The pattern notebook · nymph
Rainbow Sow Bug
How do you tie a Rainbow Sow Bug?
Rainbow Sow Bug is a nymph fly pattern for trout. Find its 7 materials and 21 tying steps below.
- Difficulty
- 4 of 5
- Target species
- trout
Added to catalog · Updated
At the vise
Materials
- Hook: Daiichi 135 #14-18
- Lead Wire: 0.015"
- Thread: UTC Fluorescent Pink
- Wire: Small Gold Wire
- Flashabou: Black
- Dubbing: Rainbow Sow Scud Dubbing
- Velcro
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Tying instructions
Wrap 15 wraps of 0.015" lead wire onto the hook shank.
Attach fluorescent pink UTC thread.
Wrap thread over the lead wire to secure it.
Tie in a piece of small gold wire on the far side of the hook.
Wrap thread back behind the lead wire.
Tie in a piece of black flashabou on top of the lead wire, centered.
Tie in Rainbow Sow Scud dubbing to the thread, not too tight or too loose.
Apply a lot of dubbing to the thread.
Wrap the dubbing forward, creating a messy ball of dubbing.
Do not crowd the eye.
Use hemostats to squish down the lead wraps underneath the dubbing, creating a flat profile.
Pull the black flashabou back over the body.
Tie off the flashabou right behind the eye.
Cut off the excess flashabou.
Tie off the gold wire with 4-5 evenly segmented wraps.
Tie off the gold wire.
Trim the pink thread to create a hotspot at the front.
Make a 3-4 turn half hitch.
Keep the thread attached.
Brush out the dubbing with velcro on both sides to create legs.
Stretch the dubbing down and trim it off evenly to about two hook shank lengths.