April Fool's Fly?? - Part 1: Real Sculpin??

My Livingston trip is coming in a week. I have shaped up my body (for strong wading) and fishing (casting and my own flies) at Yakima River as I have posted for past 8 weeks. Now I have just started packing things and some shopping for trip foods (sandwich stuffs and cans of tuna and sardines just to name a few........).

Followings are my recent designs that I am more than half serious about and will use during the trip myself. But also there are always stories behind each fly ever developed. I have one. I thought it's interesting to post as humor and art. Though I'm serious and emphasize my idea, I can say "April Fool!!" if I don't catch any trout!

Last week, my last outing to Yakima River, I picked up a big-fat-dead body of sculpin at the shallow area. It was almost 5-inch long. It looked slightly injured. It could have been attacked by bigger fish. I didn't take a picture or two due to the respect of the dead. Well, I did take pics for dead salmon the other day. What a hypocrite I am..... That dead salmon was respectable and admirable even dead. Anyways, the dead sculpin really looked like this.


I see why the classic Muddler Minnow or Kelly Galloup's Zoo Cougar are always best as sculpin imitation. Here's my tie.

Almost all no tail, just a skinny tapered body, and then broad head and long pectoral fins. Also, eyes are top of their head rather than sides. I was wondering for a few days to see if I can imitate. I came up something that might be too realistic. Yet fun and easy to tie and potentially practical because I weighed the fly so the hook point goes upward for less snagging while fishing the bottom.

And the white belly.


And here's the side view. I accomplished to keep the silhouette very flat.


I have a little positive feeling that this design of mine might work at certain spots that I'll be fishing. More than a joke level. I'll find more.