Robert Burton
Fly Fishing Zombie
Eventually all things merge into one, and a river runs through it.
Posts: 4,744
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Post by Robert Burton on Nov 21, 2005 18:01:30 GMT -6
There has been a fair amount of talk on scuds/freshwatershrimp/gammarus so here is a an easy to tie and easy to modify to local conditions...Gammarus Hook: Any curved hook (I have used steelhead hooks in the past) Body: Dubbing to match (here I have used Hareline Hares ear but it has some translucent non rabbit in the mix) Legs: Ostrich herl ( but really the dubbing picked out act more as the legs the herl is there for contrast) Back: Chan/Rowley Midge Flex (though typically we have used cut strips of sandwich bag plastic and somtimes coloured it) Rib: Gold wire (but again the 'classic' is heavy mono) 1. Tie in thread 2.Tie in materials in the opposite order that they will be brought forward (rib,back then herl) 3. Dub body forward (I like to make it 'bushier' near the head) 4. Palmer forward the herl and tie in 5. Pull midge flex forward and tie in 6. Rib the fly and tie in, whip finish and cement. At this point you can 'pick out' the dubbing to give it better legs (or you can do that on the water) Change the colour, add a bead or use wider back material
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Post by jondurocher on Nov 22, 2005 21:59:08 GMT -6
Nice set of photos, never used a scud before. What species of fish is this intended for? body of water?
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Robert Burton
Fly Fishing Zombie
Eventually all things merge into one, and a river runs through it.
Posts: 4,744
|
Post by Robert Burton on Nov 23, 2005 10:06:33 GMT -6
Scud talk around here is mainly about stocked trout lakes in WestMan. The Green version is found in Kingfisher Lake.
I have used them I Whiteshell Lakes with some success and high sticking the bead head versions in the WS Rivers upper reachs has proved great fun.
Due to their inherent (non phd term coming here) 'bugginess' they just do well all round.
If one reads FFing boards of an international nature we can find scuds catching monster trout in rivers (though usually tailwater fisheries. I posted a link about a huge AK record brown caught on a grey scud earlier this year.
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Post by saskfly on Feb 19, 2006 17:33:39 GMT -6
I have a question about hook selection in lakes. My understanding is that scuds often ball up when at rest owing to most patterns being tied on curved hooks. I can see the importance of this in streams where most scuds are simply drifting down stream with the current and are awash, and thereore are curved in appearance. In lakes however, a curved hook simply doesnt ride in the water like the naturals. When retrieved, the fly tends to twist or ride on its side because the majority of the weight is higher on the hook. One way to maybe combat this is to weight the fly under the hook shank so that the fly fishes right side up.
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Robert Burton
Fly Fishing Zombie
Eventually all things merge into one, and a river runs through it.
Posts: 4,744
|
Post by Robert Burton on Feb 20, 2006 12:58:02 GMT -6
2 words that should be in every tyer/fishers vocabulary tank testing. The traditional scud tied on scud hooks will spin if trolled or retrieved too quickly. The curved shaped as well as the picked out dubbing gives the fly a more natural appearance with the dubbing on scud patterns providing the illusion of movement/self propulsion. This curve also gives stones tied on stimulator hooks more realism. better than the straight as an arrow grey shrimp (mallard flank feather over muskrat)
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Post by saskfly on Feb 21, 2006 10:41:31 GMT -6
I agree Robert Testing how flies act prior to use is a big component of whether or not a fly will even get to my tippet. I was just curious though. I have scuds in my tank and for the majority of the time only the posterior and anterior and of the fly are slightly curved.
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Robert Burton
Fly Fishing Zombie
Eventually all things merge into one, and a river runs through it.
Posts: 4,744
|
Post by Robert Burton on Feb 22, 2006 9:47:32 GMT -6
To that:
After buying all those sizes of 'shrimp hooks' tying various colours I read basically what you are saying. I then ordering proper scud hooks for ties if I want to use scuds in still water. Besides I want to tie para emergers. Also you can't put a bead on shrimp hooks if you want a lead free tie.
In the past I used SS Steelhead hooks takes a bead, has less curve than a shrimp but slightly more than a scud. Great for rolling through a pool or high sticking through pocket water.
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