The Norfork River Scud

DATE: Thursday, 10/13/2005

TIME: 10:30 AM to 2:00 PM

WEATHER: Low 80’s, partly cloudy

WATER CONDITIONS: 0 units

LOCATIONS FISHED: Norfork River, McClellan's near Ace in the Hole

HATCH: Small cream midge, about #22

ROD USED: Winston 8’ 6” 5-weight WT Joan Wulff Favorite

FLIES USED: #14 gray Norfork River scud, #14 olive/dun cocklebur

OTHER: I fished with Dick. Because of a washer/dryer repair, I was unable to get on the water early; consequently, it was about 10:30 AM and the river had been fished pretty hard already. We both fished at the top of Ace in the Hole. Both fishing and catching were pretty good. Dick took about 2 dozen fish on the gray scud, and I took about the same amount. While fishing was not slow, I did fish hard, and the bite was pretty light, barely moving the strike indicator. A perfect drag-free drift was essential. I moved to the flat water and began fishing to rises using the # 20 olive/dun cockleburr fly fished as a dry fly. The fish were extremely leader shy and would move at the slightest hint of rod or line in the air. I did manage to take two nice cutthroat in the less that one foot of water.

The river was packed, and has been all week. However, few people are catching fish on the Norfork River. I saw two other people catch one fish each while we fished. Having talked to several people, and looking at their set-up, I believe it's necessary to use a long leader and the Norfork River scud pattern. I use an ORVIS 9 foot 5X Super Strong leader, tipped with an extra 3 feet of 5X fluorocarbon, followed by about 4 feet of 6X fluorocarbon. I DO NOT use any weight on the leader/tippet. The strike indicator is about 4 feet above the hook (cover the knot between the 5X and 6X tippet). A near perfect drag-free dead drift is essential. The pattern for my Norfork River scud is as follows:

Dunn’s Norfork River Scud

Hook: TMC 2487 BL, #14

Thread: Gray

Tail: Mallard Flank Feather, about 5 fibers

Weight: About 10 turns of 0.020 lead Ribbing: Silver Wire

Body: Medium gray antron dubbing

Shellback: Sow/scud back, clear

After the fly is tied, I mash the lead vertically to give the silhouette one of a live scud.