he sculpin (family Cottoidea), also commonly called the scorpion fish or a bullhead, is an important food source for various species of game fish in both fresh and salt water. Sculpins inhabit river bottoms and can also be found along kelp forests and inshore tidal pools. They have a broad, wide head with eyes looking up and large, wide pectoral fins, which enable them to crawl along the bottom and anchor over structure in fast-moving currents.
Q’s Sculpy Fly embodies these characteristics. Trophy-sized trout in fresh-water streams, as well assaltwater species such as calico bass and Hawaiian bonefish, find it irresistible. The fly also imitates many brown baitfish that reside in both fresh and salt water, such as the lizardfish and the goby.
I designed this fly to swim point up to avoid snags along the bottom. You could add a weed guard if desired. The jigging motion of any weighted fly will evoke strikes on the pause and sink, and the Sculpy Fly is no different. I like to fish it with a Loop Knot for added sink and lifelike movement. You can vary the sizes, materials, and colors to your liking.
Materials for Q’s Sculpy Fly
Hook: Daiichi 472 streamer hook, size 2 or 4
Thread: Brown Danville Flymaster 210 denier
Underweights: Dazl Eyes, 5/32-inch for a size 2 hook, 3/32-inch for size 4 hook, plus 1/2 inch of folded lead wire, just behind the Dazl Eyes
Tail: Brown over tan wig hair or synthetic fiber substitute.
Pectoral fins: Two grizzly soft hackles, one on each side
Body: Hollow deer hair
Head section: Tan EP Fibers
Eyes: Small dark eyes
Color: Yellow and brown Sharpie
Head Cement: Zap CA Thin Formula for body and head; Zap Goo for the eyes
Tying Q’s Sculpy Fly
1. Secure the hook in the vise and cover the entire length of the shank with thread wraps, leaving a 1/16-inch gap to the eye of hook.
2. Secure the Dazl Eyes. Fold a 1/2-inch piece of lead wire, pinch the ends, and secure it with thread wraps just behind eyes directly under the shank. (See first photo below.) Hit with Zap CA Thin to lock them all in.
3. Tie in a length of brown wig hair near its middle, then fold it back to taper the ends. Tie in tan wig hair on top.
4. Invert the hook and add small lengths of brown wig hair on each side of the fly to complete the tail taper.
5. Split a pinch of deer hair and tie it in on top of the shank, extending past the bend, then trim the hollow ends.
6. Add one soft hackle pectoral fin to each side. Lock them in with Zap CA Thin.
7. Begin to build the head with tan EP fibers by tying in the first section on top of the shank with two figure-eight cross wraps in each direction so the material lays perpendicular to the shank.
8. Fan out and add a small amount of short EP Fibers parallel to the shank as above, covering the gap created by the thread wraps in step 7.
9. Continue to place EP fibers and cover previous wraps on top of the shank until the rest of the shank is covered to just behind the eye of the hook. Whip finish.
10. Trim the head to shape, then color the top with brown marker, adding yellow on the edges. Add black stripes on the tail and head. Add eyes on top of the fly with Zap Goo to finish the fly.
