Piker20 0 Report post Posted July 31, 2016 I've tried ostrich and you don't have the same stiffness. I'd be surprised if you cant source emu in US as many people that keep ostrich keep rhea and or emu. I source mine through non fly trying channels. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dave G. 0 Report post Posted July 31, 2016 I found some ebay outlets for them. And some emu oil place has them ( more money). http://www.uniquelyemu.com/emu-feathers/Emu-Feathers.htm http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/380458642646 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FlaFly 0 Report post Posted July 31, 2016 I looked at all my ostrich plumes and agree it's probably too flimsy to make these legs. You could make them, but the fly probably wouldn't last but a short while. Any other herl suggestions? or maybe the tips of some hackle? I'm thinking maybe size 6 or 8 for bream, or even a 4 for crappie. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dave G. 0 Report post Posted July 31, 2016 On 7/31/2016 at 3:26 PM, FlaFly said: I looked at all my ostrich plumes and agree it's probably too flimsy to make these legs. You could make them, but the fly probably wouldn't last but a short while. Any other herl suggestions? or maybe the tips of some hackle? I'm thinking maybe size 6 or 8 for bream, or even a 4 for crappie. FlaFly, I tie my official scuds ( not this pattern shown above) using hackle but it's a little different pattern than this. I dub the hook either in olive or gray and use either ginger or grizzly hackle accordingly. In that pattern I rib it with light mono, then pluck any of the trapped hackle fibers down from under the skin. All you can do is try it, I see no reason why hackle wouldn't work, though it would obviously look a bit variant in nature. Should fish great, my scuds do. Edit Aug 31 2021: This is an old thread and I looked over my message above and forgot to mention the piece of plastic baggie material I use for the shell back. It's tied in at the rear at the beginning of the tie, everything else is added on and then the baggie material is pulled over the back of the scud and tied in up front. That's why I said the hackle fibers which may get trapped are plucked down from under the skin, the skin being the baggie back. These things fish like crazy over weed beds. Two other features of the fly not mentioned is a little weight tied in and various shades of rabbit dubbing in greens or olive. If you look at a real scud it's pretty drab looking so I use no sparkle, the fish find them fine. One of these in size 16 or so has saved my day more than once in local ponds fished in not too deep a water with sink tip line. But I've read stories of fish feeding on top on them. Whether weeds reached near the surface I don't really recall but seems to me they were in a boat in deep water and was this feeding frenzy going on. Scuds won their day too. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
redietz 0 Report post Posted August 2, 2016 Not sure Emu feathers are prevalent in the US, maybe ostrich herl would work ? They're commercially available. I picked up a bunch in shop and have never figured out what to do them. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Micke.H 0 Report post Posted August 26, 2021 On 7/31/2016 at 2:20 PM, Dave G. said: Not sure Emu feathers are prevalent in the US, maybe ostrich herl would work ? Yes ostrich herl is going to work👌 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SilverCreek 0 Report post Posted August 26, 2021 On 7/31/2016 at 7:20 AM, Dave G. said: Not sure Emu feathers are prevalent in the US, maybe ostrich herl would work ? http://www.naturalfeathers.com/sample-page/emu-feathers/ https://www.jsflyfishing.com/spirit-river-emu-feathers? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
