Bodkin / Patterns

Midweight Scud

Nymph · Trout · Intermediate · 1 version

Reference Recipe

  • Hook curved scud/czech-nymph hook, 12-16
  • Thread tan 8/0 (70 denier)

Materials

  • Lead-free wire (underweight) Silver lead free wire (6-8 turns)
  • Scud dubbing (body) Grey-olive scud dubbing (small pinch)
  • Scud back (shellback) Clear scud back thin skin (1 thin strip)
  • Wire (rib) Copper wire (fine)

How to tie it

  1. Wrap 6-8 turns of fine lead-free wire over the middle third of the shank for a moderate sink rate and bind it down; this is the midweight, not a bomb.
  2. Start the thread and tie in a clear scud-back strip and a length of fine wire at the bend.
  3. Dub a plump body forward to behind the eye, picking it fatter in the middle to mimic a scud's humped back.
  4. Pull the scud back forward over the top and bind it down at the eye, keeping it taut so it forms a smooth shell.
  5. Counter-wrap the wire forward in 5-6 open turns to segment the shell and lock it down, then helicopter off the excess.
  6. Pick out the dubbing along the underside with a bodkin to suggest legs, then whip finish and cement.

Tying videos

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