Korn's Wire Head Scud a step-by-step

tied and photographed by Doug Korn

This is a simple scud pattern that I developed back when I first stared tying. I used wire wraps to form the heads of flies instead of beads. At the time, I didn't have any beads and it was too expensive to have a wide assortment of different size beads. So, I just used heavy wire on my larger flies and medium wire on the smaller ones. Being able to vary the size of the wire and the number of wraps used to form the head gave me infinite adjustment on head size as-well-as the weight of my flies. I still tie my scuds this way today in; pink, orange, gray and olive as well. 

Hook: Allen Scud hook #2457 size 14

Thread: Danville 6/0 dark olive

Scud Back: Uni-Mylar  #13 3/64" Pearl

Rib and Head: copper wire - med. 28 gauge.

Body: Red Fox Squirrel dubbing 

Start thread behind eye and build a thread base one eye long.

Tie in wire and return thread wraps to starting point.

Add a drop of head cement.

Wrap wire four turns forward.

Then wrap a second layer of wire on top of first with three turns.

Tie off wire and run it back to the bend f the hook for use as the rib.

Keep the wire on the side/bottom of hook with neat touching turns of thread.

Tie in the scud back material.

Loose dubbing on a waxed thread.

Wrap dubbing forward.

Pull scud back forward and tie off behind wire bead.

Rib fly, tie off and helicopter wire off. 

Brush out the fly.

Trim legs to hook gape, and any stray guard hairs.

Top of finished fly.

Korn's Wire Head Scud.