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The Clouser minnow was originally created back in the mid 80's by Bob Clouser, a legendary fly tier, instructor and fisherman. Soon after the flies creation, fly fisherman around the world started realizing the flies versatility and potential to catch just about any species of fish that eat bait fish. It has the ability to catch many saltwater fish species, as well as freshwater species. I take this fly to every saltwater outing I go on, and also to every lake fly trip for bass, trout, and even pike. If tied on a small hook, you can even crappie fish with it.

The fly is rather easy to tie, and can be quite durable, which means you can catch more fish without the fly shredding. You can use other materials than just buck tail, however buck tail is the original way it was tied. Synthetic fibers however can be very effective. I even know someone who ties this with craft fur, and it moves incredibly in the water.
Hook: Mustad 3407 size 6-3/0 (I am using 1/0 for the video).
You could also use any strong and long shank hook. I commonly use a Gamakatsu SS15 as well.
Weight/Eye: Dumbbell Eyes in any size you want. The larger the eye, the faster it sinks, and the smaller the eye, the slower it will sink. I am using a 7/32" size (or 5.5MM), which is rather large. I like mine to sink fast.
Body: Bucktail in chartreuse and white.
Thread: Danville 210 waxed.
Epoxy: Solarez "thin hard" uv curing epoxy.
Music: "Happiness" & "Sunny" - Bensound.com


https://youtu.be/XfcRwJ-RwlU

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A great streamer. Personally, I like a Wooley Bugger, for some reason I can't qualify. The Clouser is deadly at deeper levels than the WB, but for some reason I prefer the WB...and have had better luck maybe because I fish it more. I think the WB fishes the mid-level of the water environment unless you weight it strongly. The Clouser as I try it goes deep.

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A great streamer. Personally, I like a Wooley Bugger, for some reason I can't qualify. The Clouser is deadly at deeper levels than the WB, but for some reason I prefer the WB...and have had better luck maybe because I fish it more. I think the WB fishes the mid-level of the water environment unless you weight it strongly. The Clouser as I try it goes deep.

Yeah that is another very effective and versatile streamer. I tend to use them just for freshwater applications though. But I have a friend that uses them for saltwater applications as well and kills the fish. However I find that its tough tying WB's large enough to get a consistant bite of larger fish. I have fished them for the local striper in my area, and I end up getting tons of the little 10-12" fish. But I sure do catch a lot when I fish it! Clousers are my go-to for stripers, and I usually catch them a bit larger when using a Clouser. I have another fly that I will be uploading next. For striped bass, its a close tie between the clouser and this fly. Stay tuned, in a few days I will have it uploaded.

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Well you asked about the most versatile fly ever made. The Clouser to me would not be it because it basically only imitates minnows. It might be able to be tied to imitate minnows in fresh and salt water and streams and rivers etc but it still only imitates minnows, period. A Woolly Bugger though can imitate a minnow in all the same situations. In the right colors it can imitate crayfish, Stonefly nymphs, with a long tail a leech. And with a shorter tail and correct colors and size it will pass in a Hex hatch. Far more versatile than a Clouser ever thought of being , since it can pass in any of those varying conditions, while the Clouser "imitates minnows".

Besides that, I've never been attracted to the Clouser even though many fish are and certainly a share load of fishermen are. I think I've tied two Clousers in my life ( orange and white, chartreuse and white), both of which caught fish but the chartreuse the stronger performer around here, I couldn't stand looking at them and threw them out. Call me nuts !!

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They are a great streamer. I prefer the video below for learning to tie it. Hard to beat learning from the man himself.

 

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... Wooley Bugger, for some reason I can't qualify. The Clouser is deadly at deeper levels ...

I've never tied or fished a wooley bugger ... but someday, I'll get some hackle and try some.

I have tied and fished Clousers. I don't like the lead dumbbell eyes. I caught one bass, in California, on one ... but at home, in Florida, the water I fish doesn't need anything that heavy. Too shallow with weedy bottoms that Clousers just hang up in. I do like clouser "style" flies tied with bead chain eyes, though.

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... Wooley Bugger, for some reason I can't qualify. The Clouser is deadly at deeper levels ...

I've never tied or fished a wooley bugger ... but someday, I'll get some hackle and try some.

I have tied and fished Clousers. I don't like the lead dumbbell eyes. I caught one bass, in California, on one ... but at home, in Florida, the water I fish doesn't need anything that heavy. Too shallow with weedy bottoms that Clousers just hang up in. I do like clouser "style" flies tied with bead chain eyes, though.

Yeah beadchain for sure when fishing flats... I'm actually using a stainless steel dumbell, not lead. I found a screaming deal online for them. So I bought a ton. I kinda like them better honestly, allows me to use a larger eye with a bit less weight. But not as light as beadchain for sure. I use beadchain out here in CA for fishing black bass. Keeps it more shallow, especially pre-spawn shallow fishing. But for striper fishing I need them to get down a bit deeper. I also find that the shiny stainless steel eyes help add more flash and get more bites. The striper like those shiny objects...

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I don't think it would be a stretch to say that the Clouser could also imitate a shrimp or crayfish.

Absolutely can. Tie it tan or brown, and you have a great crustation pattern.

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I don't think it would be a stretch to say that the Clouser could also imitate a shrimp or crayfish.

Nope not so much shrimp, but all you do is divide the tail and it will do crayfish fine. In fact just weight it to hit bottom tied in good crayfish colors, close enough, don't even divide the tail.. Just trying to give the impression of the creatures not an exact anything, the woolly bugger was never about an exact anything except to be a woolly bugger. But it can pass in many situations. Certainly more than a minnow imitation can.

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Well you asked about the most versatile fly ever made. The Clouser to me would not be it because it basically only imitates minnows. It might be able to be tied to imitate minnows in fresh and salt water and streams and rivers etc but it still only imitates minnows, period. A Woolly Bugger though can imitate a minnow in all the same situations. In the right colors it can imitate crayfish, Stonefly nymphs, with a long tail a leech. And with a shorter tail and correct colors and size it will pass in a Hex hatch. Far more versatile than a Clouser ever thought of being , since it can pass in any of those varying conditions, while the Clouser "imitates minnows".

Besides that, I've never been attracted to the Clouser even though many fish are and certainly a share load of fishermen are. I think I've tied two Clousers in my life ( orange and white, chartreuse and white), both of which caught fish but the chartreuse the stronger performer around here, I couldn't stand looking at them and threw them out. Call me nuts !!

Ok I'll call you nuts... Haha. J/K.

 

The clouser can imitate crayfish and shrimp. I think they are a nice looking fly, but we each hold our own ideas and apparently you can't stand the site of them. Haha. Yes the WB is possibly more versatile in fresh water. It can imitate more forage opportunities for fish. Bugs, baitfish, and crustations. However one could argue that it's limited to fresh water only, And possibly a limited saltwater use. The clouser however can catch just about every species of sport fish. I don't know too many people fishing albacore with a WB, but the clouser is quite effective with albies on the fly. Maybe the correct question was not about its versatility, but its effectiveness for a greater number of fish, and waters?

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I don't think it would be a stretch to say that the Clouser could also imitate a shrimp or crayfish.

Yeah, one with no legs. The woolly bugger will do it better, weight that body, get it down.

 

Now, you can alter any pattern but I'm assume we are talking about a straight up tie here.

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I don't think it would be a stretch to say that the Clouser could also imitate a shrimp or crayfish.

Nope not shrimp, but all you do is divide the tail and it will do crayfish fine. In fact just weight it to hit bottom tied in good crayfish colors, close enough, don't even divide the tail.. Just trying to give the impression of the creatures not an exact anything, the woolly bugger was never about an exact anything except to be a woolly bugger. But it can pass in many situations. Certainly more than a minnow imitation can.

Shrimp for sure!!! Take a look at the "gotcha" fly. It's pretty darn close to a clouser in style, but is a shrimp imitation. I know many people that tie slight variations of clouser's to fish bonefish. Pretty much all Crazy Charlie variants are sorta closely resembling a clouser.

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I guess you can call me nuts, too--I know that thousands of fly fishers out there think the Clouser is the greatest thing since sliced bread, but I've just never warmed up to that pattern. I'm sure I'd catch fish on them if I fished them more, but I don't like tying with bucktail, and besides, the look of the pattern just leaves me cold. That being the case, and since, to quote John Gierach, "...getting turned on is what this is all about", I rarely tie them, and rarely fish them when I do tie them.

 

I did tie up a few marabou Clousers last year, because they were specifically recommended for a new piece of water I was going to try. I fished them there, as well as a few other places throughout the season and I think I hooked a fish or two on them. I like the look of the marabou version much better than the original.

 

My vote for overall most versatile pattern would also have to go to the venerable Woolly Bugger.

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Well you asked about the most versatile fly ever made. The Clouser to me would not be it because it basically only imitates minnows. It might be able to be tied to imitate minnows in fresh and salt water and streams and rivers etc but it still only imitates minnows, period. A Woolly Bugger though can imitate a minnow in all the same situations. In the right colors it can imitate crayfish, Stonefly nymphs, with a long tail a leech. And with a shorter tail and correct colors and size it will pass in a Hex hatch. Far more versatile than a Clouser ever thought of being , since it can pass in any of those varying conditions, while the Clouser "imitates minnows".

Besides that, I've never been attracted to the Clouser even though many fish are and certainly a share load of fishermen are. I think I've tied two Clousers in my life ( orange and white, chartreuse and white), both of which caught fish but the chartreuse the stronger performer around here, I couldn't stand looking at them and threw them out. Call me nuts !!

Ok I'll call you nuts... Haha. J/K.

 

The clouser can imitate crayfish and shrimp. I think they are a nice looking fly, but we each hold our own ideas and apparently you can't stand the site of them. Haha. Yes the WB is possibly more versatile in fresh water. It can imitate more forage opportunities for fish. Bugs, baitfish, and crustations. However one could argue that it's limited to fresh water only, And possibly a limited saltwater use. The clouser however can catch just about every species of sport fish. I don't know too many people fishing albacore with a WB, but the clouser is quite effective with albies on the fly. Maybe the correct question was not about its versatility, but its effectiveness for a greater number of fish, and waters?

 

There is no question that a lot of fishermen are attracted to the Clouser. They put great faith in them and they like the looks of them. I'm not one though, I just plain don't like them. The Thunder Creek tie is another I don't care for and actually have never tied that pattern at all. But some guys love them.

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