Slide the cone onto the clipped front shank and start thread behind it. Loop 20 lb backing through the trailer hook eye and lash it down the top of the shank so the stinger trails about one shank length behind the bend, the short-shank stinger converts the sculpin's trademark short strikes into hookups.
Tie in the zonker strip at the rear tie-in point so the hide extends over the trailer hook, fur flowing back. Leave a tail of about one and a half shank lengths.
Dub a full, shaggy body of pearl Ice Dub forward to the 80% mark, then pull the zonker strip over the top matuka-style and tie it down just behind the cone.
Tie in the red guinea feather by the tip and take 2 wraps as a collar, the flash of red suggests gills on a fleeing baitfish.
Tie in one mallard flank feather on each side, splayed slightly downward, half a shank length long, to imitate the sculpin's oversized pectoral fins.
Tie in the olive grizzly hen saddle and take 2-3 wraps as a final soft collar, sweep the fibers back, and whip finish behind the cone.
Seat the thread wraps into the rear of the cone with a drop of Zap gel and stick a dome eye on each side of the cone.
Substitutions
Head instead of Sculpin Helmet: Fish-Skull Sculpin Helmet — The original, flips it hook-up; Coneheads stacked — Budget weight substitute
Body instead of Rabbit strip: Pine squirrel strip — Smaller, subtler on trout sizes