SCUDS

[Jeremi414]

I fish BSSP several weekends a month. I only fish flies that imitate natural food in the stream. No John Deer’s or white thread jigs lol. I have become a very proficient nympher. Many 30+ fish days. One thing I can’t figure out. If scuds are so prevalent in the stream why can’t I catch but the occasional fish on them? I’ve been told #16 olive or tan. I fish the stretch in zone 1 below the last handicap access down to about 50 yards of the darn 90% of the time. Is this a “scud free” zone lol? Could someone give a little insight on the size of scuds they do well with? To be fare, I’ll give a few tips.

1. Constantly change depth until you occasionally hang up adjust 3” at a time.

2. When possible don’t use large bright indicators. They see a lot of them I know. But seem to thing a small white indicator doesn’t alert them nearly as much.

3. A simple #14 natural hares ear and gold rib bead head “no tail” is TNT! At least 300 fish last year on that fly bounced on the bottom.

[Gavin]

The hares ear looks more like a hatchery pellet. Don't fish to deep for stockers. They tend to suspend a couple feet below the surface, so if you are fishing bottom at BSSP, you are usually fishing below the majority of the fish. Learn to site fish, and nymph fish w/o a bobber. See (or visualize) where your fly is, and set the hook if something eats in that area.

 

[fishinwrench]

1 hour ago, Jeremi414 said:

If scuds are so prevalent in the stream why can’t I catch but the occasional fish on them?

They are the ONLY "prevalent" food item in the spring branch, aside from midges.  Yeah there are baetis hatches and grannom's during certain periods, but the scuds are always there.   Hatchery fish just take awhile to figure it out.  

Most guys tie scuds too fat, and too dark.  A #18 Trout Crack (041 tan) tied just thick enough to hide the hook shank will get darn few refusals.  It doesn't look like much.... but neither does a scud.

[Jeremi414]

I had read somewhere the scud/ sows were majorly  #16. I think this was a mistake and need to go to size #18. Caught “some” on trout crack #16. I’ll go smaller on these as well.

 I’ve been fishing there steadily the last few years. My in-laws bought a place there a few years ago. Before then, I fished there a few weekends out of the year for geez... 30 years now! I’m blessed to have a family stream with wild trout. 

42 minutes ago, Gavin said:

The hares ear looks more like a hatchery pellet. Don't fish to deep for stockers. They tend to suspend a couple feet below the surface, so if you are fishing bottom at BSSP, you are usually fishing below the majority of the fish. Learn to site fish, and nymph fish w/o a bobber. See (or visualize) where your fly is, and set the hook if something eats in that area.

 

I fish a mono rig the majority of the time nymphing. Only add an indicator to it when I want to just relax or wind picks up. Not bragging but I’m very good at nymphing. It’s my strong point I guess 😁. As for not fishing near bottom, I do pretty darn good there.

[tjm]

I used to catch some trout on #16 burlap body fuzzed out with a rifle brush. 

Those fish don't live in the stream long enough to get to know what is prevalent. I think really trout try to eat any thing that floats by, they eat sand to get caddis worms and they eat tree needles that look like caddis worms, they eat a white pebble the size of a grub worm if you toss them in just the  right spot. Instinct from billions of years of survival with practically no brain has taught them to taste everything. 'course they can spit mighty fast too.

[fishinwrench]

7 minutes ago, tjm said:

I used to catch some trout on #16 burlap body fuzzed out with a rifle brush. 

Those fish don't live in the stream long enough to get to know what is prevalent. I think really trout try to eat any thing that floats by, they eat sand to get caddis worms and they eat tree needles that look like caddis worms, they eat a white pebble the size of a grub worm if you toss them in just the  right spot. Instinct from billions of years of survival with practically no brain has taught them to taste everything. 'course they can spit mighty fast too.

Check the stomach of a Bennett Spring  trout and you'll find mostly moss and a few snails.  

[jdmidwest]

I have seen them eat a cigarette butt.  They love those little green palsa indicators I use, looks like a big chunk of watercress.

[Jeremi414]

Well this post has most definitely gotten of subject. Never asked WHAT they eat. Only the size of the scuds

[Rolan Duffield]

Scuds are primarily found in gravel areas of the stream and are normally in the top six feet of the stream/lake areas. They are abundant in Lake Taneycomo as most of the upper lake is gravel. As long as that gravel is kept covered with water, they will likely thrive there. They can be of any length from a size 18 up to a size 8 at times. Size varies as to the stream conditions at the time. You just need to find out what they want. I normally prefer a size 12 weighted gray scud which is no more than 1/8 inch thick when fishing Taney. Good colors are gray, tan, light brown and olive.

Rolan

[tjm]

Yes they take in quite a bit of moss to get one or two snails. Snails must be worth the effort though fish get fat on them. Henry Hoffman had a snail pattern made by simply tying an overhand knot in a boot lace or paracord and attaching the knot to a hook.  Trout no doubt get some moss when chasing scuds too.

 

46 minutes ago, Jeremi414 said:

Well this post has most definitely gotten of subject.

 

3 hours ago, Jeremi414 said:

If scuds are so prevalent in the stream why can’t I catch but the occasional fish on them?

If scuds are  prevalent in the stream and trout aren't eating them it is likely because they are eating something else,  as I  said they  eat on instinct and they don't come out of the factory knowing scuds are under the rocks or on the weeds, they have to learn that over time of which they don't get much.  So what they eat is why you aren't catching them and is the answer to your question.

Size of scud varies from about 1/16" to maybe 1/2" in the same water at the same time all the time- they live and die right there, grow from infancy to old age. But as was mentioned already #16 or #18 are convenient  to tie and fish and may be the size fish eat the most of. I did know one guy that used #14 scuds successfully. Doesn't really matter where you are if scuds are there they will be about  the same as anywhere else.

Tell you what, here is an article that covers much about scuds and if you read it all you will see why some scuds are olive and some are orange. http://www3.sympatico.ca/ianjames/scudflyfishing.html