Butt Monkey
Imitates: Sculpin, juvenile trout, large baitfish
Quick Reference
- Best Sizes
- #2-4 (articulated, 4-5" overall)
- Best Season
- Year-round (especially pre-spawn fall)
- Best Conditions
- Big water, low light, deep runs, trophy hunting
- Water Temp
- 40-60°F
- Recommended Tippet
- 0X-2X fluorocarbon or 12-15 lb test
How to Rig It
Single articulated streamer on a 7-8wt with sink-tip line. Heavy bite tippet for big browns.
How to Present It
Strip-pause along banks, drop-offs, and structure. The deer hair head pushes water on every strip — the eat usually comes on the pause when the back half kicks sideways.
Why It Works
Tommy Lynch built the Butt Monkey to combine sculpin profile (deer hair head, hugging bottom) with leech motion (long rabbit strip tail). It's heavy, it pushes water, and the rear hook positions perfectly for short-striking big browns.
History
Another Tommy Lynch original out of Michigan, the Butt Monkey shares DNA with the Trombone and helped define the modern articulated-streamer playbook for trophy trout hunters.
Pro Tip
Fish it close to the bank with a downstream swing. Big browns sit tight to the bank in low light, and a Butt Monkey thumping past their face is hard to ignore.
Frequently Asked Questions
Butt Monkey vs Trombone?+
Same designer, similar use. The Butt Monkey is more sculpin-leech in profile; the Trombone leans more juvenile-trout/baitfish. Both target the same trophy browns.
Why a deer hair head on streamers?+
Deer hair pushes water and helps the fly ride at the right depth, like a real sculpin. It also sheds water on the cast so the fly stays castable even when soaked.
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