In need of a scud pattern

[greenhead]

I am fairly new yet to tying. Are scuds a must have in your box in PA ? Does anyone have a good instructive video or slide show on how to tie ? Thanks !

 

[surveyor06]

Best scud I know of is Mike Hecks Simple Shrimp. A walts worm its a pretty good imitation also. Both these patterns can be found online, and by searching this forum. I fish scuds in sizes from 16-20, but mostly 18. Dont forget to tie some orange scuds, they work well also.

Scuds are a must have when fishing limestone streams, especially during the winter when not much else is happening. Scuds will be the main source of food for trout in the following months. They also work all year round. A typical setup is a two fly rig with the scud, usually a simple shrimp, as my point fly, then something more imitative below, like a PT, or midge pattern.

 

[wsender]

http://www.flyguysoutfitting.com/lwsdlscud.html

http://www.flyguysoutfitting.com/czechnymph.html

these are a good place to start. On the DL Scud, sometimes I substitute Antron for the marabou...

 

[Ramcatt]

http://hatchesmagazine.com/blogs/Hatches/2010/12/10/rainys-gold-bead-back-scud-by-cassie-sulzby-pugh/

 

[tracker12]

wsender
Thanks for the site with the scud patterns. They have some great patterns and steps appear to be easy to follow.

 

[osprey]

I read somewhere that the scud in its natural drab grey/green is not the ones trout are attracted to but when they are mortally injured or dead they turn an orange/yellow and that those are the ones trout go for the best , I know i've caught trout on both colors , has anyone else heard of this?

 

[jayL]

Bead head hare's ear on a curved hook. The sloppier, the better.

 

[surveyor06]

Osprey,

I have heard the same thing. I tie some scuds with some amber hareline dubbing. Its the color of steamed shrimp. Ive had lots of luck with them. I usually start with a light olive color, i believe its Orvis Spectrablend Sow Bug, if they dont work, or I expect to be catching more, I go to the amber color. Seem to work better after a good rain, I suspect scuds get dislodged and then die. I also tie scuds with an orange "hot spot". All seem to catch fish.

Ive heard of people using really bright orange, but i prefer a more natural looking dead scud.

 

[jayL]

osprey wrote:
I read somewhere that the scud in its natural drab grey/green is not the ones trout are attracted to but when they are mortally injured or dead they turn an orange/yellow and that those are the ones trout go for the best , I know i've caught trout on both colors , has anyone else heard of this?

Mike Heck's book discusses this.

Part of what I remember is that the orange scud is effective when the water is rising, as all of the beached dead scuds get washed into the stream.

If you dig in streamside gravel, you'll find tons of dead scuds in some spots.

 

[MKern]

I use olive ostrich and scud back with ribbing (usually thread). Very easy to tie.

They also turn light pink or pale yellow when they molt

 

[Bruno]

I still vote for jayl's dry lint scud. I still swear by them.

hook
Dryer lint
Plastic Baggie case

 

[jayL]

I still carry them. Nasty guard hairs!

Wrap with lead wire for a scud pattern. Tie a small piece of matchbook lead weight down for a flatter cress bug.

 

[Bruno]

helps if you have pets to get the correct lint formula.

 

[firandfeather]

Taken from "Spring Creek Strategies"
"Heck's Simple Shrimp
Hooks: Orvis 62KC size 18-14, size 12 for Western rivers
Thread: Orvis brown 8/0
Tail: Partridge
Back: Tan Swiss Straw unwrapped and then split in half
Rib: Silver ultra wire size small
Body: A blend of 50/50 olive and light sowbug spectrablend dubbing from Orvis"

Hope this helps ya.
Mike Heck

 

[jdaddy]

I still carry them. Nasty guard hairs!

That's just wrong.

I have tied and used Mikes Simple Shrimp pattern quite a bit this year. Really nice pattern.

 

[surveyor06]

Mike,

Thanks for posting the recipe for the fly. I have your book, but feel kind of weird posting the instructions to a fly that is not mine, especially since its a proprietary fly not one that has been around forever, i.e PT. Great pattern; one of my favorites.

Andy

 

[firandfeather]

Andy,
Glad you like. Really don't much worry about anything. As I have always said, "just Mike from Fayetteville, PA". Just blessed to have been asked to write the book. I hope this year to make one of the fishing JAMS.
Mike

 

[troutslammer]

ok lets see here , caddis hook , olive dubbing , tie in a strip of thin skin (clear) palmer ginger hen hackle up to hook eye , trim off the hackle fibers ontop of the hook shank , pull up thin skin and tie off behind hook eye . wow that simple !

 

[govtmule]

i thought i read that incorporating a small "hot spot" of orange like Surveyor said represents a pregnant scud...perhaps when they are a bunch of knocked up scuds with orange spots the fish key in on them?
http://www3.sympatico.ca/ianjames/scudflyfishing.html

jeff

 

[jayL]

I sometimes tie them with the bead halfway down the shank. I think that serves the same purpose as a hot spot, and it does work.

Not my fly, but same thing: