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    • December 11, 2018 at 5:02 pm #7116
      Bob3700
      Participant

      Sensei,

      I was wondering what the best technique would be for fishing areas where underwater week beds are predominate? In the past, I have fished small scuds under an indicator. In the past, guides have told me that weed beds are the haven for scuds and that has worked well.

      How about dry flies in this type of water. Usually, the flow is slow and you might even see fish that are cruising just below the surface. Would you work a dry fly or something like a soft hackle or crackleback just under the surface.

      If you are working a scudd under an indicator, often it gets hung up on the week beds as they move with the flowing water. U do often see fish come up from there hiding places and chase after or take the scud as it drifts along in the current.

      Thoughts you have?

    • December 13, 2018 at 8:38 am #7127
      Sensei
      Participant

      Grasshopper’

      Fishing weeds are you. This is good as long as you aren’t “cultivating” weed. Frustrating it can be to hang up time after time on a weedy bottom. And correct you are to say that scuds like the weeds to hide. Did you know that a scud will turn from gray to pink when it dies? I think so…. Which means if an area is filled with scuds (like a tailwater) try a pinkish scud when the water rises. The scuds that were trapped on the shore when the water level went down have died, turned pinkish and are now flushed out when the water level rises. But I digress….

      Another thing to know about scuds and you can see this during one of your fellowship’s Stream Team events is they are very good swimmers unlike some nymphs. Many fly fishers tend to fish them dead drift (which is a good technique) but fish them as though they were swimming! So, in a weedy location that is loaded with scuds try to “swing” or slowly “strip” these scud flies for fewer hangups and more catching.

      If the weed bed area is shallow then swinging a soft hackle or even a crackleback can be deadly especially if you see fish suspended or on the surface. A dry fly could entice a few but if they are roaming the film layer of the water swinging a small soft hackle or small emerger fly will do the trick.

      Tight lines always to you my Grasshopper…….

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