Thanks Davie. Close match to the gudgeons we have in our streams in Australia. Tied this in a dark brown upper and a cream underside. Was rewarded with a perky little wild brown at Dinner Flats at Ebor.
Very useful, simple fly to have in the box in a variety of colours, sizes and weights. I've even taken to using rabbit strips as a substitute for maribou in my zoo cougars. And as you say Davie, you can substitute deer hair, wool, dumb-bell eyes, you-name-it for the fish skulls.
Davie. This pattern is on a par with Oliver Edward's sculpin in my opinion, excellent tie. I would love to see your interpretation on the 'killer shrimp' that is now taking over a few stillwaters in the UK. Many thanks, your work is much appreciated here.
Thanks for vid Davie. Big trout CRUSH this fly. 'My soul soars' sippy sip trouting is fine and I do plenty of it. But if you are in the mood for CRUSHING hits this is THE fly for it..
I usually switch to spinning tackle in situations where a streamer is called for. It's just been more productive for me and saves my shoulder. So I'm going to be sacrilegious and use this pattern on a long shank 1/8oz jighead for early season smallmouth. This is a beautiful elaboration on a tried and true style of zonker jig tying. P.S. actually I think I way also wrap a natural zonker alongside the olive and use brown hen hackles for the fins to give it a more realistic mix of olive and brown 🤔 Wish me luck!
Och Aye the noo Jimmy. That be a really good fly (said in my best Scots accent imitation :)) Love the hair dryer idea. A fact in fly tying is that steaming does amazing things on vitalizing and sculpting flies. Looks like spit and hair dryer is a lot quicker and easier.
This is a great fly to go very deep with! I caught my largest Cutthroat trout on this bugger! While I was fighting him a bigger native Bull Trout started chasing my Cutthroat Trout around the pool nope I had to net him as well. It was an experience!!!
A beautiful bug and a simple tie. I’m going to tie a few with the largest size helmet as a goby imitation and give them a go on Lake Ontario smallmouth bass.
Ariel Zambianchi - translation (I think) Dear Davie, this would be the ideal fly for the big brown trout migration on the upper Limay River here in Patagonia.
Hi Davie, I was never one for streamers but after watching a few vid's it would be nice to check out some big water and give em a go!! 2 questions really, 1. what sort of rod & line is best suited? 9-10ft 7/8 weight or switch? and secondly...any experience on using these on loughs early season? I'm thinking Black, Claret & Olive on a Di6. although i know nothiing of Schulpins so i need to do a David Atenborough on them!! any advice?
Hi Aidan, A 10ft 7/8 weight would handle this fly ok if I was going to fish it but I have to be honest I have only tied these for friends and requests from here on youtube rather than for myself...I have tied a couple extra for myself so if I do get a chance to give then a go l'll let you know how I get on and if you do then let me know how you get on. All the very best Davie..
Davie - do you have a preference on why you tie the strip down instead of piercing the strip through the hook point like a alot of sculpin patterns that ride hook point up seem to do?
Hi Zak B, I have no preference to tying the tail in as both ways work just as well though a friend of mine prefers the way I did it in the video as these were for him.. All the very best Davie..
Hi Marc Leonard, There's many patterns that are tyed using rabbit in this way as it's very mobile and easy to do, another way is to remove the hair and put it between a dubbing loop which helps reduce the bulk of the skin..In smaller flies i would use the dubbing loop or I would just dub on the rabbit then brush the fibres out with a velcro brush..I hope this is of some help to you.. All the very best Davie
Hi Brett Hoehn, It was the Mini size that I used in the video so I have attached a link to them for you to see... All the very best Davie.. www.fullingmill.co.uk/Fish-Skull-Sculpin-Helmet-Olive-Small-UK
Hi Dylan, I have listed all the materials for you to see, the hook was a Tiemco TMC811S size 6.. All the very best Davie Hook, Tiemco TMC811S size 6 Thread, Uni-6/0 Olive Tail, Barred Olive Rabbit Strip Body, Wound Barred Olive Rabbit Strip Fins, Dyed Olive Grey Partridge Head, Fish Skull..Olive Sculpin Helmet
Hi KFS 486, I'm sorry to say I rarely tye these flies but I have attached a link to the same flies being sold by Fulling Mill as they are tyed in much same way.. All the very best Davie www.fullingmill.com/s.nl?search=sculpin
Thank you so much Davie. I've been looking for this type of Sculpin. Excellent instructions as always. Cheers 🇨🇦
Thanks Davie.
Close match to the gudgeons we have in our streams in Australia.
Tied this in a dark brown upper and a cream underside.
Was rewarded with a perky little wild brown at Dinner Flats at Ebor.
You've now styled the fur more than I have my own hair in the last year combined. He he.
Mr. McPhail, you are a joy to watch and a cracking good teacher! Thank you
Very useful, simple fly to have in the box in a variety of colours, sizes and weights. I've even taken to using rabbit strips as a substitute for maribou in my zoo cougars. And as you say Davie, you can substitute deer hair, wool, dumb-bell eyes, you-name-it for the fish skulls.
Davie. This pattern is on a par with Oliver Edward's sculpin in my opinion, excellent tie. I would love to see your interpretation on the 'killer shrimp' that is now taking over a few stillwaters in the UK. Many thanks, your work is much appreciated here.
Thanks for vid Davie. Big trout CRUSH this fly. 'My soul soars' sippy sip trouting is fine and I do plenty of it. But if you are in the mood for CRUSHING hits this is THE fly for it..
Beautifully tied and loved the end bit the way you got the fly to flutter lovely toutch. Another masterpiece
I usually switch to spinning tackle in situations where a streamer is called for. It's just been more productive for me and saves my shoulder.
So I'm going to be sacrilegious and use this pattern on a long shank 1/8oz jighead for early season smallmouth. This is a beautiful elaboration on a tried and true style of zonker jig tying.
P.S. actually I think I way also wrap a natural zonker alongside the olive and use brown hen hackles for the fins to give it a more realistic mix of olive and brown 🤔
Wish me luck!
I can see tying that in orange, brown, yellow, black, purple, etc.
Very nice pattern.
As usual you make it look so easy. Going to try this one.
Davie, I'd love to see you do a video tying Keslars rubber legged hares ear nymph. Thanks and love your videos!
Och Aye the noo Jimmy. That be a really good fly (said in my best Scots accent imitation :)) Love the hair dryer idea. A fact in fly tying is that steaming does amazing things on vitalizing and sculpting flies. Looks like spit and hair dryer is a lot quicker and easier.
I really gotta try that fly. Looks like I could turn out a bunch of those pretty quick!
This is a great fly to go very deep with! I caught my largest Cutthroat trout on this bugger!
While I was fighting him a bigger native Bull Trout started chasing my Cutthroat Trout around the pool nope I had to net him as well. It was an experience!!!
Amazing pattern thx for sharing Davie 👍
A beautiful bug and a simple tie. I’m going to tie a few with the largest size helmet as a goby imitation and give them a go on Lake Ontario smallmouth bass.
How did you make out on lake O Randy ?
Very nice presentation, thanks for sharing now I’m going to tie a couple 😁✌️
U got skills brother , I'm subscribed maybe I'll end up learning something man I'll be watching
Allo Davie, beautiful flies, what size helmet, merci
Hello Davie, great fly, have you had a chance to use it? Thank you, Good teacher.
Hi Thomas,
I haven't, although I did give a couple to a friend that said they do fish well..I'm glad you like the fly..
All the very best Davie
Hermosa Davie , ideal para una gran trucha marrón migratoria del Río Limay superior !!! aca en Patagonia Argentina.
Ariel Zambianchi - translation (I think) Dear Davie, this would be the ideal fly for the big brown trout migration on the upper Limay River here in Patagonia.
I need to try them
You are a fly tying ninja
Well, kind of “not” an easy tie…. At least the first time LOL. thanks for this!
Hi Davie, I was never one for streamers but after watching a few vid's it would be nice to check out some big water and give em a go!! 2 questions really, 1. what sort of rod & line is best suited? 9-10ft 7/8 weight or switch? and secondly...any experience on using these on loughs early season? I'm thinking Black, Claret & Olive on a Di6. although i know nothiing of Schulpins so i need to do a David Atenborough on them!! any advice?
Hi Aidan,
A 10ft 7/8 weight would handle this fly ok if I was going to fish it but I have to be honest I have only tied these for friends and requests from here on youtube rather than for myself...I have tied a couple extra for myself so if I do get a chance to give then a go l'll let you know how I get on and if you do then let me know how you get on.
All the very best Davie..
Davie - do you have a preference on why you tie the strip down instead of piercing the strip through the hook point like a alot of sculpin patterns that ride hook point up seem to do?
Hi Zak B,
I have no preference to tying the tail in as both ways work just as well though a friend of mine prefers the way I did it in the video as these were for him..
All the very best Davie..
Davie if you don't have thesculpin heads would beed eyes be ok?
Hi Randy,
A bead would be fine or even a set of dumbbells would be ok as I have done this in the past..
All the very best Davie
Hi Davie is this fly for salt water or fresh it looks great
Hi Doug Crowhurst,
It can be fished in both as it will represent many small fish...I'm glad you liked it...
All the very best Davie
thank you
Davie, I'm curious why you wrap the rabbit hair as the body - it seems like a lot of people use dubbing and a feather. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Hi Marc Leonard,
There's many patterns that are tyed using rabbit in this way as it's very mobile and easy to do, another way is to remove the hair and put it between a dubbing loop which helps reduce the bulk of the skin..In smaller flies i would use the dubbing loop or I would just dub on the rabbit then brush the fibres out with a velcro brush..I hope this is of some help to you..
All the very best Davie
Nice
Davie, what size sculpin head do you use for this pattern, small, large?
Hi Brett Hoehn,
It was the Mini size that I used in the video so I have attached a link to them for you to see...
All the very best Davie..
www.fullingmill.co.uk/Fish-Skull-Sculpin-Helmet-Olive-Small-UK
Davie McPhail thanks for the quick response. I really appreciate your videos. I have used a few patterns here in Tennessee, USA.
Hi Dave, what size hook did you use in this video?
Hi Dylan,
I have listed all the materials for you to see, the hook was a Tiemco TMC811S size 6..
All the very best Davie
Hook, Tiemco TMC811S size 6
Thread, Uni-6/0 Olive
Tail, Barred Olive Rabbit Strip
Body, Wound Barred Olive Rabbit Strip
Fins, Dyed Olive Grey Partridge
Head, Fish Skull..Olive Sculpin Helmet
Vidal Sassoon eat your heart out😉
Hey Davie, where can I purchase some of your lures. And what is the heavies do you make in those lure, 😬
Hi KFS 486,
I'm sorry to say I rarely tye these flies but I have attached a link to the same flies being sold by Fulling Mill as they are tyed in much same way..
All the very best Davie
www.fullingmill.com/s.nl?search=sculpin
Davie McPhail c
Is the head lure weighted?
Hi KFS 486,
The Helmet Heads are weighted..All the very best Davie
Can't understand a word your saying!!!
you're* :D
You can't understand and you can't spell..just move along without YOUR stupid comments. YOU'RE not welcome.
Cole Bee holy shit calm down there buddy. just because he doesnt understand his accent you dont have to wish death upon him.
It was the 3 exclamation points that got me.
Rick Petersen 7