Using #22 And #24 Scuds

[Phil Lilley]

http://siouxcityjournal.com/sports/recreation/outdoors/taneycomo-draws-thousands-of-fly-fishermen/article_b2a5d94a-7414-54d3-ad35-5d34442420fe.html

Here's an article by one of the AGLOW writers from last week. He fished with Bret Rader and used his flies.

[Jack Jones]

Awesome article. Informative and descriptive. That's how you write a fishing article. I've never used anything smaller than a size 18, but might have to try.

[Brian K. Shaffer]

One thing that is a negative with using teeny tiny scuds is teeny tiny tippet. Keep that in mind.

I will not risk a 6lb fish on 7x.. especially when I could have hooked the fish just as easily with a sz12 and 4x.

[laker67]

One thing that is a negative with using teeny tiny scuds is teeny tiny tippet. Keep that in mind.

I will not risk a 6lb fish on 7x.. especially when I could have hooked the fish just as easily with a sz12 and 4x.

You have no sense of adventure there Brian.

[Brian K. Shaffer]

I am full of adventure... (or at least full of something!)

Size 8 scuds work pretty well too... especially around larger fish. 3x for them.

[mic]

I vote: Something

[Phil Lilley]

I think what Brian means, and Rick would agree, that hooking a big fish on light tippet (7x - 8x) in the fall when the DO (dissolved oxygen) is low and fighting it could be its death sentence. It's like boxing at 15,000 feet for us... not enough o2 to recover from the fight.

There's a balance.

Tiny hook size.... use at your own risk. The worse you can do is lose the fish--hook pull out.

[DaddyO]

I am full of adventure... (or at least full of something!)

Size 8 scuds work pretty well too... especially around larger fish. 3x for them.

Well, last week, I couldn't get a fish to look at a bigger fly than a #18. I could move them and catch them on midges and scuds #18 and smaller on 7x tippet. It's probably a different story when the water is running and you are fishing from a boat. I'd imagine larger flies and heavier tippet would be fine.

[Brian K. Shaffer]

DaddyO - I am talking wading and with the water running at the half of one unit flow.

I use all sizes of scuds... sometimes I do go small.. but when big fish are around more likely - not so much.

Using a size 22-24 scud requires smaller tippet... and a softer rod to not break off when setting the hook. I use all glass and very soft graphite rods and barbless all the time.. the last big fish I had on (5-6lb's) opened up a hook on me cause the tippet held and the knots held and the rod was unable to turn the fish. I was fighting the fish in heavy water at the time (which was my fault) but there were people below me and they didnt know I had on a nice fish until it was too late, and I didnt want to stomp around thru their water and around the tree stump snag with the dead heron in it.

I use sz 18's a lot... but 22's and 24 is pushing it if you ask me. Unless you go with a heavier tippet and softer rod - you just will not land those fish you could have. (if you were using heavier tippet and bit of a bigger bug).

After trying 26's and 24's.. I decided to go back to 16 and 18's. (maybe 20's but only on the 2499SPBL's and those hooks are too expensive to lose willy nilly)

[DaddyO]

I hear you, Brian. I get to fish Taney once or twice a year and I am at the mercy of the generation schedule whenever I'm there. I'm just saying that there are times that I just get desperate to catch a fish and would go smaller than an 18 if that is what it takes to pick up a fish.

I have, on occasion, lost a bigger fish because I was on smaller flies lighter tippet. But, just getting the tug was a good enough drug, at the time. When the DO is low, I try to land the fish quickly. If I break off or pull the fly out in the process, that's OK.