Bodkin / Patterns

CDC Soft Hackle Tailwater Sowbug

Nymph · Wet Fly · Trout · Intermediate · 1 version

Classic Recipe

  • Hook curved scud/nymph hook (e.g. TMC 2457 or 3769), jig-hook variant common, 14-18
  • Thread Watery olive or fluorescent orange 8/0 (70 denier)

Materials

  • Bead (jig version) Slotted tungsten, silver/copper (1)
  • Body Rainbow sow-scud / sowbug dubbing (1 pinch)
  • Rib Fine silver wire (1 strand)
  • Soft hackle CDC feather, natural dun (1)
  • Hot spot (optional) Fluorescent orange thread collar (trace)

How to tie it

  1. Start the thread (slide on a tungsten bead first for the jig version) and tie in the silver rib at the bend.
  2. Dub a fat, buggy rainbow sow-scud body forward, leaving room at the front.
  3. Counter-wrap the wire rib forward for segmentation and durability, and pick out the dubbing to suggest legs and a fuzzy sowbug outline.
  4. Tie in a CDC feather by the tip and take one or two turns as a soft-hackle collar, then sweep the fibers back. Why: CDC out-fishes partridge or hen here because the finer fibers pulse with even the slightest current.
  5. Build a small (optionally hot-orange) thread collar and whip finish.

Tying videos

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