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Clouser Minnow

Streamer · Trout · Smallmouth Bass · Largemouth Bass · Pike · Walleye · Panfish · Striped Bass · Bluefish · False Albacore · Jack · Tarpon · Snook · Redfish · Sea Trout · Barracuda · Intermediate · 8 versions

Clouser Minnow fly

Classic Recipe

  • Hook Streamer, 3x long, 2-8
  • Thread White 6/0

Materials

  • Eyes Lead dumbbell eyes (1 pair)
  • Belly White bucktail (sparse)
  • Flash Krystal Flash (6-8 strands)
  • Back Chartreuse bucktail (sparse)

How to tie it

  1. Lay a thread base and tie in the dumbbell eyes on top of the shank, one-third back from the hook eye. Tight figure-8s, then circling wraps beneath the eyes to cinch, then a drop of glue. Loose eyes twist; twisted eyes ruin the fly.
  2. Tie in a sparse clump of white bucktail in front of the eyes, then bind it down behind them so it slopes along the shank.
  3. Flip the hook in the vise. From here the fly rides point-up.
  4. Tie in 6-8 strands of Krystal Flash on the new top side.
  5. Tie in a sparse clump of chartreuse bucktail over the flash as the back. Sparse is the discipline: if it looks skimpy dry, it's right. The fly should be translucent wet.
  6. Build a tapered thread head, whip finish, cement well.

Substitutions

  • Belly instead of White bucktail: White EP Fibers — Sheds water better, easier casting; White craft fur — Softer movement in water; White Pseudo Hair — Similar to bucktail, more consistent
  • Back instead of Chartreuse bucktail: Olive bucktail — Natural baitfish back color; Tan bucktail — Sculpin/goby color; Brown over orange bucktail — Crawfish imitation; Gray bucktail — Shad/herring color; Chartreuse EP Fibers — Synthetic alternative, easier casting
  • Eyes instead of Lead dumbbell eyes: Tungsten dumbbell eyes — Heavier, sinks faster; Bead chain eyes — Much lighter, for shallow water; Painted lead eyes — Adds color to the head
  • Flash instead of Krystal Flash: Flashabou — Flatter flash, different movement; Holographic Flashabou — More realistic; Lateral Scale — Wide flash, baitfish scale effect; Mirror Flash — Double-sided, very bright

Other versions

7 more in the app: Fischer's Flies, Bob Clouser's Original Proportions, Warmwater, Warm, Chartreuse, Gray, Olive.

Tying videos

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