Sculpin Fly Tying Instruction

The sculpin is a small fish with a large round head and body that quickly tapers to a narrow tail. Most species are found in saltwater with some found in cool clear freshwater such as the headwaters of mountain streams and rivers. It is in these headwaters that most fly anglers fish with the sculpin fly for trout. The sculpin has no swim bladder, living among the rocks on the bottom of rivers and streams. Coloration of the sculpin is determined by the rocks in the stream they inhabit, providing good camouflage.

Things You'll Need

  • Tiemco TMC 7999 or comparable hook
  • 6/0 tying thread
  • Saddle patches, hackles
  • Copper or lead wire
  • Rabbit dubbing
  • White deer hair
  • Black deer hair
  • Ringneck pheasant tail feathers
  • Stick-on eyes
  • Fly tying vise
  • Scissors
  • Thread bobbin
  • Head cement
  • Whip finisher
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place the hook in the vise with the point down. Make a base by wrapping the thread along the hook shank from behind the eye to the point above the hook point.

    • 2

      Wrap wire along the hook shank from behind the eye to the point above the hook point and cover it with wraps of thread. One option is to leave the fly unweighted, using a weighted line to get the fly to the bottom. This will present the fly just off the bottom, reducing the chances of snagging.

    • 3

      Select four hackles that are close in length and diameter and match them up in two pairs. Trim to the length of the hook shank.

    • 4

      Strip the underside of the hackles clean, so they lie flat.

    • 5

      Tie on the hackles at the point on the shank above the hook's point with several wraps of thread. You want the hackles to stick straight out behind the hook.

    • 6

      Pinch tie the dubbing onto the shank at the front of the tail. Grasp a piece of dubbing near the middle, separating the hairs. Wrap the thread at this bare spot.

    • 7

      Lay the dubbing along the shank, tying it just behind the eye with several wraps of thread. If you are using wire to weight the fly, counter-wrap the length of the dubbing with the wire. Be careful not to tie down any of the hackles or hair.

    • 8

      Cement tow tail feathers together. Clip a small "v" notch on the top and tie to the sides of the body with several wraps of thread.

    • 9

      Clean a small bunch of white deer hair by grasping it with the hackle pliers, combing your fingers through it to remove long hairs. Tie the bunch onto the bottom of the hook shank at the front of the body using a few wraps of thread.

    • 10

      Clean and tie on a small bunch of black deer hair on top of the white deer hair. Repeat this process of tying on white and black deer hair until you reach the eye of the hook.

    • 11

      Tie a whip finish knot for the head and apply a drop of head cement to secure everything.

    • 12

      Use the scissors to shape the head into a cone with a flat bottom. As you trim, leave a few of the collar strands untrimmed. This will create a small splash as you strip the fly.

    • 13

      Glue the eyes to the sides of the head.