Your one-stop website for fly fishing the White River, the Norfork Tailwater, and Lake Taneycomo
How To Tie Fox Statler's Original “Sowbug”
Recipe: Hook: TMC 3769 size 12-18 Thread: UNI- thread 6/0 Tan Antennae: UNI- thread / same color Back: Swiss straw/ brown Body: Antron/ cream Rib: UNI- thread/ same Lead wire: 0.15
Sowbug
Step 1.
As you can see I already weighted the fly. Do enough wraps to cover most of the hook shank ,but leave enough room for a head to tie in, and in the back as well.
Step 2.
Start you’re thread in the front of the lead wire making a thread dam and wind over the lead doing the same thing to the back of the lead. This will lock it into place so that it will not shift or move when you go to complete the fly.
Step 3.
Once you do that you should still have a tag hanging of the back. What I do with this is make a loop with the tag to create my antennae’s. You will cut that after you complete the fly. Whatever tag end you have left after making the loop, go ahead and cut it off.
Step 4.
Advance the thread back to the center of the shank. Now you’re ready to tie in your swiss straw. Cut a piece of swiss straw and cut it in the center. Now you will have two pieces. You will only need to use one of those. Tie it in an wind to the bend. Advance the thread to the eye to start the dubbing.
Step 5.
You can’t really see how the dubbing is put on, but I’m sure you know how. The only thing in this step is not to dub too much dubbing around the shank as you wind back. Build the dubbing up as you go.
Step 6.
Once you are at the back, grab some kind of pliers that has a flat surface so you can pinch the lead flat to create the flat body. I like to use the de-barb pliers from Tiemco. After you pinch the lead you are ready to start the segmentations. Your thread should be at the back. Now start the segments wrapping the thread to the eye. I usually do about six to seven turns creating the segments. The bigger the hook the more segmentations.
