Bubble Blower Sculpin

NOTE: this pattern is a Get Em Wet original, please give credit where credit is due

I designed this guy a few years back when I was trying to come up with a good sculpin pattern for a few tribs I fish that are loaded with them. I use to hook them all of the time fishing egg patterns so I figured why not try this, especially for the spring when steelhead are actively chasing streamers again. I know its not the first time this has been done but after some tweaking it has become my favourite steelhead streamer. I first tied this fly when the sculpin helmet first came out. I did have another version before that but this one is much better. It has a few steps to it but none of them are hard so its not too bad to tie these.

Hook: Eagle Claw 202A #2 Aberdeen Hook
Trailing Hook: Blackbird Sabretooth #10
Connection: PowerPro Braid 20lb
Anti Fouling: Masons Hard Mono 20lb
Tail: Barred Zonker Strip Olive/Black
Body: Crosscut Olive Zonker
Flash: Senyo's Laser Dub - Tan
Legs: Orvis Centipede Legs Med - Speckled Olive
Egg: Glo Bug Yarn - Cotton Candy
Head: Flymen Fishing Company Sculpin Helmet Olive Small

Step 1

























Start a thread wrap base and than take a small piece of masons hard mono and tie it onto the shank in a loop so that the bend in the mono is facing down. This helps separate the stinger hook from the tail when the fly is finished to reduce fouling.

Step 2

























Tie in the braid on top of the mono in a loop about an inch long, longer if you want a long tail. You can loop the hook in now too if you like or you can leave it out.

Step 3

























Tie in the barred zonker on the BOTTOM of the hook, you can rotate your vice to make it easier if you need but nonetheless make sure its on to bottom to ensure the mono separates the zonker and the hook. I tie mine in so that the zonker strip just reaches the eye of the hook. When you've accomplished that trim of the excess and clean it up with a few wraps of thread.

Step 4


Step 5
























Once you've made a couple wraps of the crosscut tie it down securely but don't trim it off. During this whole process make sure you occasionally slide the sculpin helmet on to make sure you are leaving room for the egg. Once you have it secure spin on a small amount of laser dub to add just a little flash and tie all of that down tight.

Step 6

























This step is easy, take two rubber legs and fold them in half. Grab them in the middle and tie them in on each side. Which method you use to tie in the legs is not important, just make sure there are two on each side and they are tied down tight.

Step 7

























Now that the legs are tied down make one to two more wraps with the crosscut and tie it down very tight making sure not to break the thread. Once you have down that trim the zonker off, whip finish the fly and snip the thread off. We are done with this portion of the fly

Step 8

























Rotate the fly over in the vice so that the hook is upside down. Now coat your final three wraps in super glue and slide the sculpin helmet on so that it seats firmly. Note: Before you glue the three make sure the helmet fits so that you don't waste the fly. If it doesn't fit glue it anyway but wait for the glue to dry and start shaving little bits of bulk away with a razor. I don't recommend this but for some its better than tossing the whole fly. Notice how I still have some room in front of the helmet.

Step 9

























Once you feel confident that the glue is dry secure some kevlar thread to the shank in front of the helmet and tie a gold bug onto the open space. If you are not sure how to tie a glo bug refer to the tutorial on the blog. Whip finish the kevlar thread, add a drop of glue if you wish and take the fly out of the vice.

Step 10

























Fish through the fur on the fly and find the base of the eagle claw hook. Take a pair of pliers and snip that fly off right below where the last thread wraps are and voila  the fly is done. You can of course leave that hook there if you wish but I think it just adds more opportunity to foul and I have never had a problem hooking fish with just the stinger.