Back in the fall of 2016, I was working on a sculpin pattern that took a few different ideas from other patterns and blended them together. As Gunnar Brammer says in one of his streamer videos: “I don’t have a lot of original ideas… almost all of my bugs in general… are original compositions… different materials, different ways to build bulk, different silhouettes. It uses unique techniques or features or materials to make it different… it’s all from the people who came before me… I just take things that I like, things that I know to be successful, and then I base a composition that hasn’t been done kind of around that.”

It was dubbed the Chowtime Sculpin, and I wrote about it in a post from February, 2017, then was highlighted by Headhunters Fly Shop in May of that year when I submitted it for a streamer contest.

Here are the pattern recipes for the Chowtime Sculpin – I’ve included the original version, as well as the most recent version of it.

Pattern Recipes

Version 1:

• Rear Hook: Gamakatsu B10s Stinger #4
• Tail: Rust Orange Marabou palmered around front half of hook shank, 3 wraps of EP Sparkle Brush (I used Chartreuse or Speckled Gold) then Olive Marabou palmered over that
• Flash: New Age Holographic Flash in Amberstone or gold, tied on top of marabou
• Front Hook: 20mm Flymen Fishing Company articulated shank (connect hook via loop on shank)
• Body: Schlappen and UV Polar Chenille, palmered together (for the color combo with this tail, I use olive for both of these materials)
• Legs: Two Sili legs, folded in half and tied in, trimmed to halfway down the tail
• Eyes: Lead dumbbell, size to suite conditions (I most commonly use small for around here, but have also used medium)
• Head: 
  • Original experiment: Senyo’s Shaggy Dub (olive & brown) spun in a dubbing loop – looks interesting, but wanted some type of dubbing to add a bit of bulk/more profile.
  • Version A: Arizona Simi Seal Dubbing (Olive brown/sculpin olive) and Senyo’s Shaggy Dub (Olive & brown), spun in a dubbing loop, brushed out. Do 2-3 wraps behind the eyes, figure-8 around the eyes, tie off behind hook eye. Brush out the fibers again.
  • Version B: EP Streamer Brush w/ Micro Legs (2-3 wraps as a collar), EP Tarantula Brush (1.5”) in figure-8 around eyes.
  • Version C: EP Minnow Head Brush, EP Tarantula brush (1.5”)

Version 2:

• Note: This can be tied in both articulated and single-hook versions. If using a single hook, I used a B10S #2 and built everything off of that hook (see photo below)
• Rear Shank: Flymen Fishing Company 15mm shank
• Tail: Two marabou plumes, tied in same as version 1. (Sparkle Brush can be omitted)
• Flash: New Age Holographic Flash in Amberstone or gold, tied on top of marabou – or you can use holographic flashabou or speckled flashabou
• Hackle: Mallard flank feather, palmered as collar (color to match fly)
• Front Hook: Gamakatsu B10s #2 (allows for more body) – connected with Senyo’s Intruder Wire
• Body: Schlappen and UV Polar Chenille, palmered together.
• Legs: Two Sili legs, folded in half and tied in, trimmed to halfway down the tail
• Eyes: Lead dumbbell, size to suite conditions (I most commonly use small for around here, but have also used medium)
• Head: same as head version B or C above (with EP brushes)