Bodkin / Patterns

Bullhead

Streamer · Trout · Smallmouth Bass · Largemouth Bass · Pike · Intermediate · 1 version

Reference Recipe

  • Hook 4XL long streamer hook, 2-6
  • Thread Tan / brown 3/0

Materials

  • Tail Olive-brown material (Marabou plume plus a few strands flash)
  • Body Brown-olive material (Estaz or dubbing chenille)
  • Wing / Back Brown rabbit (Zonker strip)
  • Collar Brown permanent marker (Spun deer or wool)
  • Head Brown / tan material (Spun and clipped deer hair, wide and flat)
  • Weight n/a (Lead-free wire underbody or dumbbell eyes)

How to tie it

  1. Mount the streamer hook, start the thread at the 60% mark, and wrap 10-12 turns of lead-free wire over the front third for a sculpin's head-down attitude.
  2. At the bend tie in an olive-brown marabou tail one shank length long with a few strands of flash, keeping the total short and blocky.
  3. Wrap a body of brown-olive Estaz forward to the 60% mark and tie off.
  4. Lay a brown rabbit zonker strip over the back, bind it at the 60% mark, and let it reach the tail tip for a breathing overwing.
  5. Spin a collar of brown deer hair, then spin and pack two or three more bunches to fill the front third.
  6. Whip finish behind the eye, then trim the spun hair into a broad, flat, wedge-shaped sculpin head. Wide across the top, flat on the bottom so it planes.
  7. Pick out the belly hair sparse so the fly rides hook-point up over rock.

Tying videos

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