I received a new fly fishing mag in the mail last week. Right there on the front cover was a reference to a main feature called 3 Dirty Flies: Two Bit Hooker, Kinky Muddler and a Psycho Prince. Why the tiers have to come up with provocative names is beyond me. Usually these new patterns are knock-offs of another known pattern that have a tad difference in material or shade color in its ingredients. I think they just change the name to capture one’s interest. With this in mind I added my own touch to a pattern that I will now call the ‘Virgin Scud’.
I am going to fish the Big Horn this coming April. I read that pink scuds were the #1 fish getter that time of year beneath the surface. Being I have never used this fly before I guess it would be a ‘Virgin’ in my account. Next it is pink! Now I always claim I do not have a feminine side so I don’t get into tying pink flies but this kind of has to be done if I plan on catching fish in Montana.
I’m not a nymph fisherman as much as some and my one nymph box will prove it but occasionally when my buggers, streamers and dries don’t connect and I see someone scoring on nymphs, I go ahead and give them a try. After a couple of Leinenkugel’s 1888 bock beers, I decided to give these Virgin Scuds a go.

material





Hook: 37160 #16 Mustad (curved)
Thread: cherry red
Rib: fine gold (french) wire
Shellback: plastic strip cut from a zip-loc bag.
Body: 4 pink Ostrich herl
Head: cherry red


1. Clamp Virgin hook tightly so she won’t get loose
2. Start thread behind her eye and use smooth even wraps towards her rear as shown




3. Tie in a gold rib, (virgins love gold), and then strip


4. Tie in Ostrich herl at rear with tips over the shaft as shown. (I use 4 Ostrich herl to play with)




5. wind thread over the herl tips to just behind eye.
6. Holding the herl upright, stroke the herl so the fibers extend outward. Now wrap the herl towards the eye in close wraps. Do not twist.


7. tie off herl behind eye and trim the extra herl.





8. Trim the herl bush above the shaft


9. Fold the plastic forward over the trimmed bush and shaft and secure down behind the eye.


10. Wind the gold wire in open wraps over the body and shellback. You may have to stroke the herl again to keep it from getting caught between the wire and shaft.


11. Make a distinct red head with the cherry thread and you have conquered the 'Virgin Scud'



I tie these weighted (.010 lead wire) and non-weighted. I use copper wire on the weighted Virgins so I can tell them apart.

Like I said, I’m not much of a nymph fisherman, so I did some research and found out what the difference is between a scud/fresh water shrimp and a sow bug/cress bug. A scud has legs beneath its body and are generally good swimmers. A sow bug has legs on each side and are crawlers. I noticed that the pictures of scuds are arced so this is why I used a curved hook.
Well I hope these look ‘Virgin’ enough to catch some of those big trout in Montana.


Here are two other shades I tie them in.
Orange Miss-stress and The Gray Matron


Orange Miss-stress
same as the Virgin Scud replacing these items
Thread: Burnt Orange
Body: orange Ostrich herl


The Gray Matron
Thread: gray
Rib: silver
Body: gray ostrich herl


I thought maybe they can use a  more plumpy body but i wasn't sure if it's worth it. Anyone that fished the Big Horn can help me out let me know what you think?

Time for a cold beer!!