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Sculpzilla
Sculpzilla, Ginger
Tying Instructions
1. Select a shank for the length of body you prefer. I am using a 1.0 inch Firehole Shank AS2-100. The hook attaches directly to the loop at the rear of the shank.
2. By opening the loop, you can attach a conehead to the shank.
3. Next attach the Trailer hook to the shank loop and close the loop wire. I’m using a Gamakatsu Octopus hook, size 4, in Chartruese.
4. Attach your thread to the shank and secure the loop wire with thread wraps.
5. Apply a Whip Finish and trim the thread.
6. Attach the trailer hook to the vise. I put a small section of foam around the hook to protect the paint on the hook. Attach the thread to the hook shank and position the thread at the midpoint of the shank.
7. Using a strip of Brown Barred Rabbit dyed Ginger, measure a hook length of strip and separate the fur from that measurement.
8. Attach the strip to the hook shank with three to four thread wraps.
9. Wrap the thread in front of the strip tie-in and whip finish. Trim off the thread.
10. Attach the shank to the vise and re-attach the thread to the shank. Create a dubbing loop at the base of the shank and fill the dubbing loop with dubbing.
11. Spin the dubbing loop tool to close the loop and create a noodle of dubbing.
12. Wrap the noodle over the shank with wraps covering all of the shank up to the conehead.
13. Bring the tag end of the rabbit strip over the shank to just behind the conehead. The strip needs to be straight.
14. Secure the rabbit strip with thread wraps behind the conehead. The length of the pattern is about 2.5 inches.
15. Trim off the tag end of the strip and secure with thread wraps.
16. Prepare a Red Guinea Hen feather by preening back the fibers and use the tip of the feather as a tie down.
17. Place the tip just behind the conehead and secure with thread wraps. Grab the feather stem base with hackle pliers and make two turns of the hackle. Secure with thread wraps and trim off the tag end of the Guinea Feather.
18. Select two Mallard Flank feathers, removing the fluffy base and fibers to get the length you desire. These feathers represent the pectoral fins. Secure one feather to each side of the pattern just behind the conehead.
19. Attach the tips from a Blood Marabou plume to the tops of the pattern behind the conehead. The length of the marabou should extend about the same as the Guinea Hen fibers.
20. Secure the marabou with thread wraps and trim off the tag ends.
21. Next, select a couple of Hen Hackles, preening the fibers back to create a tip tie-in position.
22. Attach the hackles just behind the conehead by the tips and wrap the hackles, securing the base of the hackles with thread wraps. Trim off the tag ends of the hackle and apply additonal wraps of thread.
23. The conehead is still fairly loose and will allow a dab of Zap a Gap gel to each side of the conehead.
24. To firmly anchor the conehead, apply a dubbing collar behind the conehead.
25. Secure the collar with thread wraps.
26. Apply a whip finish and trim off the thread.
27. Apply a dab of Zap a Gap gel to each eye socket of the conehead.
28. Place a 5mm Fire Living Eye on each socket, tamping the eye into place with your bodkin.
29. The Finished Sculpzilla, Ginger
| Materials
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|
|---|---|
| Hook | Gamakatsu Octopus Hook, Chartreuse Size 4 |
| Shank | Firehole AS2-100, 1.0 |
| Thread | Veevus 10/0 Sunburst Yellow |
| Head | 20 wraps Cross Eyed Cone Black Nickel , Medium (3/8) |
| Eyes | Fire Living Eyes 5mm |
| Gills | Red Guinea |
| Body | Senyo Laser Dub, Sculpin Olive |
| Pectoral Fins | Mallard Flank, Natural |
| Wing | Four Brown Barred Rabbit Strip, Ginger |
| Overwing | Four Olive Blood Marabou |
| Collar Hackle | Grizzly dyed Olive Hen Saddle Feathers |
| Collar | Senyo Laser Dub, Sculpin Olive |
Sculpzilla
The Sculpzilla is an articulated fly pattern in the early 2000’s, introduced by Ray Chang of Solitude Fly Company. The pattern has had great success due to the movement, profile, and weight to get down into the depths of the water column. The massive amount of marabou material at the head gives a pulsating effect to the pattern as well as a large front profile allowing a nice taper to the tail.
Presentation
It is a Sculpin pattern generally fished with a sink tip but can also be fished with a floating line when river flows are high. The pattern coloration of Ginger is the most popular for trout waters. These colors can be used within clear water situations. Black and Yellow colorations are often selected for off color water. Despite being articulated, this is not a huge streamer pattern. Usually, the pattern has only one trailing hook since the pattern is small enough that a trout will attempt to consume the entire fly. The pattern was developed using an inexpensive saltwater hook to tie the head or front portion.
Shanks
A connector wire or braid was used between the two hooks and the front hook point was nipped off with wire cutters. Firehole and Fish Skull came up with shanks that allow you to connect the trailing hook directly to the shank for a very secure connection and also add a conehead to the shank. The shanks come in various lengths depending on how long you want your pattern to be.
Connector Wire
There is some movement sacrificed by attaching the trailing hook to the immobile shank and you can achieve additional movement by using a smaller shank and using a connector wire or braid between the two. A medium size (3/8″) Cross conehead gives a massive head to the pattern. Adding some .030 leadfree wire to the cavity helps fill the void.
Variations
Sculpzilla, Olive
| Hook | Gamakatsu Octopus Hook, Red Size 6 |
| Shank | Firehole AS2-150, 1.5 |
| Thread | Veevus 10/0 Olive |
| Head | 20 wraps Cross Eyed Cone Black Nickel, Medium (3/8) |
| Eyes | Fire Living Eyes 5mm |
| Gills | Red Guinea |
| Body | Ice Dubbing, UV Light Olive |
| Pectoral Fins | Mallard Flank, Dyed Olive |
| Wing | Four Brown Barred Rabbit Strip, Olive |
| Overwing | Four Olive Blood Marabou |
| Collar Hackle | Grizzly dyed Olive Hen Saddle Feathers |
| Collar | Ice Dubbing, UV Light Olive |
Sculpzilla, Flesh
| Hook | Firehole 714 Size #8 |
| Shank | Quick View |
| Thread | Veevus 10/0 White |
| Head | 20 wraps Cross Eyed Cone Gold, Medium (3/8) |
| Eyes | Fire Living Eyes 5mm |
| Gills | Red Guinea |
| Body | Ice Dubbing, Pearl |
| Pectoral Fins | Mallard Flank, Natural |
| Wing | Four Brown Barred Rabbit Strip, Flesh |
| Overwing | Four White Blood Marabou |
| Collar Hackle | Grizzly Hen Neck Feathers |
| Collar | Ice Dubbing, Pearl |
Sculpzilla, Black
| Hook | Firehole 714 Size #8 |
| Shank | Quick View |
| Thread | Veevus 10/0 Black |
| Head | 20 wraps Cross Eyed Cone Black Nickel, Medium (3/8) |
| Eyes | Fire Living Eyes 5mm |
| Gills | Red Guinea |
| Body | Ice Dubbing, Peacock |
| Pectoral Fins | Mallard Flank, Black |
| Wing | Four Micro Rabbit Strip, Black |
| Overwing | Four Black Blood Marabou |
| Collar Hackle | Black Hen Neck Feathers |
| Collar | Ice Dubbing, Peacock |