Rate my Clouser

[FlatsRoamer 0]

hi, this is one of my clousers, it was tied on a size 1 mustad 34007. the top color is burgundy and bottom is dark brown (very sparse). please make any suggestions that will improve my skills as a fly tier, thx! sorry the pic is upside down!

[mikechell 0]

Sparse streamer, will probably catch fish.

However, it's not a clouser.

[tidewaterfly 0]

Yes, it needs a lot of work. Like Mike has said, it's not a Clouser. My take is you're just starting to learn to tie and don't quite have the basic tying techniques mastered as yet. But, you're making the attempts & asking for critique which is a great way to learn.

 

Watch this video closely & pay attention to what Bob Clouser says while he ties it. There are steps & details in tying it that make it a "Clouser Minnow". Watch it a few times and take it slow. Then tie another & show that one. Compare them afterwards too. Hopefully, there will be a big improvement. We all had to start somewhere!

 

Bob Clouser Tying the Clouser Minnow.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0gX83J1Kvg

[josephcsylvia 0]

Yes you tied your dark brown too far back, it should only be tied down in front of the eyes. Also if you zoom in on pick it looks as if your whip finish came undone. Keep at it. Try a lighter belly color as well. Dark colors have their place but contrast usually produces

[utyer 0]

Measure the total length of the hook (including the bend,) then place the eyes 1/3rd of the way back. Starting midway between the hook eye, and the dumbbell eyes, tie in the darker color along the top of the shank and wrap back to the bend. All of this hair should remain on the top of the shank. The thread used should blend with or be the same color as this hair.

 

Now invert the hook, and tie in the lighter colored hair in the same place, but don't tie it down past the dumbbell eyes. Add a liberal amount of glue to the wraps and build up a smooth head which should taper down to the hook eye.

 

Flash if used should be added just before the top wing hair.

 

This pattern is designed to ride upside down. Different weight eyes, and sparse amounts of hair are used to control sink rate.

 

FIRST, watch this video of Bob Clouser tying one.

[Dave G. 0]

The very first fly I ever tied, the thread wraps came undone too, I had no idea how to properly do a whip finish by hand but thought I was doing one. I used tons of head cement on my sewing thread to keep the heads tied. Then I bought a whip finisher and tying thread. My first woolly bugger came out with this bulbous head on it and crazy long tail. Guess what ? It caught fish and boosted my confidence. By the time I got around to tying Clousers I could handle thread and tools quite well. You need to keep at it but you will grow quickly in this modern internet age via video and forum content.

 

Today there are videos on flies to the point of confusion as to what ones to watch. You have links provided by the other guys of videos made by the originator of the Clouser.

 

Here is a video on hand whip finishing, my suggestion would be to practice this on a bare hook before tying your next fly, regardless what that fly is and to include a Clouser: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=whip+finishing+by+hand&view=detail&mid=320ED268851CD961DDB4320ED268851CD961DDB4&FORM=VIRE

[flytire 0]

 

visual reference

 

color, sparseness all optional

 

 

http://www.charliesflyboxinc.com/flybox/details.cfm?parentID=66

[FlatsRoamer 0]

ok thx for all suggestions, i will use that in my next clousers!