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kschu

How sparse should a clouser minnow be?

How many "toothpicks" worth of bucktail on your clousers?  

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Skunked,

Looks good. Always remember, hook point rides up, white (or lighter color) should always be on the bottom color and the darker colors to the top with the hook point up.

 

As Tidbit said as well, the one's Bob tied for him were sparse. As Bob said most fishermen will not buy them so sparse, so he adds a little more hair.

 

For his own use they are pretty thin. But if you look at a minnow with the light passing through, it does look translucent. As Tidbit says Bob always adds some flash.

 

As for the red eyes, the only fish or bait fish with red eyes in the vicinity of Clousers shop would be the Google eye (rock bass, war mouth, red eye) it’s like a bluegill on steroids. Bob's favorite color is chartreuse and white.

 

Tidbit,

you are so right about Bob, a great guy, offering great help at a great shop, surrounded by great, and I mean great smallmouth fishing (Susquehanna).

 

Tidbit, Sorry, I am not able to host a fly swap since I have not completed 3 swaps myself yet. I am still working on my third swap. (If I tied for a living, I'd make an annual salary of $126.75; I gotta pick up the pace).

 

Besides, I must have at least 60 Clousers in my box now, I mean how many flies do you need? Did I say that? I’m sorry. Work is very busy for the next two months, truth is you can never have too many flies.

 

Conehead

 

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Skunked,

 

You are cracking me up.

 

You keep flipping the hook up and down, the eyes have been on both sides. I'm to the point I don't know if you posted the picture upside down or not. Man I hope you didn't stand on your head for that last photo.

 

I'm sorry dude I am just having fun, you are just a fun guy to be around. You flies are looking great. I can't believe how your tying has improved in such a short time. We have got to get together and drown a few flies sometime when I cross the border (my brother in law is from Kitchner, Ont. and we always try to out do one another).

 

Now down to business. With the lead eyes tied opposite the hook barb side, the fly will ride with the hook point up (this is great when dragging it across the bottom.

 

When I picture a fly I always picture it the way the hook will pull through the water. This will give you your top and bottom perspective. Remember some flies (like the clouser minnow) start off being tied by being placed upside down in the vise (looks right side up for normal streamers) and then for step two the hook is flipped over (lead eyes down hook point up). This is really upside down for a normal fly, but right side up for a clouser.

 

Skunked,

Dude, I'am sorry, I confused myself. I need to get offline and drop a few cups of coffee.

 

Do what I do and look at the pictures. Have a great day.

 

Conehead

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Skunked,

 

tidbit here.

 

Put the hook in the vise the regular way ( that is hook point down. Tye in the eyes about one third of the way back on the hook. Tye in one ( 1) toothpicks worth of deer hair.

 

Turn the fly over ( this is the way the fly will run inthe water ( hook point up). Tye in krystal flash; now tye in about two (2) toothpicks worth of deer hair. Seal and coat the head: your finished.

 

Red eyes: that is what Bob uses--whether there is a fish with red eyes or not. I use red eyes. huh.gif You could use bead-chain. I'm sure it really dosen't matter. Bead chain is lighter in weight--so, you'd get a SLOWER sinking fly. Smallies like that.

 

Hope this all helps. You can contact Bob Clouser at:

 

www.clouserflyfishing.com

 

 

I am sure Bob would be glad to hear that there is so much conversation about his minnow. biggrin.gif

 

tidbit

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I have been tying clousers both ways for awhile now. Sparse and thick. Sparse for the smallies and others and thick for the whites. The whites didnt seem to like the sparse, I ended up catching more on the thick patterns. The Largemouths didnt seem to care, if it moves, its food.

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I use the Mustad CK52S or 33903 popper hooks for my Clousers. I tie the eyes in the hump on the shank, which secures them real well.

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Are freshwater clousers tied differently than saltwater clousers? Are saltwater clousers tied heavier?

 

Does one clouser tied sparse outfish one tied a little heavier? Do fish count hairs? dunno.gif

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I have had the pleasure of taking a class from bob and fishing with Bob and talking with him.

 

It is unfortunate that TroutBum lost that Clouser. I am glad that he was fishing it though. bob gave me a bunch and said to fish them .

 

A good rule of thumb when tieing clousers is if you can see your finger through the clouser then it is usually sparse enough. Most baitfish have a translouscence to them.

 

I remember the original article that Lefty wrote in fly Fisherman about the Clouser Deep Minnow.

 

He siad around 20 fibers of deer hair in the wings. count them out and you will see that they are really sparse.

 

My experience is that they work better sparse both in the salt and fresh water.

 

Irish

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That's the great thing I found about fly tying: you can make and fish what works, not what sells. As far as the sparse/thick hair is concerned, I think it depends on a lot of factors.

 

I'm gonna tie up some rubber strand clousers for this year. Who knows, it might be killer. I've already done good with an orange body/white rubber pig boat for steelhead... who wudda thunk?

 

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This is a great post to read. I've been away for a bit and just got back and read it from front to back for the first time.

I have about 200 Clousers in my saltwater box(es) now. Been using them here in FL for about 3 years. Started out 'fat'. Sure, they worked some. But the fish here are very toothy, and after a few hookups I began noticing that they still caught fish even with a few strands left....like about 5 strands or less! Hard to go with that, but I'm now tying with only a couple of toothpicks worth, and getting great action. I may start out a bit heavier, because I want them to last more than a couple of fish. But for sure, sparse is the way to go.

Here's one I was playing with a while ago. The dark blue color is a wonder down here right now. Don't know why, it just works.

The red is calf tail. Meant to look like gills and just be an additional attractor.

 

http://hipwader.com/modules/NS-Upload/file...20Clouser25.jpg

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