The Woolly Gentleman

Broad sourceStrong match

Fulling Mill Flies

Matched on nymph flies, trout, shrimp. Large pattern house with broad freshwater and saltwater fly categories.

nymph fliestroutshrimp

Broad sourceStrong match

Orvis Fly Catalog

Matched on nymph flies, trout, shrimp. Broad retail catalog for standard trout, warmwater, salmon/steelhead, and saltwater patterns.

nymph fliestroutshrimp

Regional shopStrong match

AZ Fly Shop

Matched on nymph flies, trout, carp. Arizona and Southwest shop lead for desert trout, bass, canal carp, and warmwater patterns.

nymph fliestroutcarp

Regional shopStrong match

Davidson River Outfitters

Matched on nymph flies, trout, trout. Southern Appalachian trout shop lead tied to the Davidson River and regional freestones.

nymph fliestrout

In the Driftless region, trout eat scuds the way office workers eat lunch -- every single day, without thinking about it. This curved-hook pattern imitates the freshwater shrimp that carpet limestone spring creek bottoms from Timber Coulee to Trout Run. Olive when alive, pink when dead, with tan, gray, or orange shades when the water asks for nuance. The trout eat all of it. Philosophical implications are your own business.

Quick Facts

TypeNymph

Difficultybeginner

SeasonsSpring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Target SpeciesBrown Trout, Brook Trout, Rainbow Trout

Sizes#14 - #18

Best LocationsTimber Coulee Creek, WI; Whitewater River, MN; Bennett Spring, MO; Trout Run Creek, IA; Yellow River, IA

Where to Fish It

Timber Coulee Creek

WI · Spring Creek

Whitewater River

MN · Spring Creek

Bennett Spring

MO · Spring Creek

Trout Run Creek

IA · Spring Creek

Yellow River

IA · Spring Creek

Map unavailable. Locations for Driftless Scud: Timber Coulee Creek, WI; Whitewater River, MN; Bennett Spring, MO; Trout Run Creek, IA; Yellow River, IA

Related Reading

region guide

Driftless Area: Spring Creek Paradise

Tucked into the unglaciated hills of southwestern Wisconsin, southeastern Minnesota, and northeastern Iowa lies the Driftless Area — a landscape of cold spring creeks, limestone bluffs, and wild trout that rivals any destination in the country. This is the complete guide to fishing the Driftless.

seasonal playbook

The Spring Playbook: First Hatches to Full Send

Spring is the most dynamic season in fly fishing — water temperatures swing daily, hatches emerge in waves, and fish that have been dormant for months begin feeding with increasing urgency. This is your region-by-region playbook for fishing the awakening.

technique

Reading Water: Finding Fish by Reading Structure

Every river tells you where the fish are, if you know how to listen. Reading water is the fundamental skill that separates productive anglers from persistent ones. The ability to look at a stretch of river and identify the handful of spots that hold fish — and dismiss the vast majority that don't — is worth more than a lifetime of fly pattern knowledge.

technique

Fly Selection: A Decision Tree for Every Situation

Most anglers open their fly box and stare at it like a menu in a foreign language. But fly selection isn't mystical — it's a decision tree. Start with what the fish are eating, narrow by presentation depth, match the profile and size, and you'll arrive at the right fly in under sixty seconds. Here's the system.

seasonal playbook

The Winter Guide: Cold Water, Warm Hands, Willing Fish

Winter separates the dedicated from the fair-weather crowd. The rivers are empty, the hatches are tiny, and the fish feed in slow motion. But they do feed — they have to. And the angler who understands cold-water metabolism, midge biology, and the art of slowing down will find winter fishing not just productive but deeply rewarding.

Sow Bug

Find a tier or trusted source

Midwest & Driftless

#14 - #18

Isopod imitation for spring creek trout. Flat, segmented body with antennae. A staple food source in limestone-rich waters.

GrayTanOlive Gray

Brown Trout · Brook Trout · Rainbow Trout

SprSumFallWin

Zebra Midge

Find a tier or trusted source

Midwest & Driftless

#18 - #22

Simple thread-body midge pupa with a bead head. Deadly in winter and early spring when midges dominate the drift.

BlackRedOliveCopper

Brown Trout · Brook Trout · Rainbow Trout

SprSumFallWin

Pheasant Tail Nymph

Find a tier or trusted source

Midwest & Driftless

#14 - #20

The universal mayfly nymph. Pheasant tail fibers over copper wire. Imitates Baetis, PMDs, and most small mayfly nymphs.

NaturalFlashbackOlive

Brown Trout · Brook Trout · Rainbow Trout

SprSumFallWin

Gold-Ribbed Hare's Ear

Find a tier or trusted source

Midwest & Driftless

#12 - #18

Buggy, impressionistic nymph tied from hare's ear fur. Imitates mayflies, caddis pupae, and assorted creek debris.

Natural Hare's EarDarkOlive

Brown Trout · Brook Trout · Rainbow Trout

SprSumFallWin

Mop Fly

Find a tier or trusted source

Midwest & Driftless

#10 - #14

Chenille mop strand on a jig hook with a bead head. Controversial among purists. Devastatingly effective in stocked and wild water alike.

CreamChartreusePinkTan

Brown Trout · Rainbow Trout

SprSumFallWin

Black Hills Pheasant Tail

Find a tier or trusted source

Midwest & Driftless

#14 - #20

Pheasant tail nymph adapted for South Dakota's Black Hills spring creeks. Tungsten bead and slim profile sink quickly in the fast-flowing freestone runs of Rapid and Spearfish creeks.

Natural Pheasant TailFlashbackOliveCopper

Brown Trout · Rainbow Trout

SprSumFallWin