I've been holding back on another new product from Flymen Fishing Company. Martin Baudin is in the process of releasing the Sculpin Helmet to his line of Fish Skulls. When he told me of his idea for the product I instantly had patterns swimming in my head. Sculpins are bottom hugging river and stream dwelling fish that are a favorite of many freshwater gamefish. They are found in a range of earthy tones. These Helmets were designed to be heavy and wider in profile to the Fish Skulls. When I got samples into my hands, I couldn't tie fast enough to get the pattern down. My expectations were met both with the product and the pattern I came up with. It's one thing to come up with a cool looking pattern, it's another to come up with a cool looking pattern that catches fish. I took my new pattern "Hagrid's Dragon" out for test swim. I was fishing the run and fly kind of half heartedly and ready to switch flies, but I said to myself that this was experimental and to ride it out a little longer. I was swinging the helmet through the middle of the run when the line went tight. I connected with a fish that put a bend in the 4wt switch that had me more than excited. I was rewarded / surprised when I landed a fourteen inch fallfish. Typical fallfish in this area run between 6 and 10 inches. Though fallfish aren't as exciting as fresh chrome, this is late summer fishing. I renewed my confidence and kept fishing the run. Next I was into smallmouth bass! I fished the rest of the run and landed seven bass and two fallfish (both of which were over 13 inches). It was safe to say I was hooked or sold, depending on how you look at it on the sculpin helmets. Here is a sneak peek at the product and the results. The helmets will be available in small and large sizes and brown or olive colors.
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