tying small clouser minnows

[Fish For Life 0]

Im wanting to tye some little clouser minnow for some little trout. anyone have some good hook size recommendations for small clousers, what colors might be good, and some photos of your small clousers if you have any would be really appreciated.

 

 

 

Thanks

[JSzymczyk 0]

use a size 10, 4x to 6xl streamer hook, not the so-called standard length hook usually used. Align the tips of the hair being used, and tie it just slightly longer than the bend of the hook. One thing I have experienced often with stream trout is their habit of nipping at the tail end of a bucktail. I had several experiences using small Clouser Deep Minnows in trout streams where I would see and feel them hit, but not hook many at all. I went to a long streamer hook, and tied them as described, and hookups increased dramatically for me.

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

Here are some pics of clousers meant specifically for bonefish and they're tied up on sizes 4 and 6 Mustad 34007 hooks. The weedguard shown is an open arms or outrigger style meant to be used when you allow your bug to sink into grass and want to be able to hop it up where the fish can see it at close quarters. Note that all the materials are tied on only one side of the hook... Shouldn't be hard to adapt this to stream conditions with smaller freshwater hook and a bit shorter wing in the appropriate colors.... By the way I'm using very small lead eyes -for smaller versions you might want to go to brass eyes or something similar... Hope this provides some food for thought....

Tight Lines

Bob LeMay

(954) 435-5666

 

[SILKHDH 0]

use a size 10, 4x to 6xl streamer hook, not the so-called standard length hook usually used. Align the tips of the hair being used, and tie it just slightly longer than the bend of the hook. One thing I have experienced often with stream trout is their habit of nipping at the tail end of a bucktail. I had several experiences using small Clouser Deep Minnows in trout streams where I would see and feel them hit, but not hook many at all. I went to a long streamer hook, and tied them as described, and hookups increased dramatically for me.

Now that's a great reply! A learning experience with some great advice. Thanks for saving all of us the trouble of tying trout sized clousers that don't work. I will be sure to use this advise when I tie some. Nice job JS. My kind of post.

[TheCream 0]

Bob hit on what I was going to say, tie all the materials on the top (hook riding point up) side. That works better for me with the smaller ones, especially if I weight them lighter with bead chain eyes. Some I even add a few wraps of diamond braid to the shank down to the hook barb, just to throw a little more flash in. Works well where I fish.

[tidewaterfly 0]

I've done the same as Joel with the longer hooks. Great advise!

 

I like those with a straight eye, like Daiichi 1750 or Tiemco 9395. I also prefer to use a finer hair, like fox tail, etc, rather than bucktail unless the hair is very fine. I like anything with a white belly & darker back (olive, gray, tan, brown) all black works too and add a few strands of pearl flashabou or other fine flash. On small flies I feel that Flashabou has better movement than Krystal flash.

 

Ostrich herl is another good material for the smaller Clousers, particularly all black!

[Piker20 0]

how small is small? I fished a stocked venue with Rainbow summer past and was having no joy on traditional fare, lots of knocks and missed takes on small #14 and 12 streamers, nymphs, wets. I stuck this brute on and 2 fish in 2 casts, both about 10oz and inhaled the fly.

[tidewaterfly 0]

Piker, for me small is 1" to 1 1/2" Clousers. I've tied them down to a size 12, but as Joel said a 10 is a good size for trout. However, sometimes small just doesn't get it done as you've indicated, so having some variety is not bad idea!

[Crackaig 0]

For sea trout (sea run browns) on Loch Brora our best fly is a size 10 Clouser tied with white rabbit rather than hair silver crystal flash and bead chain eyes. We have never had a problem with tail nipping as the whole fly on a standard size 10 is about 3/4 of an inch long.

Cheers,

C.

[Rocco 0]

Do not think of these mini Clousers as just for small trout flies. In spring and early summer, predators gorge on young of the

year. I've had decent size pike and walleye crash the party on small and sparse, white bucktail patterns made with whisps of

hair and a silver flash body #10. I was after crappy the first time that happened. Since then some very nice browns have gone

after the same flies.

 

Rocco

[phg 0]

Also, keep in mind that when trout turn piscivorous they are about 12" long. I've had really good success fishing standard streamers tied on size 6 TMC300 hooks (6xl I think). At 12 ", they aren't very coy about taking a well presented bait fish imitation.

[Crackaig 0]

Just to emphasise phg's point for a piscavorious trout anything up to 1/3rd its body length is on the menu.

Cheers,

C.

[deeky 0]

I fish a lot of small Clousers (8-10) and use your standard Aberdeen style hook for the longer shank. As mentioned, don't tie much longer than the bend to avoid issues with the nippers. They are a wire hook rather than forged so may bend a little easier (nice for bendbacks), but have pulled in 14" carp on them and been fine. Just don't horse it. But also doesn't take as much weight to flip the lighter hook with a straight eye.