Pregnant Scud

This video is from Twigg and Barry FlyFishing Outfitters of Vanvouver, British Columbia.

20% of a trout’s diet in still waters, at any time of the year, will be made up by scud (freshwater shrimp).

This pattern takes a few key features that trout key in on including the use of an orange bead to represent eggs. Pearl UV dubbing is integrated for extra flash and visibility.
Trout will also key in on scuds that have been infected with an intestinal parasite, turning their intestine bright orange. This makes them stand out against their surrounds and an easy meal, and is represented here by a strip of orange poly pro.

We’ve tied this on a Mustad C49s which has a bend but also results in a relatively straight fly, which is important as scuds are relatively straight when swimming, and are curved at rest.

Tie them in colours and sizes to suit your local conditions, fish them on a floating line with a long leader or a clear intermediate line.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Trout flies

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *