Clouser Clones

[WWKimba 0]

Back in 2006 Richard A. Lewis wrote an article for the Fly Anglers Online site entitled "Tying Deep Minnow Clones" (www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/fotw2/030606fotw.php).  He was trying to show a Clouser based fly but with some advantages of using kink shanked (popper) hooks instead of a normal streamer hook.  (Mustad's 33903 was an example used.)  It's a great read of a very good idea.

The one thing I thought of is that the 33903 actually has TWO kinks in it, one up and one down.  Being cheap, I mean FRUGAL, I said why not tie TWO sized flies using a single sized hook.  Mr. Lewis used the front kink in his design and he explained the reasons in that fine article.  What I do is also use the back kink to tie a size bigger fly.  The one additional step I take is to mostly fill in the kink with the same sewing thread he mentions as a base for the eyes.  By filling in back crook/kink MOSTLY in accomplishes getting the eyes in a spot where the fly still fishes hook up.

If you're worried with short hits that's why the fishing gods invented stinger hooks.  Just figured I'd share the thought as well as the fine article.

[Philly 0]

I'm sure I read the article back in 2006, but that's a long time ago.  I just reread it and it makes sense now why he would use a kinked hook to tie the Clouser Minnow.  I've long since quit tying my poppers on kinked shanks.  I should have a few kinked hooks lying around that I can play with.   As far as tying two flies on the same hook,   Bob Popovics'  "Schoolie Fly"  which can be tied on various types of worm hooks might be a better option.  I didn't tie the fly below, just cut and pasted it.

 

 

 

[WWKimba 0]

I like that the author thought outside the box and addressed a couple of the challenges associated with such a fine pattern.  I'll check Bob's fly and thanks Philly!

 

[WWKimba 0]

I saw the Schoolie - love the thinking that went into that fly!  What I mentioned above is either tying this size or that size pattern using the same hook. (ie. tying a size 8 streamer or a size 6 streamer using the one size of hook).