Dorsey’s UV Scud

UV Scud, Olive

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Tying Instructions

1. Attach the hook to the vise and secure the thread to the top of the shank behind the eye.

2. Clip off a section of Antron yarn and use only half of the strands for the antennae and tail. Secure the strands to the top of the hook shank behind the eye.

3. Secure the antron along the top of the shank from behind the eye to the midpoint of the bend of the hook.

4. Attach the monofilament to the bottom of the hook shank and secure up to the tail. Wrap the thread back up to behind the eye.

5. Cut a point to the 1/8″ Clear Scudback material. Attach the point of the scudback to the top of the hook shank behind the eye and secure with thread wraps to the tail.

6. Dub the thread with the UV Ice Dubbing, locking in the first fibers at the tail with a couple of thread turns.

7. The dubbing should not be a tight noodle but rather loose. Wrap the dubbing around the shank working up to the eye. Try to build a slight taper and a full body.

8. Wrap up to the eye of the hook.

9. Bring the scudback over the top of the body and secure with two tight thread wraps behind the eye.

10. Bring the Scudback tag end back towards the rear and secure with a couple additional thread wraps behind the eye. This will lock in the material.

11. Clip off the scudback tag end and wrap the monofilament in spirol wraps forward to the eye. Secure with a couple of thread wraps on either side of the monofilament and trim off the tag end. Build a small thread head.

12. Apply a whip finish.

13. Trim off the thread.

14. Trim both the tail and antennae antron to size, they should not be longer than the hook gape.

15. Tease out the dubbing fibers from beneath the body with a dubbing brush.

16. Trim the teased dubbing so that it does not exceed the hook point and trim from the hook point to the eye.

17. The finished UV Scud.

Materials to Order Material, click the link
Hook	TMC 2457 #14-16
Thread	Veevus 10/0 Olive
Antennae	Olive Antron
Body	Light Olive UV Ice Dubbing
Tail	Olive Antron
Shellback	Clear Scud Back
Ribbing	Monofilament

Pat Dorsey

UV Scud

The UV Scud is a pattern designed by Pat Dorsey, the co-owner of Blue Quill Angler fly shop in Evergreen, Colorado. According to Dorsey, “The UV Scud is a pattern that all tailwater junkies should carry in their arsenal of flies. Scuds are freshwater crustaceans that provide a high protein food source for trout in both stillwater impoundments and the tail races below. The UV Scud was developed to imitate the Gammarus specimens.

Year-round Food Source

Olive scuds (living scuds) are a great attractor year-round as opportunistic trout are always looking for them. Orange scuds are particularly effective during the spring months because fluctuating flows routinely flush-out dead scuds from the substrate into the drift. Trout also readily take an orange scud as an egg during the spring season, so they are twice as effective.”

UV Sheen

“Scuds have a shrimp-like appearance with a tail, segmented body, shell back, and antennae, all key characteristics that must be accounted for when designing impostors. My seine samples prove that scuds have a brilliant UV sheen to them, thus the UV Scud was born. The UV Scud incorporates Antron into the design for the tail and antennae, Hareline’s UV Ice Dubbing for the body, and a plastic shell back ribbed with mono-filament to create a life-like look, with the final touch, pulling down the legs (dubbing) with a bodkin. Scuds are powerful swimmers, so legs are an important part of their design.”

Middle of Water Column

“While common wisdom is to fish scuds and freshwater shrimp imitations along the bottom, I have found that targeting the middle of the water column around grass beds to be particularly effective. Will scuds produce when bounced along the bottom on a heavy nymph rig? Of course they will. But keeping your flies near the grass will usually uncover fish that have their guard down in pursuit of a meal.”

“Keep in mind: scuds usually live amongst the weeds, using the plants for both food and protection from predators. When the grass gets washed downstream during bumps in river flows, the scuds become dislodged and wash downstream. The same thing happens when the grass dies off and floats down. The key is to identify the pockets and tailouts that the vegetation is being pushed into. Here, you will usually find a pod of trout eating them like candy.”

UV Scud, Orange

Hook	TMC 2457 #14-16
Thread	Veevus 10/0 Orange
Antennae	Orange Antron
Body	Shrimp Pink UV Ice Dubbing
Tail	Orange Antron
Shellback	Clear Scud Back
Ribbing	Monofilament

UV Scud, Light Olive

Hook	TMC 2457 #14-16
Thread	Danville 6/0 Light Olive
Antennae	Chartreuse Antron
Body	Light Yellow UV Ice Dubbing
Tail	Chartreuse Antron
Shellback	Clear Scud Back
Ribbing	Monofilament

UV Scud, Tan

Hook	TMC 2457 #14-16
Thread	Veevus 10/0 Tan
Antennae	Tan Antron
Body	Tan UV Ice Dubbing
Tail	Tan Antron
Shellback	Clear Scud Back
Ribbing	Monofilament