tying scuds

[Guest]

I never focused on scuds before, but after discovering them last year in most of the waters I normally fish, I want to try them out. I always have some #18-20 no name, tan or olive, nothing but a dubbed hook whatevers with me, and when I remember to use them they catch fish.

 

However, every scud pattern I see is pretty detailed and I wonder if anyone has actually tested a detailed scud next to a suggestive tie to see if the details are that important.

 

I'm thinking of just dubbing a size 18 hook with tan or grey or some such color, picking out the bottom dubbing, and leaving it at that. The flies I have that are similar are like that except they aren't picked out at all.

 

 

[snboggs 0]

When I tie czech nymph's I use a section of ziploc bag for a shellback and a length of .006 mono tying thread to rib the back. I've also tied them without a shellback and I prefer to tie them with. I would suggest trying both and see which comes up better to the fish. Good luck!

[sherrib 0]

I never focused on scuds before, but after discovering them last year in most of the waters I normally fish, I want to try them out. I always have some #18-20 no name, tan or olive, nothing but a dubbed hook whatevers with me, and when I remember to use them they catch fish.

 

However, every scud pattern I see is pretty detailed and I wonder if anyone has actually tested a detailed scud next to a suggestive tie to see if the details are that important.

 

I'm thinking of just dubbing a size 18 hook with tan or grey or some such color, picking out the bottom dubbing, and leaving it at that. The flies I have that are similar are like that except they aren't picked out at all.

Most of the fish I caught in January and Febuary were just grey dubbing with a gold tungsten bead, nothing else not even a tail. Sherri B

[madkasel 0]

If you don't do anything to the back, I think it's hard to call it a scud.

 

Here's what you do, though!

 

A local guide and master tyer ties a "superglue scud."

 

He always uses a size 12 hook with lots of weight on it.

 

Very heavily dubbed, then whip finish and clip your thread.

 

Brush the dubbing downward and use a scissors to shape the top just a bit so it's relatively smooth.

 

Then put a fine line of superglue over the top and spread it around with a toothpick. Not too much!! (I almost glued mine to my vice on the first one I did.)

 

An extraordinarily quick and durable "tie."

[Guest Big E]

With no shellback, wouldn't it be called a sowbug?

 

Here are some DuckyDoty did:

 

 

He's got a step-by-step on them as well.

[ubbrd 0]

 

 

G'day. When the Trout aren't rising I use Scuds extensively in the fresh waterways here in Australia mainly olive Scuds both beadhead & beadless (size 12 -14 hooks). They are very quick & simple to tie. I weight the hook with 6-8 wraps of lead wire then dub (buggy dubbing. I use clear stretch plastic & rib with either mono line or fine copper wire.

I have found them to be a proven Trout catcher over the years.

Below are a few Olive scuds I tied (quickly)!

 

Olive_scud.bmp

[dwiltshire 0]

I have to confess I usually use some sort of back on my shrimps and scuds. Mainly because I love the look of them - and that gives me confidence.

 

Having said that, I tied a dubbed pink version and left out the back this winter and did pretty well with it. But from from a tying point of view, its the exception.

[VERN-O 0]

linvin'......I tie a small scud size 18, where the body is grey dubbing, and then wrap/palmer a black or dark colored osterich herl through it.....trim the herl fibers on top of the hook shank, and swipe some superglue or softtex across the top of the shank....durable, no shellback, deadly scud.....sorry no pic of this one handy

[Guest]

Great stuff everybody, please feel free to keep adding info. At this point it seems the belly must be picked out, but the back can vary. Perhaps when I use the little spot of dubbibg I use, the fish take it for another creature entirely.

 

I didn't realize you could go as big as 12 with a scud! I thought they were just wee things.

[mtbbrian 0]

With no shellback, wouldn't it be called a sowbug?

 

I can't quite tell what these look like, but they don't seem to have any ribbing or a vien, going down the center of the back.

That's how I tie sow bugs, with red wire ribbing and a piece of peacock hurl with the fibers removed running down the back of the fly.

Brian

:dunno:

[duckydoty 0]

I tie the sow bugs with no back or ribbing in size 20-12. Very productive, fast, and easy fly to tie. I do not think the back or ribbing attracts anymore than the fisherman. If you like it, then tie it. If you like it and have the time to tie it, then go right ahead. It may just build your confidence in the fly a little more which can really help to make the fly more productive for you.

duckydoty

[mtbbrian 0]

I tie the sow bugs with no back or ribbing in size 20-12. Very productive, fast, and easy fly to tie. I do not think the back or ribbing attracts anymore than the fisherman. If you like it, then tie it. If you like it and have the time to tie it, then go right ahead. It may just build your confidence in the fly a little more which can really help to make the fly more productive for you.

duckydoty

 

Makes sense.

I am way new to all of this, but with the ribbing and back is how I was taught.

Brian

:cheers:

[sandflyx 0]

Here we have to a shrimp pattern instead of a scud...Sizes from 8 to 14

[dwiltshire 0]

 

 

I didn't realize you could go as big as 12 with a scud! I thought they were just wee things.

 

 

I guess the are pretty small, but to a fish, a size 12 going past you must just look like Xmas come early and they snaffle it.

 

In the winter here I fish shrimp patterns up to a size 10 and its amazing how confidently they'll take it.

 

 

 

[njsimonson 0]

I have collected scuds in Devils Lake, ND that were up to 3/4" in length, I don't know what hook size that would be, but size 10 wouldn't be out of the question. They are the basis for a very productive fishery there.