Fly of the Month

Bob Ireton brings together his experience in fly fishing, aquatic entomology, and knowledge of fly tying techniques and materials, to design and tie durable and effective flies.


   Volume 4,  Issue 1                                                                    January 2003

 CLOUSER MINNOW

By Bob Ireton
Photography by Bob Kimsey and Bob Ireton

By far, the most well known minnow imitation going! Bob Clouser originally used a 'bucktail streamer' in the Susqehanna River, near his fly shop in Middleton, Pennsylvania. This fly always ran shallow, and Bob had to add split shot to keep the fly down. In the early '80's, Wapsi (fly company) sent Bob some painted eyes to try, and Bob saw that this was the way to help the fly run deeper, as well as looking better than bucktail streamer using split shot. The "Clouser Minnow" was born! The new fly had the action of an escaping bait fish, and by using different size eyes, the rate of decent could be regulated.

This fly has been modified and tied every way you can imagine, and has caught almost any kind of fish, anywhere! For this presentation, I have tied this fly to imitate the baitfish that are most common in streams, where we fish most of the time. This is a great fly! Hope you have success with it!


MATERIALS

Hook- Mustad 34007, 3406, 3366; TMC 811S; Daiichi X452, 2546; Dai-Riki 930; Orvis 9034; Gamakatsu SS15 SIZE 2/0-8
Thread- Olive 6/0
Eyes/Weight-Barbell type painted white, with black pupils, sized to match fly
Belly- White deer hair from the top 2/3 of the tip end of a bucktail
Lateral Line- Peacock Krystal Flash
Back- Olive dyed deer hair from the top 2/3 of the tip end of a bucktail

TYING STEPS

1 - Secure hook properly in vice, and pinch down barb, if desired, especially on all hooks that don't have 'micro-barbs'! Tie in thread one hook-eye space behind eye of hook, and lay on a thread base rearward, stopping above hook point.
2 - Find the location for the eyes, which will be 1/3 the distance of the entire hook length, behind the eye end of hook. Loosely bring thread back to this point, and build a small thread ball on each side of this location. This will help anchor the eyes.
3 - Hold the eyes resting between the thread balls, and secure first with figure eights, then just around base of eyes, making sure eyes are properly positioned as you do this. Tie in a half-hitch. Add some super glue to thread on top and bottom of eye area to secure eyes. Use 'Zip Kicker' if you want to accelerate the super glue.
4 - Select a small bunch of white hair from the top 2/3 of a bucktail. Don't stack hair, but hold near tips, and pull out short hairs from butt end. Measure length of hair and cut it so it is 2 1/2 times the length of the entire hook. Hold this clump of hair so butt end is just behind hook eye, and secure, being very careful not to crowd the hook eye, and barbell eyes! Half-hitch. Bring thread under and behind barbell eyes, and secure deer hair from behind eyes to above hook point. See picture. Bring thread forward under and in front of eyes. Half- hitch.
5 - Reposition or rotate fly in vice so hook is in 'upright' position. Select 8-10 strands of peacock Krystal Flash, and tie in on hook point side of hook shank, same location as belly. Don't crowd hook eye, and barbell eyes. Trim the Krystal Flash slightly longer than the belly hair length.
6 - Now select a bunch of olive dyed deer hair from the top most 2/3 of bucktail, and make this bunch twice as thick as the belly. Don't stack, but hold near tips, and pull out short hairs from butt end. Trim the length of this hair the same as used for the belly , and tie in over Krystal Flash, being careful not to crowd the hook eye, and barbell eyes. Half- hitch, whip finish, and add head cement.

 

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