Ray Charles Sowbug

Description

The Ray Charles Sowbug pattern hails from Montana and has been a  Bighorn River staple for many years now. It is an excellent choice on all tailwaters to imitate smaller scuds and sowbugs.  As the legend has it, the name comes from the fact that even a blind fisherman could catch a fish with this pattern.  Typically, the Ray Charles Sowbug is tied with a hotspot head in either Red or Orange.  The hotspot will act as a trigger to fool selective trout.  Our version of the Ray Charles comes in white, with a tungsten bead.

Fishing Strategies:

We generally use a Ray Charles Sowbug as an attractor in a two-fly nymphing rig and drop a small mayfly below it.  Fishing scuds and sowbugs in transitional zones will lead to success, especially in deeper runs or holes where the trout are used to keying in on scuds.  The takes on scuds and sowbugs are typically aggressive, so be prepared!  The downstream demand for water or during runoff will increase flows and will frequently knock high protein meals loose from the substrate creating easy meals for trout.  In smaller sizes, it can also imitate midge larvae.  Our favorite colors to fish are Gray, Pink, and White.

Recipe:

Hook: Size 14-18 Tiemco 3769
Bead: Silver Tungsten Bead
Thread: Red UTC 70 Denier
Shellback: Mylar tinsel
Thorax: Ostrich Herl