Fly Tying Inventory
Sculpinator
A Fulling Mill sculpin pattern, tied here by Cheech of Fly Fish Food. Barred rabbit gives the fly its soft, breathing body and tail, marabou feathers stand out as pectoral fins, and a Fish-Skull Bandito helmet supplies a wide head and the weight to get down. It is a quick tie that can be scaled to other sizes and colors, as long as the helmet fits the hook. Fish it close to the bottom with short strips. Tied here on a size 4 hook.
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Materials
Fulling Mill FM2225 Stealth Streamer hook, size 4 (or Fulling Mill 36040 Streamer Stripper)
4
Fulling Mill Big Game Rabbit Zonker Strips, olive grizzly black barred (or Black Barred Rabbit Strips, olive variant)
Olive Grizzly Black Barred
Fulling Mill Big Game Rabbit Zonker Strips, olive grizzly black barred (or Black Barred Rabbit Strips, olive variant)
Olive Grizzly Black Barred
Hareline Grizzly Soft Hackle Marabou Patch, yellow, for the fins (or Whiting Red Label Hen Saddle, grizzly dyed olive)
Yellow
Fish-Skull Bandito Sculpin Helmet, small, olive (or brown)
Olive · Small
Red stick-on eyes sized to fit the head
Red
Solarez UV Cure Resin - Medium Hard 1/2 oz, to set the head and coat the eyes
How to Tie the Sculpinator
- 1
Step 1
Start the thread behind the eye and lay a base back to the bend.
- 2
Step 2
Tie in a length of rabbit strip at the bend. Take turns of the strip around the rear of the shank so the fur forms a soft, full tail, tie it off and trim the excess.
- 3
Step 3
Tie in a second rabbit strip just ahead of the first, leaving a length of it trailing past the bend.
- 4
Step 4
Take the forward end of the strip around the shank to form the body, sweeping the fur back with each turn. Tie it off with room left behind the eye, and trim.
- 5
Step 5
Tie in a marabou feather against one side of the shank ahead of the rabbit, with the tip pointing out over the eye. Fold it back and bind it so it lies along the side as a broad fin.
- 6
Step 6
Repeat on the other side of the shank, then trim the butts.
- 7
Step 7
Build a small thread base behind the eye for the head to seat on.
- 8
Step 8
Coat the base with resin and slide the helmet over the eye, bringing the thread out in front of it. Push the helmet back against the fins and cure the resin.
- 9
Step 9
Whip finish in front of the helmet and cut the thread.
- 10
Step 10
Press an eye into each side of the helmet, using a small drop of resin to hold it.
- 11
Step 11
Coat the eyes and the wraps at the front of the helmet with resin and cure.
Watch Tying Tutorial
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mH7EPBNT6Wc
Credit: Cheech / Fly Fish Food