Bullhead Sculpin #3

As you may have guessed by now, this Bullhead Scuplin Study is really a way to demonstrate a series of tying and design concept in the construction of single fly style. So, here’s version # 3.

Step One: Instead of using flash material to make the body and tail of the fly, we’ll use hair, in this case, cream FoxxFurr™. Tie it in at the mid point of the shank, making it long enough to form the tail, too. Don’t simply tie it in on top of the shank, ala a bucktail. Rather, lay the material on top of the hook, make a loose turn of thread, and then as you pull the thread tight, work the material down onto the sides of the shank as well. This will form a body/tail that is hemispherical in cross section. Secure the material well and form a single, large spinning loop.

Step One. Tie in the tail/body and make a large spinning loop.

Step One. Tie in the tail/body and make a large spinning loop.

Step Two. Get both the collar material and the dubbing for the head ready. In this instance, I’ve built the collar and head materials in five layers: (1) a layer of light tan hair, a layer of gold flash material, a layer of black hair, a layer of black flash material, and finally a layer of light brown hair.Insert the collar material into the loop. Follow that with the head material.

Step Two. Insert the material for the collar and the head into the loop.

Step Two. Insert the material for the collar and the head into the loop.

Step Three. . Close the loop and spin both the collar material and head material all in one operation.

Step Three. Close the loop and spin it tight, forming the collar hackle and head dubbing all at once.

Step Three. Close the loop and spin it tight, forming the collar hackle and head dubbing all at once.

Step Four. Wind the whole mess and form the fly.

Step Four. Wind the materials to form the finished fly.

Step Four. Wind the materials to form the finished fly.