1st Annual N.G.T.O. Fly Swap

Fly photos courtesy of Michael Lim.

The Clouser Minnow

"....arguably the world's best fly..."

from the vise of Kent Edmonds

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CLOUSER TYING INSTRUCTIONS

Insert the hook in the vice & bind lead or bead chain eyes to the top of the hook with figure 8 wraps and super glue. Leave enough room in the front of the eyes to tie in the bucktail. Most Clouser recipes call for a clump of bucktail to be mounted here over the eye tie-down on the top (what will be the bottom) of the hook. Per a suggestion from Lefty Kreh, I omit this step - this doesn't detract from the silhouette, makes the fly more stable in its upside down position on the retrieve, and keeps the dressing more translucent (like most bait). Invert the hook in the vice and tie on a small clump of white bucktail just in front of the eyes. Holding it tightly on the top (what would normally be the bottom) of the hook, flare it slightly with thread tension. Tie in a few strands of flashabou or other sparkly material in various lengths. Now tie in an over-wing of colored bucktail. Wrap to hook eye, tapering head, whip-finish and lacquer wraps and eye tie-in.

A baitfish imitator, which due to "upside down" tying method & weighted eyes, rides hook point up & virtually snag-free. Most hookups are in the top lip. The weighted eyes also give a unique, enticing, diving motion on the retrieve. It can be tied in all sizes & weights (by varying the size of lead eyes or using bead-chain eyes.) The Clouser, in varying sizes, has worked for me on black, white, striped & hybrid bass, bream, trout, carp, catfish, redfish, spotted seatrout, mangrove snapper, jack crevalle, barracuda and snook.

FISHING THE CLOUSER

If the Clouser is heavily weighted, it may be necessary to open the casting loop some to avoid hitting the rod (CAUTION - heavily weighted lead eyes can fracture your rod tip.) The Clouser can be fished in moving water with an upstream or over and across manner. In stiller water, I normally like to vary my retrieve (after varying a countdown time.) Generally a slow, erratic motion is the best, allowing the fly to mimic a wounded bait as it dives on the retrieve. A fast retrieve can also be effective, simulating a fleeing prey (especially with striped/hybrid bass and barracuda.)

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