The Scud (miscellaneous nymphs)
from Skip Morris' book, "The Art of Tying the Nymph, 1993"
Fittingly, this trout fly imitates a slow-to-still-water crustacean which most anglers call a scud. A scud is essentially a freshwater shrimp. Imitations of similar pattern-some nearly identical-seem to pop up everywhere.
The most common theme for scud imitations is the plastic-strip back. This back, with a rib, convincingly creates the segmented, gelatinous look of a real scud. Randall Kaufmann's American Nymph Fly Tying Manual published in 1975 describes Randall's Trout Shrimp, a ribbed plastic-strip scud pattern.
Telly Hellekson's Popular Fly Patterns, published in 1977 lists an Al Troth pattern, simply called Scud, which also features a ribbed plastic-strip back. Another pattern titled Scud comes from Fred Arbona - can you guess what is its main feature?
These are all good scud imitations. Some tiers follow their patterns faithfully; others take the general idea and do what they want Al Troth's Scud seems to be as close as any to the fly most often tied for this purpose, and the pattern listed below is very close to Al's version.
Dave Hughes wrote, "it would be honest for me to confess that when I tie this fly I usually omit the tail, legs, and antennae. The body fur, when picked out, does a fine job of representing the various appendages of the natural." The pattern Dave referred to includes a palmered hackle; other than that, he was referring to almost exactly the pattern I've listed. Dave has eloquently stated my own sentiments concerning tails, legs, and antennae on scud imitations.
Note that the hook described for the Scud is of the English-bait or humped design; this is a good use for such hooks, because scuds themselves are naturally humped. But it is significant that scuds straighten out when they swim, so it is worth considering a conventional hook for a Scud that will be swum.
Scuds (live scuds) are found in still waters and slow-moving streams. Those streams that emerge as tail waters from dams tend to be the ones with the most scuds. If there is some current, you can fish the Scud dead drift; if not, make it swim.
The Scud
HOOK: Heavy wire, English bait or humped design, sizes 16 to 10 (the hook shown is a Dai-Riki 135)
THREAD: 8/0 or 6/0 in a color to match the body
WEIGHT: Lead wire (optional)
TAIL: Hackle fibers to match the body color (optional)
RIB: Fine, clear monofilament (light tippet is good)
BACK: Clear plastic
BODY: Natural fur with guard hairs or coarse synthetic dubbing-muskrat, hare's mask, squirrel, australian opossum-in olive or gray or orange or brown or cream or combinations of these colors; the most common color seems to be olive-gray.
ANTENNAE: Hackle fibers to match the body color (optional)
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fly-tying tools available in our online fly shop.
1. If you want to add lead, do so as usual; otherwise, start the thread at midshank, and spiral it to the bend (or down the bend a bit). Weighted or not, use the pinch to tie in a few hackle fibers as a tail. Snip the fibers' butts, or advance the thread and then use the pinch to secure the butts. You can also do what Dave Hughes and I do: Skip the tail altogether.
2. Use the pinch to tie in some fine monofilament at the bend. Cut a strip of plastic sheeting (from a sandwich bag or the like); the strip should be about as wide as the hook's gape. Tie the strip in at the bend; the strip should be flatly horizontal.
3. Dub a thick tapered body to just behind the eye. Pull the plastic strip tightly forward over the top of the body. Secure the strip as you would a wing case. Pull the plastic tight and trim it closely.
4. Wrap the monofilament up the body and plastic in six to eight ribs. Secure the monofilament and trim it just behind the eye.
5. Use the reverse pinch to tie in a few hackle fibers as antennae. Trim the fibers' butts, build a thread head, whip finish the thread, and trim the thread. Pick out some of the hairs and fur from the fly's underside, unless the underside is rough enough without picking. Add head cement to the thread head.