Post by barryl on Mar 13, 2013 15:33:21 GMT -5
Well boys and girls today as promised I going to do my best to demonstrate how to tie a fur sculpin using Fish Skull's new Sculpin Helmet.
Our material list.... Color for this demo is brown Thread: to color strong 280 or 3/0
Hook: size 6 down eye, 2x heavy, 2x long (TMC 5262)
Body cross cut rabbit to color
Tail/Dorsal: Squirrel zonker to color
Gills/Pectoral fins: Barred Marabou blood quills to color
Head: Fish Skull's Sculpin Helmet size small to color
Eyes: 3mm molded gold (comes w/ sculpin helmet kit)
Misc: Prismacolor or permanent marker. super glue
Place base layer of thread making sure to start about 3 eye lengths behind the eye. Wrap back to hook bend and build a small hump with thread at the start of the hook bend.
Next measure squirrel from just ahead of thread start back to hump and go twice this length. Trim the ends into points at both ends.
Using a marker make spot on the squirrel leather just behind were the hump would hit it.
Remove the hook from the vise and poke it through the squirrel at the spot. I find it easier to place the hook in my vise point up to do this.
Put hook back in the vise inverted or if you have a rotary roll it over. Pull squirrel strip up to meet the thread hump separate the fur and make 4 to 5 wraps behind the hump. Make sure that the strip is centered on top of the hook shank. Lift the strip and bring thread in front of the strip and make 5 or 6 wraps to secure.
Now trim one end of your rabbit cross cut strip. Place the tip next to the hook shank so the tip of the fur just slightly extends past the hook bend. this will be your tie in point for the cross cut strip.
imageshack.us/a/img28/5551/sculpinflytutorial024.jpg
[/img] Image 25 too large
After tying in the cross cut move thread forward to start point. Start wrapping cross one in front of the other using a comb or wire brush to keep fur flowing back and to get materials even on both sides. When you get to the thread starting point wrap the cross cut once over it's self and tie off with good firm wraps.
Cut off cross cut and secure with a couple of firm wraps.
Select a good barred blood quill. Cut the tip off leaving a "V" shape in the feather. (you will be able to use this same feather to make more flies) Separate the quill it helps to use a little tyers mousse (spit) to control and seporate.
With a few lose wraps tie the quill on top of the end of the cross cut strip. Then carefully pull the quill forward to mate up with the ends of the cross cut fur.
Cut off and secure with a few firm wraps.
Now is a good time to take a bodkin or brush and move or adjust materials to make sure their even.
Next retrieve the front of the squirrel strip bring it forward, making sure it's centered over the back of the fly, secure and wipe finish cut off thread.
Again make sure everything is where you want it. Fluff up the squirrel fur to make your dorsal fin.
Now take your Sculpin Helmet and make sure it fits snugly leaving room in front of it to place a few wraps and whip finish some thread.
Next put a drop of super glue or what ever is your favorite cement on the thread wraps. Put the helmet back on, you have about 30 sec. to make sure it is straight on the hook. Be sure to look at the fly head on to make sure.
After the cement sets the head should be secure enough to place the eyes. super glue will work for this but over the years I have found Goop easier to work with and it stays flexible and doesn't dry out.
Put a little cement in the eye socket then because of the small size I find it easier to place the molded eyes with a bodkin.
Now make a few wraps of thread behind the hook eye and whip finish add a little Sally (head cement) let dry.
[/img]
The last step is to add barred color to the fly. A sculpin or goby has Cammo barring on it's back, end of fins and down it tail. I like ti use prismacolor markers but any permanent marker will work. This is an important step to give realism to the fly.
The finished fly
Last notes I use squirrel zonker for the back (dorsal) and tail it gives a thinner tail with more action than rabbit. Also the marabou is some thing I added because I found when I stripped and stopped the fly, the way a sculpin swims, when I stopped there was no gill action this addition keeps the fly moving even when at rest.
A school of sculpin
Our material list.... Color for this demo is brown Thread: to color strong 280 or 3/0
Hook: size 6 down eye, 2x heavy, 2x long (TMC 5262)
Body cross cut rabbit to color
Tail/Dorsal: Squirrel zonker to color
Gills/Pectoral fins: Barred Marabou blood quills to color
Head: Fish Skull's Sculpin Helmet size small to color
Eyes: 3mm molded gold (comes w/ sculpin helmet kit)
Misc: Prismacolor or permanent marker. super glue
Place base layer of thread making sure to start about 3 eye lengths behind the eye. Wrap back to hook bend and build a small hump with thread at the start of the hook bend.
Next measure squirrel from just ahead of thread start back to hump and go twice this length. Trim the ends into points at both ends.
Using a marker make spot on the squirrel leather just behind were the hump would hit it.
Remove the hook from the vise and poke it through the squirrel at the spot. I find it easier to place the hook in my vise point up to do this.
Put hook back in the vise inverted or if you have a rotary roll it over. Pull squirrel strip up to meet the thread hump separate the fur and make 4 to 5 wraps behind the hump. Make sure that the strip is centered on top of the hook shank. Lift the strip and bring thread in front of the strip and make 5 or 6 wraps to secure.
Now trim one end of your rabbit cross cut strip. Place the tip next to the hook shank so the tip of the fur just slightly extends past the hook bend. this will be your tie in point for the cross cut strip.
imageshack.us/a/img28/5551/sculpinflytutorial024.jpg
[/img] Image 25 too large
After tying in the cross cut move thread forward to start point. Start wrapping cross one in front of the other using a comb or wire brush to keep fur flowing back and to get materials even on both sides. When you get to the thread starting point wrap the cross cut once over it's self and tie off with good firm wraps.
Cut off cross cut and secure with a couple of firm wraps.
Select a good barred blood quill. Cut the tip off leaving a "V" shape in the feather. (you will be able to use this same feather to make more flies) Separate the quill it helps to use a little tyers mousse (spit) to control and seporate.
With a few lose wraps tie the quill on top of the end of the cross cut strip. Then carefully pull the quill forward to mate up with the ends of the cross cut fur.
Cut off and secure with a few firm wraps.
Now is a good time to take a bodkin or brush and move or adjust materials to make sure their even.
Next retrieve the front of the squirrel strip bring it forward, making sure it's centered over the back of the fly, secure and wipe finish cut off thread.
Again make sure everything is where you want it. Fluff up the squirrel fur to make your dorsal fin.
Now take your Sculpin Helmet and make sure it fits snugly leaving room in front of it to place a few wraps and whip finish some thread.
Next put a drop of super glue or what ever is your favorite cement on the thread wraps. Put the helmet back on, you have about 30 sec. to make sure it is straight on the hook. Be sure to look at the fly head on to make sure.
After the cement sets the head should be secure enough to place the eyes. super glue will work for this but over the years I have found Goop easier to work with and it stays flexible and doesn't dry out.
Put a little cement in the eye socket then because of the small size I find it easier to place the molded eyes with a bodkin.
Now make a few wraps of thread behind the hook eye and whip finish add a little Sally (head cement) let dry.
[/img]
The last step is to add barred color to the fly. A sculpin or goby has Cammo barring on it's back, end of fins and down it tail. I like ti use prismacolor markers but any permanent marker will work. This is an important step to give realism to the fly.
The finished fly
Last notes I use squirrel zonker for the back (dorsal) and tail it gives a thinner tail with more action than rabbit. Also the marabou is some thing I added because I found when I stripped and stopped the fly, the way a sculpin swims, when I stopped there was no gill action this addition keeps the fly moving even when at rest.
A school of sculpin