Sow Bug Fly Pattern
Posted By Kent Klewein on December 10, 2009
Monday brought us 35mph winds, Tuesday brought us more wind and two inches of rain, and Wednesday brought us blown out streams. The weather lately has been tough for fishing for sure, but when I get dealt this hand I hit the tying bench to restock my fly boxes.
Generation on the Toccoa River has been brutal and its been very hard for me to get guide trips on the river, but when I actually have, its been great fishing. Small flies have been the key when the trout aren’t aggressive and this fly pattern below is one you should have stocked in your fly box if you plan on hitting a tailwater.
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Sow Bug Fly Pattern
Hook: 16-20 Standard Nymph
Thread: 8/0 Gray
Body: Gray Ostrich Herl
Shell: Mirage Tinsel Pearl – Medium
Ribbing: X-Small Gold Wire
Sow bugs (Isopoda) are similar to scuds but tend to float along with their legs spread out to the sides, not tucked in and under like scuds. Sow bugs are available twelve months a year to trout and can reproduce every two months if the habitat and food can support it. They feed on decaying matter and generally like to live just below the substrate or among rocks in the river. During high water or on highly waded water the sow bugs can become dislodged and highly available to trout. This is when I really like to fish this pattern. Plus its a pattern very few anglers seem to fish. Many days have produced high numbers of trout, fishing this pattern. Dead drifting this pattern is the way to go. Feel free to add weight to the pattern as well. I like to place it below a heavier nymph so the fly has a more natural drift. If I’m fishing trout water that is slow, shallow, and has a gravel bottom, I’ll drop it off the back of a dry fly. Although the sow bug has been mostly imitated on tailwaters it can be found on many spring creeks as well.
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