Rate my Clouser 2.0

[FlatsRoamer 0]

Thanks to everyone to made comments, now im just waiting for the shipment of new materials to come in

[Cold 0]

Definitely showing improvement. You can't expect to develop good technique and tie a perfect fly overnight; your ties are looking better, and that's the important part.

 

While you've been given some good info and feedback already, I'd like to address a few things that I didn't see others cover (they may well have, as I just skimmed through, I just didn't happen to see it...

 

1. You laid down a thread base over the shank that extends a good distance back behind the last wraps over your belly hair. These wraps don't really serve much of a purpose and are in fact a liability, since they're directly exposed to rocks and fish teeth. After you get your eyes tied in and you're laying down a thread base upon which to tie your belly hair, you can choose to bind it down to any point between the eyes and the bend of the hook, but wherever you choose, make sure the thread base and the hair are at the same point.

 

2. All of your bucktail seems to be on the far side of the hook. Try to make sure it's more evenly distributed, or better yet, sitting directly on top of (and below) the shank. One way to help make this easier to accomplish is a soft loop. When you're tying in a bunch of bucktail, make a turn of thread around the material *only* (not the material and the shank), and then make a second wrap around the material and the shank. While gently lifting up on the material, apply thread tension by pulling up on the thread on the near side of the hook to cinch down both wraps at the same time. This will have the effect of keeping the bunch of hair in a tight bundle as well as securing it to the hook...and the gentle upward pressure keeps it in position.

 

3. Others have pointed out that ideally, there shouldn't be hair exposed at the head of the fly. This is bad for both appearance and durability. While crowding the head is a perennial problem, it looks like you actually did fairly well in that regard, but had trouble dealing with the "drop off" from the bundle of hair to the shank. To help with this, try making a smooth transition. Tie in your bucktail, and once it's secured in place with a few (anywhere from 3 to 6) good tight wraps, lift up the butt ends of the bucktail and trim them off at a taper, starting the cut near the hook eye and ending it a bit in front of your thread wraps. Then when you bind down the read of the bucktail under the thread, there's a smooth ramp of butt ends down to the hook shank, conveniently ending near the eye.

 

I'll send you a PM with a bit more info...

[josephcsylvia 0]

Well said Cold.

[Roland58 0]

Well, I looked at the video of Mr. Clouser making his minnow and thought, "this looks easy enough." Before I go further, let me express my deep admiration for those of you that produce the incredible looking flies! Without further ado, here is a pic of my first attempt at a Clouser. Admittedly, I threw in a few of my own varitions......big mistake.

 

I know I used way too much material......you have to hunt to find the deer hair. I did learn from this and will do better next time.

(I hope)

[FlatsRoamer 0]

Roland, I would use less flash and a little more sparser hair but good foundation nonetheless

[Dave G. 0]

 

I know I used way too much material......you have to hunt to find the deer hair. I did learn from this and will do better next time.

(I hope)

What are you talking about hunting ? It's bucktail you want anyway not deer hair, there is a difference. Here is but one example, nothing too exotic about it: http://www.jsflyfishing.com/hareline-large-northern-bucktail

 

Lets start you off with the right stuff !

[Roland58 0]

Thanks Dave. I know I said "deer hair" when I, in fact, used "buck tail." My mistake was primarily using far too much flash in place of the dark hair on top. Maybe the bass will take interest due to the "never seen anything like that before" factor.

This is a great forum for learning and a great bunch of friendly people. Thanks to all!

[FlatsRoamer 0]

Yes it is Roland

[Dave G. 0]

Thanks Dave. I know I said "deer hair" when I, in fact, used "buck tail." My mistake was primarily using far too much flash in place of the dark hair on top. Maybe the bass will take interest due to the "never seen anything like that before" factor.

This is a great forum for learning and a great bunch of friendly people. Thanks to all!

Oh I bet bass will take that.

[mikechell 0]

Roland ... look up the "backstabber fly". Your attempt actually reminds me more of one of those than of a clouser.

There are better flies suited to the materials you're using.

[Roland58 0]

Hey MIKE,

The fly you mentioned dors look a lot like the atrocity I put together. If I had used some dark green maribou

It would be a good match! Since one of my target species is carp, it may work out!

[Roland58 0]

This is a little better.....not as much material and less personal touches!

[FlatsRoamer 0]

Great improvement!

[Roland58 0]

This is a little better.....not as much material and less personal touches!

I didn't have any barbell eyes so had to make some. The head looks overly large because I tried to smooth out the head cement with my fingers after it had begun to set and it kinda rolled up.

[Roland58 0]

It may not be the best, but, it is a vast improvement over the green Mardi gras fly. It looked, except for the colors, just like a real clouser. Because of the majority of dark colors (that's the only color of bucktail I had), I decided to put a little splash of Orange on the back using PIP (whatever that is). I have a feeling the bass are going to like this one!