Scud Patterns?

[djs12354]

Any recommendations for a favorite bead head scud pattern/size/color?

Will be using on the Lackawanna River. Having some success with a grayish one currently. Down to one or two flies that I had purchased before starting to tie my own.

This will give me something to do while I mend from surgery.

Thanks!

 

[troutbert]

Regular old Hares Ear dubbing, which is more tannish than gray. Also known as Walts Worm. Very effective.

For beadheads, I think copper, brass and gold are all better than silver.

 

[WWKimba]

Ever try a WIRE head? Here's Doug Korn's version of a scud pattern - one of his first in his career when he didn't have the budget to keep a lot of beads on hand.

Korn's Wire Head Scud

#14 scud hook
dark olive thread
28-gauge wire - I use brassie or med. Ultra Wire
red fox squirrel dub
3/64" pearl tinsel

Feel free to sub out on the hook size, thread color, and dub

 

[Matt_Geiman]

What's Jacob Tying - Olive Hot Spot Shrimp

Olive Hot Spot Shrimp The olive hot spot shrimp is one of my most productive flies and one of my absolute favorite patterns to tie. It’s easy, effective, and quite durable. I fish this fly year round, but I find this pattern especially effective in the winter time. Between the months of...

www.tcoflyfishing.com

 

[Bamboozle]

My old go-to on the Letort was a simple pattern I sort of came up with in the days before I had "scud" hooks and other fancy materials:

• Use a regular heavy wire nymph hook and bend it slightly in the middle.
• Tie in a loop of thread at the bend along with a thin strip of plastic from a sandwich bag and lead or tin wire for weight if desired. (Because the Letort was so weedy in the days when I fished this pattern, if I did a weighted version I'd use small diameter lead and just wrap part of the way up the shank).
• Dub over the lead wraps or bare shank to the head of the fly with a coarse dubbing blend, tie off and pick out fibers to simulate legs.
• Pull the plastic bag strip over the back and tie off at the head.
• Cut one end of the thread loop off so you have a single strand of thread and rib that over the body and shell back to the head and tie off. (If you wish you could use wire for the ribbing and elimate the lead for weight).
• Pick out any fiber legs trapped by the ribbing.

They worked great for me and still do!!

 

[djs12354]

Ever try a WIRE head? Here's Doug Korn's version of a scud pattern - one of his first in his career when he didn't have the budget to keep a lot of beads on hand.

Korn's Wire Head Scud
View attachment 1641228317

#14 scud hook
dark olive thread
28-gauge wire - I use brassie or med. Ultra Wire
red fox squirrel dub
3/64" pearl tinsel

Feel free to sub out on the hook size, thread color, and dub

Never thought of a wire head, Interesting. May have to see if I can wind the wire tight enough. Would you use Hard As Nails or UV knot/head adhesive to make for a smoother finish?

 

[Jay_H]

Most of my scud patterns are simple.…hook, some lead wire, dubbing (I prefer a grayish/brown blend or the Sow/Scud dubbing blends that are sold commercially), bead (if you want - my preference is black nickel or matte).

I brush it out then trim with scissors until I’m happy with it.

Ray Charles Sow Bug is similar and a nice easy tie as well.

 

[WWKimba]

Never thought of a wire head, Interesting. May have to see if I can wind the wire tight enough. Would you use Hard As Nails or UV knot/head adhesive to make for a smoother finish?

I don't worry about a SMOOTH finish. I do use CA (superglue) on the wire head to lock the wire together - LESS than a drop - enough to just catch a couple side-by-side wire wraps.

Kim

I do use chartreuse, hot orange and hot yellow on my Copperhead fly pattern, but I have yet to try this on a scud pattern.

 

[salmo]

I use the Humph's Cress bug but create a blood line up the middle of the back with black or brown or green heavy thread or round stretch rib material topped with UV.