Fly of the Month Bob Ireton brings together his experience in fly fishing, aquatic entomology, and knowledge of fly tying techniques and materials, to design and tie durable and effective flies.

   Volume 6,  Issue 3                                                       March  2005

AQUATIC SOWBUG
Fly, Text, and Photography by Bob Ireton

Crustaceans are one of the three major groups of trout food. The other two are aquatic insects, and fish. A high quality stream or lake will usually have good numbers of crustaceans. The most recognizable is the crayfish, but the scud and sowbug are a close second. Crustaceans are highly nutritious, and the great flavor and orange red color of wild trout is largely due to these crustaceans.

Aquatic sowbugs, sometimes known as cressbugs or pillbugs, closely resemble the terrestrial variety that I am sure we all have seen. They have a flattened body with seven pairs of legs that extend at right angles from their sides. They also have a pair of long antennae, and two short, flaplike tails. They measure 5 to 20 mm when mature. Although sowbugs are found in slow water, they are easier to imitate in flowing waters, where they get disconnected from the bottom, and drift along.

MATERIALS

Hook – TMC 2457, Daiichi 1150, or Dai-Riki 135.
Size – 10-16.
Base Thread – Gray Uni 3/0.
Weight - .025 Lead wire.
Working Thread – Gray Uni 6/0.
Tails – Gray biots, approx. 4mm long.
Back – Gray latex body material, trim to with of body, approx. 4mm.
Rib – 5X tippet material.
Body – Sowbug gray SLF dubbing.
Antennae –Canada Goose primary feather fibers, approx. 12 mm long.

TYING STEPS -  click on pictures for larger view

1 – As always, place the hook properly in the vice. Pinch down barb, if desired. This can be done now, or before it is placed in the vice. For this fly, I am using a size 10, TMC 2457. Attach the 3/0 thread behind the hook eye, and lay on a good base, stopping at a place on the hook shank that is even with the hook eye. Wind the lead wire on the mid half of the hook shank. I like to keep my lead wire on a bobbin made for that purpose. Not only is it easier, but also saves on wasted lead wire. Leave the weight hanging at this point.
2 – Continuing with the lead wire, make a horizontal loop around the lead, and cut off the working lead wire. We are going to make a flattened body, which is difficult to do on a fly. This step, and the next, will make a somewhat flattened body that if not excessively thick.
3 – Now cover the lead with the 3/0 thread, building a thread ramp on each end of the lead. When this is completed, tie a half hitch, and a whip finish, then remove the 3/0 thread. Using a flat, smooth jawed pliers, carefully flatten the thread covered lead, forming the body. The thread helps to keep the lead wire in shape. Coat the body with Dave’s flexament, which will lock everything in place, and leave a nice base for the rest of the fly.
4 – Attach the 6/0 working thread, and tie in the biots for the tail. Tie a half hitch
5 – Tie in the tippet material for the rib. Tie a half hitch. Trim the latex material to the width of the body, and tie in. Tie another half hitch.
6 – Form a dubbing loop, add the dubbing, and twist the loop to form a dubbing rope. Bring the working thread forward, and tie a half hitch behind the hook eye.
7 – Snip off a couple of fibers from the Canada Goose primary feather. They just happen to match the color of the dubbing. Tie one in on each side of the hook, behind the hook eye. Snip off the excess fibers, and tie a half hitch.
8 – Palmer the dubbing rope forward to form the body. A rotary vice makes this step much easier and faster. Tie off the dubbing, and snip off the excess. If your rope was too short, just tie it off, and form another one to finish up. Now tie a half hitch.
9 – Bring the shell material forward, and while holding it under slight tension, tie off using the ‘pinch method’. Snip off the excess material, and tie a half hitch.
10 – Palmer the tippet material forward to form the segments. As you do this, using the bodkin, separate the dubbing so it won’t be tied down. Secure the tippet material, snip off the excess, and tie a half hitch. Form a head, tie a half hitch, then a whip finish. Snip off the working thread, and apply head cement . This view is looking down on the top of the fly.
11 – Using a dental ‘root canal’ tool, or a pick of some kind, pick out the dubbing horizontally on each side of the body to form the legs. This view is looking at the bottom of the fly.
12 – Make any final adjustments to the dubbing, etc. Trim as needed.

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