First 2 scuds, advice?

mute

mute

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Tied up my first 2 scuds, any constructive criticism to improve on? I want to get more of buggy legs coming down without just relying on dubbing, but on that matter, any specific dubbing thats good for them thats loose and leggy? I was just using rabbit dubbing which is meh for that i think, I think if i can incorporate a way to have like the same hen hackle for the tail and antenna to shoot straight down for legs thatd be good.
 
these are pretty realistic in my opinion

scuds-large.jpg
 
What are you using for shell backs? I use cut pieces of zip lock baggies my material come in...bu they look pretty good...
 
Thanks, yea the one on the right is a cut baggie and the one on the right is similiar but more of a rubbery material that i bought called scud back/thin skin, and ziplock bags are hell lot cheaper.
 
send me a few. can't tell by the looks of them if they will catch fish. field testing.
 
Haha bruno, heres a quick one i tried to get some type of legs on. If only one more set was up front i think it would pf looked damn good.
 
Look great. Weighted? What size are they?
Now you need to tie up a dozen in each of several colors and head out to the Cumberland Valley spring creeks. I noticed grey scuds at Falling Springs so maybe that's another color you should tie.

BTW what camera did you use for the pictures? Seems to have a good macro focus.
 
Thanks, yea theyre weighted, theyre size 16 scud hooks. Im thinking of trying my luck with that at valley. I seen alot of green scuds there. Its a 720SW by Olympus
 
SowScud dubbing. I think Wapsi makes it.

Dub it, pull the back over, rib it, then pick/brush the living hell out of it. It pulls out nice and leggy.

FFP has it, and a copy of their catalog is free. Just order one on their website.

www.flyfishersparadise.com
 
sounds good, thanks.
 
first one with legs
 
Dude, don't bother killing yourself with the legs...just used really buggy dubbing and pick it out...but if you must...just use some webby hackle and mush it down both side when put the back on...you can rib over and through both then if you want...
 
Tom,

let him haggle over the legs, it's part of the natural fly tyer's progression:

1. learn to tie
2. tie simple patterns that you know work
3. get better from tying them
4. try to make the simple ones overly complex
5. try to tie real complex patterns, fail
6. try to tie real complex patterns, succeed
7. realize complex patterns don't work much better, and you need flies fast.
8. tie simple patterns that catch fish.

25,000 flies later, you reach step 9.

9. you are really good at tying, and tie super complex patterns because it is really fun, but keep your boxes stocked with the simple ones... because they still work.

Mute just started, and I think he's at step 4. Hell, after like 5 years, I'm just now at step 8. I think he's progressed pretty fast, but you can't fight the nature of the beast.
 
I like to think I just skipped from 2 to 8. :-D

Boyer
 
I wouldn't expect anything less from the creator of the wild mountain cougar. You are your own kind of tier, boyer. That's for sure. I dig it.
 
The plastic sleeve that your newspaper comes in also makes great scudback.

And for an extremely simple yet effective scud in sizes 18 and smaller you can just wrap fine chenille, which on these smaller hooks does pretty good job of imitating legs. Dont forget you can tie a few scuds on standard nymph hooks too.
 
Now I feel like I have to retie my scuds. Mute's put mine to shame.
 
The flies do look realistic, but it only matters how they look to the trout. Do I think they will catch fish? Yes I do, and that's all that really matters.
 
Wow, my scuds look like crap compared to those. I have just been using size 14-16 scud hooks weighted with wire, then dubbed, plastic bag back pulled over, ribbed, tied off. I haven't tried any of my self-tied flies yet. I guess im just too scared. Also I haven't been fishing over the winter, so I haven't really been tying either.
 
Keep in mind, those scuds in the up close picture (the second post) are staight off Graham Owen's site.

See: Graham Owen

Not to start anything mute, but I think people are making false assumptions.
 
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