Clouser Minnow

Original Pattern by Bob Clouser

The Clouser was originally designed by the Bob Clouser and it is arguably one of the most used and most productive patterns ever devised. There is a saying (the name of the originator eludes me) that if you were to be stranded on a deserted island and were allowed to choose six flies to take with you, the first choice would be a clouser and all after that would be the same. The only decision to be made would be size and colour.

The secret of its popularity apart from the fish catching ability, is that it is extremely quick and easy to tie and can be used in a wide variety of fishing situations. The design is such that the aspect in the water is hook point up which makes it suitable for use for bottom dwelling species as well as mid-water and surface species.

The inclusion of weight in the form of hourglass eyes is not to assist casting (they actually make casting more difficult).  They are added to assist to give a hook point up orientation, overcome the natural buoyancy of the bucktail and cause the fly to dip head first when the retrieve is stopped. The latter gives a very minnow like action the makes the fly almost irresistible to a large number of species of fish

Hook:

Standard shank length, straight eye #8 to 4/0 (Mustad 34007) or Gamakatsu SL12S #2 to 3/0

Thread:

6/0 or 3/0 Flat Waxed same as wing colour

Materials:

Tail - white bucktail
Wing - white bucktail
Lateral line – Krystalflash, Shimmerflash or Comes Alive to suit overwing colour
Eyes - hour glass eyes or bead chain on smaller flies.

Instructions:

1   Place hook in vise. Start thread behind eye of hook. Make a base of thread consisting of two or three layers extending along the hook shank from the back of the hook eye to over the hook point. Finish with the bobbin hanging about one and a half hook eye widths behind the eye.

2   Position a set of hour glass eyes where the thread is hanging (about one and a half hook eye widths behind the hook eye. This distance is important to allow the attachment of subsequent stages). Secure in position with 6 wraps using a figure of eight wrap.

3   Make sure the eyes are straight on the hook. Complete six more wraps by moving the thread over the eyes then under the hook shank and over the eyes on the other side of the eyes.

4   Separate a small bunch of hair and cut off as close as possible to the hide. Hold the hair between the thumb and forefinger of the non-dominate hand. Hand stack, by gently drawing out the longest strands of hair and replacing them into the bunch. This has the effect of evening and thickening the tips ready for tying.

5   Grasp the hair as shown and trim butt ends even so that the material is about two hook shanks long. It is important that at this stage the grip is not released. If the grip is released the ends will become uneven and will need to be trimmed again.

6   Attach the butt end of the material in front of the eyes but not covering the hook eye using a "pinch and pull" technique as follows below. This method is used to hold the materials such as feathers and hair in place while tying it in. It enables you to hold the materials along the hook shank and eliminates the problem of the materials spinning. This means that the materials are kept straight which results in the fly swimming straighter.

(a) Hold the materials along the hook shank between the thumb and forefinger. The fingers "pinch" the materials to the shank.
Move the thread up in the "pinch" between the thumb and the materials maintaining the pressure on the materials at all times.

(b) Maintain a firm hold, form a loop and take the thread down between the forefinger and the materials on the far side of the hook .

(c) Still pinching the hook and materials pull down on the bobbin until the thread is firmly securing the materials in place. Do not pull down to hard as this will cause the hair ends to flare out.Keeping the pressure on , repeat the above steps another 4 or 5 times so that the materials are held firmly in place.

7   Hold the hair rearward in a bunch along the hook shank and overwrap with thread for half the length of the shank. Lay about three layers of close wraps of thread extending from the back of the eyes to the half way point on the hook shank. This will be the bottom or belly of the fly of the fly when finished. Finish with the thread hanging in front of the eyes.

8   Turn the fly over so that it is upside down. Take three to five strands of Krystalflash and double them around the thread. Hold them taught at a 45 degree angle and overwrap the doubled end 3 or 4 times so that it is attached behind the hook eye. Trim the ends of this even with or slightly shorter than the belly. Do not trim the ends of the crystal flash even. You will get more sparkle if the ends are uneven. Evenly distribute the flash either side of the hook point.

9   Take the second clump of fibre and measure it along the hook shank so that it is equal to the bottom clump. Trim the butt ends even and tie-in in front of eyes. Form a neat tapered head, whip finish, cut thread and you are finished.

10   Give the thread bindings a coat of head cement. Paint on eyes on the barbell eyes if you like and cover them with head cement or epoxy. 

Notes:
1. Use 6/0 thread for sizes 2-8. Use Flat Waxed 3/0 for larger sizes.
2. Other materials can be used for the tail and wing - Kinky Fibre, FisHair, Ultra Hair or Super Hair
3. Rabbit fur may be used as an over wing on top of the wing to add more movement.
4. On any Clouser Minnow, the lighter color is always the bottom color.
5. The size, length and weight (lead bar bell eyes) can be adapted for any situation.

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