
Ribbing Extra Small Silver Wire
Ray Charles, Scud Grey Olive
Ray Charles, Scud Grey Olive

Ray Charles, Scud Grey Olive

Hook TMC 2457, #14-18
Thread Danville Red 6/0
Head Danville Red 6/0
Body Scud Grey Olive Ostrich Herl
Flashback Pearl Flashabou
Ribbing Extra Small Silver Wire
Ray Charles, Tan
Ray Charles, Tan

Ray Charles, Tan

Hook TMC 2457, #14-18
Thread Danville Red 6/0
Head Danville Red 6/0
Body Tan Ostrich Herl
Flashback Pearl Flashabou coated with Loon UV Fly Finish Thick