The Scud

One of the best flies that I have fished with, especially in early spring, has been the scud. Scuds come in a wide variety of colors, but often colors such as tan, olive, and brown seem to work best. I have used orange and pink as well, but these colors are really more intended for darker water conditions in order to aid in higher visibility. A scud is a small, freshwater shrimp and can often comprise up to 20% of a trout’s overall diet. Next time you are wading around the river bank, try to focus on the bottom of the river bed around the shoreline. If you see scuds, you can pretty much guarantee some action if you happen to have one of these in your fly box.


This is what a live scud looks like!

Here are a few examples of the Epoxy Scud variation that I have been tying recently...

Idle Hands and Homebrew!

Well, tonight I was attempting to restock my fly boxes with one of my favorite patterns, the pheasant tail nymph.  I started as I normally do, tying the traditional recipes and then slowly moving into minor variations that included alternate hooks, wire, beads and of course flashbacks.  It was then that I saw some potential.  I began incorporating some of the epoxy techniques that I learned just a few weeks ago while tying the jujubaetis and applied that idea to the pheasant tail wing case.  What materialized was a flashback variation unlike any that I have tied before.  The flashback feature really jumps out on this pattern.  Hopefully, the trout will be as excited about this fly as I was when I was tying it.

The New and Improved Flashback Pheasant Tail Nymph

They look even better lined up in my fly box!

After that, there was no stopping me.  I kept experimenting with epoxy, hook sizes and types, dubbing, etc…  You name it!  What was created at last, with just a few scraps that I would have normally tossed in the trash, was something that I really feel good about.  What once was a simple nymph pattern has now been exposed to a few hours of homebrew, idle hands, and what can only be described as the equivalent of concentrated gamma radiation.  She will have a test run this season.  Let’s see what the trout think!

The Hulk!

Un-Matching the Hatch

I have been fly fishing now for about 5 years and one of the first things that I was taught had to do with the importance of “Matching the Hatch”. As we have all certainly experienced, there are magical times during the year when we find ourselves on the river at just the right moment. The temperature is perfect, the wind is calm, and the mood is just right… and then it happens. All of the sudden, we are in the middle of a massive emergence. We frantically rifle through our fly box for that perfect fly that the trout will certainly find irresistible. We toss pattern after pattern watching in desperation as the trout rise at what seems to be anything but the fly that we are presenting. “What’s going on”, you start thinking. Is it the fly? Is it the presentation? Is it me?

Despite the effort, you end up short. The emergence begins to thin and the surface of the river falls silent once again. You then compare your pattern to a few bugs that you have managed to catch during what was certainly a poor example of adult behavior as you uncontrollably swatted at the air still unlucky and without a trout on the end of your line. What could you have done differently?

These are the moments to throw out everything you have learned. Ignore all of the recommendations that you have been given and do the unthinkable, “Un-Match the Hatch”. Believe it or not, this technique can be quite effective, especially during those periods in which there is a load of surface activity and such a large volume of natural foods that even a great imitation still lacks the needed detail to be mistaken for the real thing. These are the times to try patterns such as ants, hoppers, stimulators, etc… Presenting something that is a polar opposite to what the trout might be expecting may be just the trick to grasp their attention, especially during what can seem to be similar to a wild feeding frenzy. Give it a try; you just might surprise yourself as to what will be effective.

The Jujubaetis

You will have to pardon the picture on this one because the surface had so much of a sheen that I had a hard time focusing on such a small fly with my point and click camera.  Anyway, this is the Jujubaetis.  Now while it may just be a variation if the original Jujubee pattern, it can be quite effective fishing in tandem along with the little midge counterpart.  This is another one of Charlie Craven’s designs that I have been utilizing for a few years and which has produced some really nice fish both in the South Platte and Big Thompson rivers.    I have had the best luck mid to late fall and I recommend tying these in a wide range of colors.

The Jujubaetis

The GFA or “Clod Hopper”

This is the General Foam Attractor (GFA) or sometimes called the “Clod Hopper” depending on which resource you are finding these in.  It is a simple pattern and very easy to tie.  However, don’t let the basic nature of this pattern fool you.  It is highly customizable as far as color and size and it is a prime candidate for a “hopper and dropper” rig.  If you find yourself on a river where smaller trout are taking hoppers and the Charlie Boy just has a little too much bulk to set the hook, try one of these on for size.  A slimmer profile and wider gape could provide more consistent hook sets.

The Clod Hopper or GFA

Muddy Water

I don’t know about the rest of you, but when I see a stream that has become murky due to runoff, I typically either head for the nearest bar for a couple of beers or return home to plan a fishing trip for another day. However; after talking to a few guides over the last month, I have been informed that in these situations, all is not lost. There are a few things to consider that could really salvage the trip and provide a pretty effective fishing day.


1. Surface patterns in most cases will be useless, especially small ones. Stick with wet flies like streamers or nymphs.

2. Color will be important. Darker colors will show a better contrast in muddy water than lighter colors. It will be best to use black and olive variations of streamer or large nymph patterns. Some of the guides that I spoke with actually recommended two-tones as well , as these attract a lot of attention.

3. Fish the edges. Often trout will congregate within the overhanging brush or grass along the sides of a stream or within cut banks while the water is muddy. There are better natural opportunities for them there due to increased visibility and terrestrials being caught in the runoff.

4. If the first three suggestions prove to be unsuccessful, head further upstream. Often poor water conditions are caused by a tributary bringing deposits into the main river. Water conditions above that particular area may prove to be better.

At the Tying Bench!

I spent a nice relaxing day indoors today after a week of long hours and little sleep.  As always, those days are perfect times for practicing my tying and improving on the many techniques that I have learned over the last year.  Today, I wanted to concentrate on the Charlie Boy Hopper.  I know that I have tied this one in the past, but after attending the show last weekend and seeing the latest demonstration of it there, I thought that I would revisit the pattern and see how well I can improve.   If you compare my first attempt to this one… it is like night and day.

The Charlie Boy Hopper - IMPROVED!