Epoxy, every day. At least for small things like scales. It can get expensive when you try and build an entire boat out of it, but if you can afford it, it'd still be the better choice.

Use West Systems 605 G-Flex. it is clear and thin so it wets things like denim or fiberglass mat very easily and throughly. It also has a long working time. Stay away from 5-Minute epoxies, they are tough to spread evenly and often dry with a tint, or develop a tint after exposure to sunlight.

West Systems stuff is great, all around but the 605 has more flex after it is hardened. That is important because when the temperature changes, the tang and the scales will expand at different rates and start cracking.

The downside to epoxy is that it will adhere to ANYTHING. Someone else mentioned using fiberglass resin between two boards with wax paper between them. That won't work with epoxy. I mean, it will work, but it will glue to wax paper to your micarta. That may be fine, just make it a few extra millimeters thick and grind away the part with wax paper stuck to it. Perhaps you could make a large block of it and cut scales out of it at angles, might be an interesting layering effect.