Sow Bug the Original

This Sow Bug pattern is an all season pattern. This pattern can be fished in all waters and the term “scud” means a fresh water shrimp or crustacean. This source of food makes up a large portion of any trout’s diet. The scud thrives in heavily vegetated waters and cleaner water, so they are a good indication of water quality. Fresh water shrimp take on the coloration of their diet, lending credence to “you are what you eat”. Fish this pattern near the bottom of the water table and raise the fly on a retrieve and then allow it to sink which will stimulate the swimming action of the scud.  In streams or rivers, this pattern can be presented in a number of ways the most successful being a cast up stream like a dry fly and then allowing it to dead drift drag free, keep in contact with your line. Alternatively, allow the scud to sink slowly to the bottom just above the vegetation it often seeks and slowly raise the line on the drift, through the water table to attract attention. A slight variation on this is to actually tighten up the line or pull the line as your scud approaches the lie of a fish you are sight fishing, and this will imitate the natural movement of the scud through the water table. All flies are tied with American sourced materials including Hareline Dubbin Materials and Whiting Farm's Hackles & Capes and are tied on premium hooks.