Scuds / gammarus question

ak-71 · #1 10-31-2011, 03:36 PM

I was going to call it "Mormysh" (which is a transliterated Russian word for it), but figured it could get me in trouble

I just have a question: Do you use live (not plastics) scuds for bait (perch, whitefish)?

I think it's a common bait in some other parts of the world (live bloodworms as well) but I never hear about them here, is there a reason?
Is it because it's a hassle to get them, or is it illegal, or it's just not "sport" enough for people here, or do you think that chumming ban makes them ineffective?

slingshotz · #2 10-31-2011, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ak-71

I was going to call it "Mormysh" (which is a transliterated Russian word for it), but figured it could get me in trouble

I just have a question: Do you use live (not plastics) scuds for bait (perch, whitefish)?

I think it's a common bait in some other parts of the world (live bloodworms as well) but I never hear about them here, is there a reason?
Is it because it's a hassle to get them, or is it illegal, or it's just not "sport" enough for people here, or do you think that chumming ban makes them ineffective?

It's not illegal if there's no bait ban. I have used them before with no success, they are really fiddly to get on a hook and if there's no bait ban then a maggot, mealworm or leech is easier to keep on a hook.

ak-71 · #3 10-31-2011, 04:04 PM

Whitefish last year was full of scuds and boatmen ... I'll just have to try this year, I guess...

the local angler · #4 10-31-2011, 04:15 PM

i have tried the scuds for bait and i found it works great but the scuds are tiny and you have to use even tinier hooks. they are very fragile too so if you cast hard they break off very easily. if you are fishing close to weed beds a simple under hand flip toss works.you have to really really down size for this set up i find. i have used tiny little orange and yellow kids type floats in the smallest size with a tiny little #22 + hook size. hooking the fish with such a tiny hook is kinda tricky.fishing with the fly rod and scud type flies seems much easier.lol

ak-71 · #5 10-31-2011, 04:33 PM

As far as I remember it wasn't too bad, larger ones can go bigger than 1cm, we would hook them lengthwise, having legs out was a must, "jigging". We were fishing for a type of whitefish on one lake (the only bait they took) and the only problem was perch we couldn't keep away (took lines out at times when it was getting too bad

) Will defenetly try again

npauls · #6 10-31-2011, 10:35 PM

One year on late season ice me and a buddy were out fishing for perch. We noticed these bright red scud type bugs laying around a bunch of the holes in one area of the lake. They were a bit bigger then the scuds I normally see and I am pretty sure they were dyed that red color. We ended up trying them out and we caught a ton of perch on them. I am not to sure where you can buy them but if I find out I will be stocking up on a few packs at least.

ak-71 · #7 10-31-2011, 10:48 PM

I know some boil them - they go red just as shrimp would

Got few out of a local "lake"

npauls · #8 11-01-2011, 02:45 AM

Nah this was dye.

You could see a red stain around the spot where I picked them up. They were about double the size of the scuds I see in the southern Alberta waters.

horsetrader · #9 11-01-2011, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by npauls

Nah this was dye.

You could see a red stain around the spot where I picked them up. They were about double the size of the scuds I see in the southern Alberta waters.

were they dyed freshwater shrimp?

Sundancefisher · #10 11-01-2011, 10:12 AM

someone...

Find a litter of scuds...put them in brine to harden them up...then come visit me in the winter...and I will show how well they work.

portwein · #11 11-01-2011, 12:22 PM

Yes, "Mormysh" is correct word, it is how we are calling them.
Have seen lot of them in this time of the year in Chestermere Lake inlet channel. Very easy to pick up. Just bring small scoop-net.
Never tried them here, but it was my favorite bait in the past for perch and some carp family fish spices.

ak-71 · #12 11-01-2011, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by portwein

Yes, "Mormysh" is correct word, it is how we are calling them.
Have seen lot of them in this time of the year in Chestermere Lake inlet channel. Very easy to pick up. Just bring small scoop-net.
Never tried them here, but it was my favorite bait in the past for perch and some carp family fish spices.

Russian is my first language

Or just throw a bundle of grass into the water (some say sprinkle flower on it) - next day it's "Mormysh" infested - need no net for that...

Guess we just need to figure out " Motyl' " now

AK

PS. Actually I never tried with the net..

portwein · #13 11-01-2011, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ak-71

Guess we just need to figure out " Motyl' " now

Heard the rumor it is possible to buy frozen "motyl"

= bloodworm in pet stores. They sell them as nutrition for aquarium fish.
Never check it myself.....

ak-71 · #14 11-01-2011, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by portwein

Heard the rumor it is possible to buy frozen "motyl"

= bloodworm in pet stores. They sell them as nutrition for aquarium fish.
Never check it myself.....

The ones I used to buy when I had a fish tank were a small mushy substance (frozen cubes) and way too thin - don't think it would work on a hook. May be some different kind. It was in the US but I doubt it's any different in pet stores here.

npauls · #15 11-01-2011, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by horsetrader

were they dyed freshwater shrimp?

Ya they sure looked like it. Like I said, they were about double the size of the little green and brown scuds I see while ice fishing and dyed a blood red color.

They worked really well on some good sized perch on late ice.

horsetrader · #16 11-01-2011, 11:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by npauls

Ya they sure looked like it. Like I said, they were about double the size of the little green and brown scuds I see while ice fishing and dyed a blood red color.

They worked really well on some good sized perch on late ice.

Ya I have used freshwater shrimp dyed blood red

npauls · #17 11-01-2011, 11:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by horsetrader

Ya I have used freshwater shrimp dyed blood red

Did you just dye them yourself or buy them from somewhere? Where did you get the shrimp from?

I am interested in trying them out again and see if they will work just as good as the first time I tried them.

horsetrader · #18 11-02-2011, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by npauls

Did you just dye them yourself or buy them from somewhere? Where did you get the shrimp from?

I am interested in trying them out again and see if they will work just as good as the first time I tried them.

I got them from WSS

Toirtis · #19 11-02-2011, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ak-71

The ones I used to buy when I had a fish tank were a small mushy substance (frozen cubes) and way too thin - don't think it would work on a hook. May be some different kind. It was in the US but I doubt it's any different in pet stores here.

Good quality ones are not mushy, and come in flat packs, but they are quite small....too small for any hook larger than a 18 at best.

npauls · #20 11-02-2011, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by horsetrader

I got them from WSS

hmm,

If I can't find them down here I may have to get you to ship me a few packs later this winter if you can still find them up there.

The perch were all over them and I don't want to miss out on that opportunity if I don't have to.

WayneChristie · #21 11-02-2011, 07:17 PM

Ive tried the real thing also, but no luck keeping them on a hook, so I came up with these last winter, top one is the plain wire wrap, finished one is coated with glow paint and clear, perch seem to like them.

horsetrader · #22 11-17-2011, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by npauls

Ya they sure looked like it. Like I said, they were about double the size of the little green and brown scuds I see while ice fishing and dyed a blood red color.

They worked really well on some good sized perch on late ice.

Are these what you were talking about come in green red and yellow

npauls · #23 11-17-2011, 08:05 PM

Yup I am pretty sure those are the ones.

The ones we found on the ice were like a blood red color but they sure looked similar to what you have.

I have never noticed them in the stores but will have to keep an eye out for them now.

I have to head to wholesale to check out a few small things for this ultra lite ice hut project I want to build so I will take a look and see if the store down here carries them.

horsetrader · #24 11-17-2011, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by npauls

Yup I am pretty sure those are the ones.

The ones we found on the ice were like a blood red color but they sure looked similar to what you have.

I have never noticed them in the stores but will have to keep an eye out for them now.

I have to head to wholesale to check out a few small things for this ultra lite ice hut project I want to build so I will take a look and see if the store down here carries them.

These were at WSS southside $3.29

npauls · #25 11-17-2011, 09:35 PM

Ok thanks,

Hopefully the one down here has them in stock.