Over the past few years I've learned a new appreciation for sculpin
patterns. From resident trout to smallmouth these little darting
minnows seem to be a favorite staple food almost anywhere in the country.
The original olive N2 sculpin is a great fly for working deep pools for larger trout, or
seeking out aggressive bronze backs in faster water. A brown / tan variant
is also popular, depending on the coloration of any native sculpin species
found in the waterway. This pattern is a very basic cross between a traditional
Matuka sculpin and a wool head. Personally I like the use of rams wool
better for the head as it gives more action than deer hair.
|
Materials Used in the N2 Scuplin |
| Hook: |
TMC 300 (3x long streamer) Sizes 2-8 |
| Thread: |
Olive 8/0 |
| Body: |
Olive Hareline dubbing over heavy lead
wire. The N2 sculpin should always be weighted. |
| Tail:
|
2-4 olive grizzly hackle feathers tied
down Matuka style. Webby feathers work best. Secured down with gold
oval ribbing and left extended to form the tail. |
| Wings:
|
2 hen saddle feathers tied in just
behind the wool head to imitate fins. |
| Rib: |
Medium gold oval tinsel, or Wapsi ultra
wire. |
| Head: |
Olive rams wool spun and trimmed to
shape. |
| Eyes: |
3D Prism Eyes |
Tying the N2 Sculpin
1. Secure the hook in the vise and add some .15 gauge lead or
equivalent wire. Remember sculpins hang around the bottom so that is
exactly where you want your fly to be. Once the lead has been
applied, start your thread and tie down the lead wire.
2. Tie in a 5" strand of fine oval gold or copper wire, such as
Wapsi ultra wire.
3. With the rib tied in, apply olive Hareline dubbing to the thread
and cover about 1/2 of the hook shank, creating a tapered body. Make
sure to leave enough space for the head.
4. Prepare 2 to 4 webby saddles, color to match body, by stripping off
fibers as if you were tying a Matuka streamer. Tie the feathers in
so that the fibers start just after the dubbed body on the lower side.
5. Using the copper wire tied in during step 2, secure the saddles by
palmering the wire forward while making sure to get the wire in between
the fibers so that they don't lay flat. Upon tying down the saddles
make a few wraps over the wire with the thread and trim the excess..
6. Tie in 2 olive hen saddles, one on each side of the hook shank to
imitate the large, flat fins sculpins are known for.
7. Spin a clump or two (depending on the size of your hook) of olive
ram's wool. Whip finish.
8. Trim the wool to create a pronounced wide, flat head. Apply
head cement to the thread to lock it in place.
9. Using 2 part 5-minute epoxy, or a thick head cement mixture,
apply gold 3D molded eyes to the head and let dry.
Written By: Nick Pujic, © Dec 2004
Photographs By: Nick Pujic |
