Zonker strip sculpin

Materials needed:
Hook:  Any standard 3x long streamer hook.  Size's #12-2.
Weight:  Lead, or lead-free wire, and a cone head bead.
Thread:  Gel spun thread.  I'm using white, but any color could be used.
Tail:  Olive midge flash/olive zonker strip.
Body:  Olive Senyo's laser dubbing, zonker strip, and red flash.
Head/collar:  Spun and trimmed olive deer body hair.

Start by putting your bead on your hook.

Wrap some weighted wire around the hook shank.  Leave some room between the bead and the hook bend as shown.

Secure the wraps to the shank with some thread wraps across the wire wraps.  Apply a drop of zap-a-gap or super glue.

Tie in 5 or so strands of olive midge flash.

Fold back the butt ends of midge flash and tie those in as well.

Trim the flash so it's about the length of the hook shank.

Measure your zonker so that it equals one hook shank.  Separate the hair on the strip of leather at your tie in point so you don't trap any fibers.

Wetting your fingers makes separating the hair much easier.

Tie in the zonker strip at your tie in point with 3-5 tight thread wraps.

Pull back the front part of the zonker strip, and wrap 3 tight wraps of thread in front of the zonker strip around the hook shank only.  This will lock it in place.

Create a dubbing loop with your olive Senyo's laser dubbing.

Twist, and brush out the fibers.

Wrap your dubbing loop forward to build the under-body.

Tie in some red flash on the under side of the hook shank.

Fold the zonker strip over the dubbed body, and separate the fur at your tie in point just in front of the dubbed body.

Secure the zonker strip to the hook shank with 3-5 tight wraps.

Trim the butt end of the zonker strip, and wrap 5 or so more tight wraps to ensure the zonker strip will not move.  You can apply some zap-a-gap to the tie in point as well.

Cut, clean, and stack a clump of deer body hair.  Put the clump on a 45 degree angle from the hook shank, and the tips of hair pointing to the rear of the hook.  Put one loose wrap over the clump and hook shank, then pull tight.  The deer hair will flare out.  Make 2 more tight wraps through the butt ends and the hair should "spin" around the hook shank somewhat evenly.

Don't be afraid to use your thumb nail to get the hair where you want it.

Cut and clean another clump of hair.  No need to stack the hair, just cut the tips off leaving you with a one inch or so clump of deer hair.

Do the same as the steps above to spin the hair.

Keep spinning hair until its tight enough to hold your bead tightly in place.

It took 3 big clumps (larger than a #2 pencil) to complete this head.






















Now, carefully trim a tapered head, leaving the tips of deer hair as a collar.











...A little at a time....

Be sure to stop after every trim and take a look at the fly to make sure you don't trim too much.

When you get it looking pretty good, stop.

At this point, you can whip finish just behind the bead.

Apply a one drop of zap-a-gap by placing your fly vertically in your vice with the bead at the top.  Put the drop on the hook eye, and let it run into the inside of the bead.