How To Steps ( Hunt's High Water Sculpin

[Jeremy Hunt]

Hunt's High Water Sculpin

Recipe:

Hook: TMC 7999, 1/0 or 2/0

Thread: Danville 210, color to match body

Eyes: Metz Eyes

Foam: 2MM tied on the bend of the hook, or hard mason mono in 30 pound-

Tail: Barred Rabbit from Hareline, Olive

Body: Select Marabou, Bucktail

Pec Fins: Barred Marabou from Hareline

Head: Wool

Copyright 2009 ,Patent Pending

So last year as some of you know I really went gun-ho on the streamer fishing. I knew the White River was built for this. If you ask me, I wouldn’t want to throw indicator rigs or dries because this river is a whole other ball game. Sure, those things work, but remember I said, built for. This river is all about big browns and there is a way to only target this species. Yes, you won't play the numbers game, but that’s not what it's about. It’s about that one fish. Big flies are what they’re after and that’s what I think triggers the other side of their brain.

I know for a fact there are tons of sculpins in this water because I’ve seen them by the hundreds up at the dam in low water after a heavy generation. After playing around with several articulated patterns and tying with marabou by the boat load. I started thinking about a good streamer that would imitate these bigger sculpins, but still keep the movement and the profile. I also know that most bigger fish would hit the front hook instead of the back hook, which tells me they are attacking it from the head, trying to kill it.

So when coming up with this pattern I thought about all those things. You could and I have put a trailer on this pattern, but really you don’t need it. You can also tie this fly keeled style and make it ride directly on the bottom, other ways to tweek the pattern. The way I tie is the way I like it and it works for what I’m trying to accomplish. Something buggy in the water and has a big profile to entice a big trout. Because we are relying on sinking heads (275-450 grain) that have 30-40 foot heads this is why we don’t worry about weighting the hook as much. This is the way the industry is evolving. (A whole other subject which will be what I talk about on my newsletter article, switch rods and streamer rod).

Here's the article-

What’s evolving in the fly fishing world you ask?

Switch Rods & Streamer Rods

So lets talk a little bit about switch rods and the correct streamer rods with the right outfitted lines that go with them. I don’t know everything, but I’ll tell you what I know from experimenting with them in the last year.

So from what I’m gathering from what the fly fishing industry side of it is doing is making shooting line be the prime staple for casting. The concept has always been false casting then shoot line, but now it’s about one cast and then shoot the rest. In other words, get it out in a hurry. And that’s important when burning (stripping) streamers along the banks. Same with the switch rod. This was designed for making huge swings in the current with streamers. They’re several other ways to fish it, but really for around here this is what I’m doing with them. Also because of how the concept was designed you really don’t feel the weight of the flies like you would if you were throwing them on floating wt. forward fly lines.

It’s almost a following of what they do in conventional fishing, the weight of the lure will carry the rest of the line out the reel. Same thing here. Switch rods have a shooing head which is fatter on the front part of the fly line and the rest is running line is skinny. Of course you have to learn how to shoot line to really understand the fundamentals of applying a whole new concept to shooting line. What they’re doing now is NOT applying the same power on both casting sides like they do when false casting. Now it’s about a back cast then put all the power on the forward cast to launch a lot more line in one cast. It will really change the way you look at casting big flies and getting wore out doing it over a course of several days. To me, this is a lot easier and if you really understand the load time on when to come back the other direction the line will shoot like a rocket.

From teaching casters who have never done this the one thing I see wrong the most is when to get the right projection to shoot. Like false casting then lay down the last cast to present the presentation with a regular weight forward fly line. This way is more about shooting line so the projection is upright for example shooting a cannon.

Rod weights are another thing to consider when outfitting them correctly. I have several rods that I throw with streamers, but the most important thing would be what rod will equal the balance of the heavy weight grains that are out there. I have found for a 275 grain you would want a 7wt, for a 350 you would want a 8wt, and for 450 you would throw a 9wt. I’m sure some people would disagree with this theory, but take it from me, I broke several rods from being to light for the amount of weight I was throwing. If you’re wondering what is a good streamer rod, well…there’s a ton out there, but for me I’m not going to spend big money for a rod that pretty much is a broom stick anyways, and most of them are when you get into 8wt and above. I throw the TFO Axiom which has great action, stiff just the way I like it. If you’re throwing rods that have give in them, it’s not enough bone to penetrate the hook in the fishes mouth. And once browns get over 25 inches the mouth becomes really hard. This is all the rod you need. The other rod I’m throwing is the 10ft Teeny rods. Both great rods and the return from getting them repaired is the fastest in the industry.

Switch rods are another big deal. I really don’t use mine for spey type casting, but for roll casting and getting your line out there in a hurry this is one I use the most. I also use it for throwing big shad patterns on the surface. Just a fun rod to play with if you want to jump into something else verses normal fly rods. If you have a wide river and want to cover a lot of ground with a baitfish or big profile pattern this is the one for you. I don’t own a fly shop so I’m not trying to sell you something. I really just wanted to share what and how the industry is changing. If you would like to know where to get one or more about them send me an email discussing where to find them or if you would like to go out on a trip and learn more about these. Either way it will open your world to a whole other way you look at fly fishing.

The End…JH

About the pattern

A few things that make the fly, Marabou for the action and a wool head to keep the profile shape. I like the barring look and think the more you can have this in the pattern, the more you can create the mottled affect. Changing the color scheme through the fly will also help it. The major colors to think about when tying these are olives and browns. Hareline came out with several barred rabbit colors that have truly revolutionized rabbit to a whole other level. Without it we would be lost on what we can create now to really mimic baitfish patterns or anything big in the water that fish eat.

You can have a foul guard for the back so the tail doesn’t twist around, but I have found foam to be a big kicker for more action in the pattern, but also serves the same purpose. Another way to look at how you tie streamer patterns. I also added a little bucktail as a wing to help keep everything in line. Have fun fishing it as I know you will!!

Step 1.

Prep the eyes.

Step 2.

Cut a piece of 2mm foam to be the same width as the rabbit hide. You can make it a little wider if you want. Measure it to be a little more than half the length of the hook shank.

Step 3.

Tie in the tail to be twice the length as the hook shank or a little longer. It needs to be long or the marabou will over take the fly and it won’t look proportioned correctly.

Step 4.

Tie in the first plume of marabou. You’ll tie it in from the tip.

Step 5.

Wrap the plume up until you reach the stiff part of the stem. Cut the excess and tie back on the marabou to lay it back instead of flaring out. You’ll repeat this two more times. I also change the second plume to another olive color to create more dimension to the fly.

Step 6.

This olive is a little smaller then followed up with a sculpin olive color. Repeat the same step.

Step 7.

Last color, you should be up at the eye when doing the last wrap. Tie back on this one as well. Then we will have room for the pectoral fins and the bucktial, also the wool.

Step 8.

This material is from Spirit River or Hareline. You’ll use one big nice plume for each side.

Step 9.

Tie in some bucktail to measure about the end of the hook shank in length.

Step 10.

So this is where you’ll need a marker to make your own barring on the top section of the wool. This will help keep the barring going all the way down. To learn more about how to in wool click here. When selecting the wool to make the markings lay it on a flat piece of paper and with the broad end just press down and repeat it on both sides. I’m using a prism color marker. I like these the best out of permanent.

Step 11. - no pictue- on my site

You will do this step three times, two behind the eyes and one in front. You need to tie one on the top and one on the bottom before pulling one back and then the other, you can’t do them at the same time. This picture came out better then the other so I know this one shows more olive (totally different fly). I just wanted you to see how messy it will look before cutting the head to shape. It’s just like stacking deer hair.

Step 12.

Finish product. Whip finish and glue it. Cutting it to shape might take a few times, but you'll get it, just think cone shape when designing it. Flat bottom with an up angle on the top. Make sure not to cut the barred wool you first tied in.

[fishinwrench]

Extremely well designed. You've outdone yourself....AGAIN.

[Jeremy Hunt]

Thank you. Now that everything is calming down I'm ready to throw some of this years ideas on the vise. I'm tweaking a few patterns that could do wonders. I've learned lately that trout see UV colors BIG time. I used to fish the normal UV scuds with the Hareline dubbing, but now I'm incorporating UV in several patterns. I'm even tying with only threads that have UV in them. This works really well on bright sunny days.

I discovered a new dubbing technique that can really blend some nice synthetics in your dubbings. Using a old 5 gallon jar with an air blower is amazing. When you use a coffee grinder or a blender the dubbing comes out with little hair balls and you end up loosing a lot of your dubbing this way. This new way is the only way to go.

[fishinwrench]

LOL, I'm not sure if we're taking about doing the same thing but I reduced some green-apple colored yarn into decent dubbing by cutting it into 1 inch pieces and blowing it around with 120 psi of air pressure in a little 6-pack cooler. The first time I tried it dry and it just blew fuzz everywhere and static caused it to all stick to the sides of the cooler. The second time I misted the yarn with a spay bottle of water and it worked like a dream.

The 6-pack cooler (soft cooler with a plastic liner) works great because it has the little velcro trap door on top...knowhatimean ?

[Jeremy Hunt]

I do indeed.

[Jeremy Hunt]

I actually tied a few more right after I got done uploading the steps. These are a lot of fun to tie. I did different color variations to the wool head, change it up a little….

I also painted up the head with a black & brown prismcolor marker to keep the mottled look going.

[Jeremy Hunt]

This is the revised circus peanut that Kelly Galloup came out with. He calls it the peanut envy, I'm pretty sure thats what they call it.

This is the one Kelly actually sent me via email.

These are version that really work for around here.

[West Fork Jason]

Size 2 9394 TMC

I put a little flash under the brown and tan marabou. Then tied in a patch of natural colored buck tail. The buck tail runs the length of the fly, plus a little extra to flair up to make the fat head these little fish have. Add a couple pheasant feathers for the pectoral fins, and a metz head to tie it all together.

I've seen Mottled Sculpin as far north as the streams on the north shore of Lake Superior. I'm sure their range is even farther north yet.

[troutfiend1985]

Jeremy that is an awesome tie you got going there. I am really starting to get into Kelly's flies, mainly the circus peanut and sex dungeon. I was wondering was weight rod you are using on these?

[Jeremy Hunt]

It really depends on the depth of the water you are fishing, whether you are fishing from a boat etc. But to really turn the flies over well I would throw an 8-10 wt rod. I like 350-550 streamer express lines from SA, in the cold though these lines don’t do well with the running line (the back line behind the shooting heads). They coil too much so I then switch over to wet tip express that has a different type of running line. I also over line all my rods because I get a better load when shooting. It might flex softer rods, but if you have stiff rods, which I think are key for getting better hook sets then you won’t have any problems. I’m a big fan of the TFO Axiom rods when fishing streamers. One feature I like about these particular rods is it has three stripping guides. Hope this helps you just a little.