Jump to content
Fly Tying
IgotWood

Scuds....where/when/how???

Recommended Posts

A few days ago, I was fishing a stream in VT. Heading up river to a pool I like, and have to walk a good distance in the water because the banks are very overgrown. I'm walking through a very slow, and muddy stretch when I notice these tiny little air bubbles all over the place, literally thousands of them. But wait a minute....the bubbles seemd to be swimming away from me...?????

 

We were able to capture a few of them in our net. They were tiny, 20-22. and almost as transparent as glass. We determined that they were scuds. There is only one other river that I've fished where scuds occur in any abundance (to my knowledge). I have a few scuds in my box, but don't think they have ever moved from my box since I bought them.

 

So, do you fish scuds? If so, what type of conditions? What time of year? Size/color? Do they migrate throughout the river, like some mayfly nymphs do?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Igot ... Scuds are in every body of water, as far as I can research. They are true aquatic insects, spending their entire life cycle in the water. There is no larval stage, they hatch looking like miniature adults. They are mostly nocturnal, hiding or staying under vegetation and structure during the day.

They exist year round, and are a staple in many bodies of water. I don't tie flies that small or they'd be a staple in mine.

 

Here's a pretty good article about them.

http://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/scuds-and-sideswimmers-amphipods

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Fish eat scuds and sowbugs like humans eat shrimp cocktail. They love the little buggers.

I fish scuds in all conditions, all year. The sizes I tie are 14-20 in gray, tan, brown and orange. Although they are more prevalent in spring creeks (limestone), you will find them in most streams. When nymphing I on many occasions will tie a scud as a dropper. One of my favorite patterns is the Ray Charles as an attractor. Although I have had good success with patterns with less flash.

Take them out of your box and tie them onto your line.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Good information. Scuds and sowbugs are both completely aquatic crustaceans (no winged adult stage), and because they're present underwater year-round they can be a pretty important part of trout diets where they're present, especially in tailwaters where the prey base may not be terribly diverse. They typically reach their highest abundances in cold, stable environments like spring creeks and tailwaters. They're detritivores, and they spend most of their time among aquatic vegetation or depositional areas (accumulations of silt and dead leaves), and can be dislodged by currents or by hungry fish. Because of they're environment they're typically some shade of gray, tan or olive, although pregnant females will have a yellow or orange egg sac on the underside of the body (some patterns emulate this and are pretty successful), while dead scuds will be brighter orange (breakdown of pigments in the body, some folks tie orange dead scuds which may be taken for the natural or may be a more elaborate imitation of a fish egg ;)).

 

To my knowledge they don't migrate, although some may move to take advantage of other food resources when populations reach high levels. As FIN mentioned I'll typically dead-drift scud/shrimp patterns like any standard nymph, sometimes as part of a two-nymph rig. They work!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

My experience with scuds is in still water where I fish them over vegetation on full sink line generally speaking.. In our local waters they can get a fish and have gotten fish on a slow day, Nuff Said !! However, I must say I learned something today because I have never river fished a scud pattern. That will now change lol. And I know just the tail water to try it in too next time I get up Maine way (like to be 2017 unfortunately).

http://www.maine.gov/dep/water/monitoring/biomonitoring/sampling/bugs/scuds.htm

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I tend to use them when ..... I can't see what the fish are feeding on, as a dropper or when all else fails lol

This opening season in Australia... Fishing was a little hard to say the least .

All the fly fishos were having a tough time trying to catch that first fish .. Myself included.

I could see the fish and they were selective feeding , but I couldn't see what on .

Four hours of pretty spot on casting and reasonable presentation.... Still no takes

Last ditch attempt was the uv scud ... First cast whamo! 3.5 lb rainbow

Second cast another 3lber ....enough said .

I personally think they are a great addition to any fly box, but don't take my word for it ... Try some .

Fished as a dropper or point fly dead drift into pools sometimes shallow pools when you can see the fish clearly or even light riffles .

I have even had luck casting them pretty close to a rising fish .

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Great information, guys...thank you!!! I'll be out tomorrow. Perhaps I'll give them a try. I will be fishing a couple of areas with lots of vegetation, and slower water.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Great information, guys...thank you!!! I'll be out tomorrow. Perhaps I'll give them a try. I will be fishing a couple of areas with lots of vegetation, and slower water.

Absolutely !! We want fish stories, bring back some good ones about the success of your scud attempts LOL !.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Just remember, Igotwood, when fishing with Scuds ... there is no Catch and Release.

 

 

You must recover the pieces.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

A lot of folks tie scuds on the curve shank hook, but when they are swimming they are straight. A straight shank hook would be better if you are twitching your fly. I think Silvercreek pointed this out in another post. It is worth repeating.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Scuds are one of my favorite patterns for still and moving water in the Eastern Sierras. Here are two articles from Westfly which provide additional information:

 

http://www.west-fly-fishing.com/entomology/others/scuds.shtml

 

http://www.west-fly-fishing.com/feature-article/0004/feature_132.php

 

I see them most frequently i the high elevation lakes that we fish:

 

63-5-bp-15-scud-vl-szd_zpsctorww6j.jpg

 

...and these are some of the scud patterns that I use...Kelly Glissmeyer's Spring Creek scud is an easy tie and a killer pattern...just change up the color of the AZ Simi Seal to match what is in your area...

 

https://planettrout.wordpress.com/2014/01/03/the-venerable-scud-finally-done/

 

 

I prefer tying the on TMC 2488 or 2488H hooks. When they are active, they move in short bursts (up to 6") and their bodies are straight and when they are resting, they are curled...

 

 

PT/TB

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

A lot of folks tie scuds on the curve shank hook, but when they are swimming they are straight. A straight shank hook would be better if you are twitching your fly. I think Silvercreek pointed this out in another post. It is worth repeating.

Yes, I tie some of my midge emerger patterns on straight shank hooks as well, especially for still water.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Those are pretty small. I thought most scuds I've seen or read about tendied toward a 1/2" or a 12-14 hook size.16 is normally the smallest most shops stock I've had the pleasure to wander around in.

 

I use to have a charter boat on Lake Superior. One of the charter capt's out of Bayfield WI landed a job as captain of the University of Wisconsin Research Vessel on Lake Superior and other great lakes. He called me one time and said they were going to be on the MN north shore for a few days and did I want to meet up and spend a day out there. YOU BET. Anyway, he had a crew of young'uns and grad students doing all sorts of water surveys. This was back in the day Reserve Mining was dumping it's taiings in Lake Superior and that was part of their investigation. What did surprise me was the amount of little buggers they dredged up in their scoops from over 200' down and one of the primary buggers down there were scuds. Don't know if they are the same genus as the ones in trout streams but it sure was neat the things they scraped up and cataloged. Lots of little wiggly worms and other things living in a perpetual 39 degree environment and no vegetation. Every scoop came up streaming grey taiings from our discharge though and that was a little embarassing.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Well, I tried a few scuds in various sizes and colors the other day, and no luck. This is a tailwater, where most of the water is rather shallow, with lots of rocks. there is very little scud-like habitat on his river. Another local river here in CT has a very strong abundance of scuds (from what I've heard). I've heard that many guys use them on that river. I will keep at it. The day I fished was a very slow day, so perhaps they just weren't going to eat anything.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...

×
×
  • Create New...