Scuds

What to do on a day off? Today was a productive day in the ice cave. Tying flies seemed the perfect companion to a 97 degree day. Fly fishing on the Bighorn River in June one can use a plethora of flies. One of the backbones that make up my fly boxes are scuds.

Scuds are sometimes referred to as freshwater shrimp or even sow bugs but they are a distinct crustacean on their own. What a delicious and calorie rich form of food for our beautiful trout?

The beauty of a scud is that a fly fisherman need not worry so much about life cycle stages. They are either big or small and sure they come in different colors, but the body doesn’t change much. They molt as they grow but that’s about it. Perfect.

Most efficient scud impressions range in size from 12-16 which makes for easier fly tying as well. I like to add a little flash to make these guys irresistible. Don’t imitate the curved posture because that’s not quite as appetizing. I generally make a rainbow including browns, oranges and pinks to cover the river conditions.

To fish these guys, I like clear water with indirect light when activity of “real” scuds increases. They do like the shade. Also consider the movement of a shrimp like creature under water when stripping and twitching. They are great for nymphing in moving water as well.

Good luck out there.