Feenstra's Grape and Green Sculpin

Materials

Shank

A long up-eye shank, typically 50 mm or more, or a size 1/0 3XL hook such as the Daiichi 2461

Loop

Braid or wire of your choiceHeavy 80 lb braid on Feenstra's own flies, since the trailing hooks are large. Shank only.

Eyes

Bead chain, tied just behind the eyeMetal for weight, or plastic gold bead chain when the fly should sink less.

Under-tail

Two reddish or purplish grizzly hen feathers

Tail

Dark olive marabou, rabbit strip, pine squirrel, or craft fur

Wing

Two reddish or purplish grizzly hen feathers

Over-wing

Dark olive or peacock marabou feather

Flash

Merlot Flashabou, avocado Flashabou, and a very little yellow holographic Flashabou

Head

A small tuft of olive Australian possum covered with a clumpy veil of moss blue Clyde dubbing or olive Kraken dubbingFly Tier's Dungeon.

Pectoral finsoptional

Dark olive marabou or rabbit strips, or purple hen hackles, splayed

Steps

1. 1.Cover the shank with thread and tie in a pair of bead chain eyes at the front.
2. 2.If using a shank, tie in your loop. With braid, tie an overhand knot toward the tag end so the fly cannot self-destruct on a violent strike. Cover the whole shank with thread and add a drop of Zap-A-Gap or other quick glue.
3. 3.Move to the very back of the shank or hook and tie in two purple hen feathers sloping over the end of the fly.
4. 4.Move the thread forward and tie in a clump of dark olive marabou or a rabbit strip.
5. 5.Move forward again and tie in a couple more purple hen hackles, sloping down.
6. 6.Lay a marabou feather on top of the hook.
7. 7.Add the three colours of flash so they extend to the length of the tail.
8. 8.Add a clump of Australian possum, followed by a rough clump of olive or moss-coloured dubbing.
9. 9.Tie in a clump of marabou just behind the eyes if you want pectoral fins.
10. 10.Add the glue of your choice at the finishing point; Feenstra typically uses UV glue.
11. 11.Finish the fly.

From the tier

• A deadly fly whenever steelhead are present, but especially in the winter; avocado and merlot Flashabou set it off.
• Sculpins take on the colour of the river bottom. In late winter the Muskegon's moss runs brown-olive to blue-green, so sculpins carry an olive tint and the fish key on it.
• Fish it on the swing, or as a slow strip and swing for winter trout. To use it both ways, tie it on a hook rather than a shank, or tie it with a rabbit strip and pierce the strip with the trailing hook.

Hook and hardware

• Up-eye shank or 3XL hook1

  50 mm shank, or size 1/0 Daiichi 2461

  Shank

  1

• Braid or wire for the loopA short length

  80 lb braid

  Loop

  Shank version only, with a trailing hook to suit.

  A short length

• Bead chain eyes1 pair

  Metal or plastic gold

  Eyes

  1 pair

Feathers and fur

• Grizzly hen feathers4 feathers

  Reddish or purplish

  Under-tailWing

  4 feathers

• Marabou2 feathers

  Dark olive, or peacock for the over-wing

  TailOver-wing

  Rabbit strip, pine squirrel or craft fur can replace the tail marabou.

  2 feathers

• Australian possum furA small tuft

  Olive

  Head

  A small tuft

• Marabou or purple hen for finsoptional2 clumps

  Pectoral fins

  2 clumps

Synthetics, flash and legs

• FlashabouA few strands each

  Merlot, avocado, a little yellow holographic

  Flash

  A few strands each

• Clyde or Kraken dubbingA clump

  Moss blue or olive · Fly Tier's Dungeon

  Head

  A clump

Thread and finish

• Tying thread1 spool

  ShankHead

  Not named on the page.

  1 spool

• UV or quick-drying glueA drop or two

  LoopHead

  A drop or two