Umpqua Slap Shot Scud Tungsten Jig Fly

Overview

Designed by Umpqua signature tyer Jon Easdon, the Slap Shot Scud is a tungsten-bead jig scud built to fool selective trout. Easdon created it because he saw scuds as an overlooked trout food and few good patterns were available.

Scuds are small freshwater crustaceans that live in weed beds and gravel in streams, rivers and lakes, and trout eat them all year. This version rides on a jig hook with the point up, and the tungsten bead gets it down fast. Easdon balanced it for straight-line and Euro nymphing, and it fishes just as well in stillwater.

Euro Specs

• Hook: Jig hook.
• Role: Both. A good point fly in moderate water, or a dropper above a heavier anchor.

How to Fish It

• Euro or tight-line: fish it on the point or dropper and keep it close to the bottom through riffles and runs.
• Under an indicator: pair it with a worm or larger nymph in tailwaters and spring creeks where scuds are common.
• Stillwater: fish it slowly near weed beds with a hand-twist retrieve or hang it under an indicator.
• Tippet: 5X or 6X fluorocarbon.

Choosing Color and Size

This listing is Gray in size 12. Gray is a natural scud color that matches live scuds in many waters. Size 12 is a larger scud profile with a heavier bead, good for deeper runs and lakes with big scuds.