Trout love sculpins. These little baitfish of the Cottus genus live in almost all trout rivers, providing a meaty snack. Most folks think of the Muddler Minnow (first tied in 1937) as the original sculpin imitation, and there are now dozens on the market. New tying products inspire anglers to come up with new designs, and New Jersey fly tier John Collins makes use of some cool frost-tip crosscut rabbit strips and preformed heads from Flymen Fishing Co. to crate a bottom-hugging sculpin with a killer profile.
In this video from Tim Flagler of Tightline Productions, he walks you through the steps to tie your own version of the Pygmy Sculpin. As usual, Tim has great ideas about how to control the materials to make the tying process easier, and his camerawork is impeccable. Be sure to watch all Tightline videos in glorious 4K for maximum effect.
JC’s Skunk Pygmy Sculpin
Hook: Streamer hook (here a Daiichi #1750), sizes 10 through 14.
Thread: Black, 6/0 or 140-denier.
Tail: Black frost-tip crosscut rabbit strips.
Body: Black Chenille, size medium.
Head: Black Mini Sculpin Helmet.
Fins: Black frost-tip crosscut rabbit strips.
Adhesive #1: Superglue.
Collar: Black, 6/0 or 140-denier.
Adhesive #1: Head cement.
Tools: Small brush (such as a dental brush), long-blade scissors.
Note: Tie this pattern in a variety of colors.