The Tailwater Sow Bug is a staple on many western tailwaters. A few of my home waters are teeming with sows, so I m always chasing a better sow bug imitation.


For this iteration I kept the original rainbow sow scud dubbing, and silver wire. I replaced the red thread of the original with UTC watery olive, which fluoresces, and added a soft hackle. I played with partridge, hen hackle, and even tied a few with grouse, but the cdc soft hackle fished the best for me, so it stayed. Fluorescing thread, rainbow sow scud dubbing, and CDC. How could a fish resist? They cannot.


The soft hackle Tailwater Sow Bug is available unweighted, or in a jigged tungsten version great for a dropper below a dry, or on a Euro setup. Designed by Lance Egan