Fish Skulls by Flymen

Few things are better than fishing.  One is getting together with friends to talk fishing while tying flies.  Twenty-four members of the Project Healing Water Fly Fishing gathered to learn how to tie the Fish Skulls Sculpin Helmet by Flymen. 

 

 Sculpins, such as the one pictured to the left, are a small broad headed fish that are found in both fresh and salt water.  The sculpins helmets are designed to model these small fish.  The Flymen website described the Sculpin Helmet as “an exciting, new style of Fish-Skull® with a realistic, flat and broad profile that imitates common bottom-dwelling fish species such as sculpins, gobies and baby catfish.  Heavier than the Fish-Skull® it is designed for use on both hook and tube flies allowing anglers to easily tie weighted streamers that fish deep and imitate these popular food sources.”

During this session the Foxy Shrimp and  Skulpin Bunny were tied. The foxy shrimp is tied on a size 4 hook with white fox fur and a mini Sculpin Helmet.    The Sculpin Bunny is also tied on a #4 hook but uses strips of rabbit fur to give its motion in the water and a small Sculpin Helmet.  A unique trick is used to secure the helmet in place.  The helmet is glued to the body of the fly and an additional thread dam (extra thread wraps) are placed in front of the helmet behind the eye of the hook. 

The heavy weight of the Sculpin Helmet take this fly to the bottom quick.  This means that the patterns should be tied on an inverted hook to prevent snagging.  It is great pattern for bottom feeding fish such as red fish, see mullets, or catfish. 

For complete tying instructions on tying these patterns and others go to

http://flymenfishingcompany.org/