Bodkin / Patterns

Hot Head SF Sow Bug

Nymph · Egg · Trout · Intermediate · 1 version

Classic Recipe

  • Hook Curved scud/grub hook, barbless (Fulling Mill 5027 or TMC 2457), #14-18
  • Thread Tan (or fluorescent orange) 8/0-18/0

Materials

  • Bead (hot head) Fluorescent hot-pink or salmon slotted tungsten bead, 2.0-2.8mm (1)
  • Shellback Pearl Mylar / Flashabou (the SF sparkle-flash back) (1 strip)
  • Body Tan sowbug/hare's-ear dubbing (pinch)
  • Rib Fine gold wire or 4X mono (1 strand)
  • Finish UV-cure resin over the shellback (optional) (as needed)

How to tie it

  1. Slide the fluorescent hot-pink tungsten bead onto the curved scud hook and seat it at the eye. The bright head is the winter trigger; start the thread behind it.
  2. At the bend, tie in the pearl flash shellback strip and the wire rib, leaving both hanging to the rear.
  3. Dub a fat, slightly tapered tan body forward to just behind the bead. Sow bugs are wider than they are deep, so keep it flat and chunky.
  4. Pull the pearl flash strip forward over the back and bind it behind the bead so it flashes down the top of the fly.
  5. Rib the wire forward in 4-5 evenly spaced turns to segment the back and lock the flash, then tie off and helicopter to break.
  6. Whip finish behind the bead; pick out the belly dubbing for legs and, if desired, coat the flash back with a thin layer of UV resin for durability.

Tying videos

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