Zoo Cougar

The Zoo Cougar, crafted by streamer expert Kelly Galloup, is a renowned unweighted streamer pattern designed to imitate sculpins and other small baitfish. Its distinctive flat, bullet-shaped deer hair head creates an erratic, side-to-side swimming action when retrieved, effectively mimicking the behavior of injured prey. This design has proven particularly successful in attracting large predatory fish, especially brown trout. The Zoo Cougar is typically fished using a sinking line to achieve the desired depth and action

Downstream Drift Rebound: Cast downstream at a 45-degree angle, letting the Zoo Cougar swing naturally in the current. As it reaches the end of the swing, snap the rod tip upstream sharply to create a "rebound" movement. This sudden change in motion mimics a panicked sculpin trying to escape and often triggers ferocious strikes.