Helpful ReplyClouser Tute

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doubletaper
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2014/07/16 23:14:38 (permalink)

Clouser Tute


DT Clouser tute
Thread; Gray #6
Hook; Mustad 3366 #6
Eyes; Small dumbbell painted lead eyes
Belly; White Bucktail
Flash; Gold Krystal Flash
Wing; Olive Bucktail
Nose; Thread Wraps
 
1. Thread base hook shank

2. Tie in dumbbell eyes using figure eights

3. Measure white bucktail on top of shank.
Make three soft loops with soft loops on top . wind thread tight on the bottom and bring upward three or four wraps

pull the bucktail rearward so butts are just behind hook eye and tie down.

bring thread just behind eyes and tie down

wind thread, over bucktail, to rear of hook bend keeping bucktail on top of shank.
bring thread to point between hook eye and dumbell.

flip hook upside down and clamp down
4. trim a bunch of strands of flash and center the flash around the thread as so.

Wind the thread around the nose while you split the flash on each side of the hook point.

Tie down the flash in front of eyes

5. Trim some olive bucktail and place on top of nose with three soft loops. (wing should be no longer than white bucktail belly)

pull bucktail back so ends are behind hook eye and tie down

6. wrap thread around bucktail ends completing nose

finish nose with tight wraps and tie off. You can use a razor blade to trim off any excess

I use nail polish top coat on nose of clouser.

Finished clouser looks pretty unruly when dry

once wet it looks like a minnow imitation

White bass on a Chartreuse Clouser

Don't be surprised if you hook into a trout now and than

 
 
post edited by doubletaper - 2014/07/17 06:34:01

http://streamsidetales.bl...015/05/helles-yea.html
it's not luck
if success is consistent 





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    ray126
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    Re: Clouser Tute 2014/07/17 23:54:03 (permalink)
    doubletaper,One of my first flies I tyed.I learned something from your tute.Very well done.
    #2
    Cold
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    Re: Clouser Tute 2014/07/20 23:53:39 (permalink)
    Question: Do you usually/always tie them that long relative to the hook?

    I've always tied them either with a long shank hook or shorter overall so that the hook bend was further back on the overall pattern.  Just wondering if you have issues with short strikes, or if I can start using up a big stash of 3366's on big patterns!
    #3
    Cold
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    Re: Clouser Tute 2014/07/22 09:11:24 (permalink)
    Also, hows that clear nail polish holdup?

     
    On that note, DT, do you ever hit those thread wraps in the back with S.H. before you tie on the top wing?  Might improve durability, especially when exposed to sharp fish teeth.
     
    Lately on my patterns similar to this, I'm coating the whole head in UV resin to hold things together...not that there was a huge issue with them falling apart before I could get a chance to hang them in a tree, but it's nice to be able to bang them around rocks with confidence.
    #4
    doubletaper
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    Re: Clouser Tute 2014/07/23 19:11:45 (permalink) ☄ Helpfulby Cold 2014/07/24 15:26:49
    trust me on this one. trout takes a bait fish from behind. this is why i make my bugger tails about the length of the hook shank as well as my triple threats. i tie clousers for bass. largemouth actually inhale bait fish and, i believe, take it from the head instead of chasing it from behind. a largemouth opens its mouth and water enters as a vacuum and shoots out its gills. the short hook isn't a problem with short strikes on largemouth. also the shorter the hook on long baitfish imitations keeps the long fibers from wrapping around the bigger hook bend in cross currents and when casting. clouser minnows are good for not wrapping as much being that the buck tail is stiffer than other hairs or fibers used. i'm not sure how a smallie takes baitfish but i would assume, bigger smallmouth, take it the same as largemouth. i was surprised i caught a trout on the clouser.
    hope this answers your question.

    http://streamsidetales.bl...015/05/helles-yea.html
    it's not luck
    if success is consistent 





    #5
    doubletaper
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    Re: Clouser Tute 2014/07/23 19:14:49 (permalink)
    i believe most people will dip the head in an epoxy mix to harden the nose area for more durability. so far the top coat has been holding up.  

    http://streamsidetales.bl...015/05/helles-yea.html
    it's not luck
    if success is consistent 





    #6
    D-nymph
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    Re: Clouser Tute 2014/07/24 09:59:39 (permalink) ☄ Helpfulby Cold 2014/07/24 15:26:40
    doubletaper
    trust me on this one. trout takes a bait fish from behind. this is why i make my bugger tails about the length of the hook shank as well as my triple threats. i tie clousers for bass. largemouth actually inhale bait fish and, i believe, take it from the head instead of chasing it from behind. a largemouth opens its mouth and water enters as a vacuum and shoots out its gills. the short hook isn't a problem with short strikes on largemouth. also the shorter the hook on long baitfish imitations keeps the long fibers from wrapping around the bigger hook bend in cross currents and when casting. clouser minnows are good for not wrapping as much being that the buck tail is stiffer than other hairs or fibers used. i'm not sure how a smallie takes baitfish but i would assume, bigger smallmouth, take it the same as largemouth. i was surprised i caught a trout on the clouser.
    hope this answers your question.


    ^^^This is all accurate.  Smallies take flies at the head also, same as largemouth. 
     
    Trout eat minnows, a lot of minnows & creek chubs, they love clousers & hammer them.  You do get some short strikes, but if you wanted to try them for trout, especially effective in higher springtime water, try a long shank #6 or #4 hook, that puts the hook a lot farther back on/in the fly.  A Clouser, with the following color combination, bottom to top of: white, gold flashabou, olive, dark brown (just 8-12 brown hairs as a topping), has been my best steelhead fly for years.  Like, 10+ years.  It kills, especially in the low clear flows.
    #7
    Cold
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    Re: Clouser Tute 2014/07/24 15:24:08 (permalink)
    Thanks guys. 
     
    I've caught all three (LMB, SMB, trout) on clousers before, but I always try to tie them on long shanks specifically for this reason.  Maybe I'll have to tie a few up with regular hooks just to see if I miss many more fish.  If not, I do feel that once hooked, the shorter the shank, the better the chances are at staying buttoned up to them.
     
    Just 2 weeks ago, I was smallie fishing only to have holdover trout absolutely hammering a foxxee clouser, tied on a #4 bass hook with the whole pattern about 3.5".
     
    D-nymph, how long is the #6 one you use on steelhead?  Lead eyes or bead chain for weight?
    #8
    D-nymph
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    Re: Clouser Tute 2014/07/24 15:34:44 (permalink) ☄ Helpfulby Cold 2014/07/25 12:27:52
    I think they are 3x long streamer hooks.  Gold brass dumbbell eyes.
    #9
    Plum Bob
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    Re: Clouser Tute 2014/07/26 18:47:10 (permalink)
    Good tute, DT.  This fly is nice tied with soft hair like arctic fox. 3xl hook, white belly, white/lt. olive/dark olive wing, 6-8 strands pearl firefly flash, x small silver dumbbell eyes. I tie it with 6/0 chartreuse thread. After tying in the belly hair, tie in a band of fire orange thread right behind the dumbbell eyes to simulate gills. Finish head with couple coats head cement or Sally Hanson's. Simple fly but is a fish catcher & very good steelhead streamer. Size 6,8, or 10 for low, clear water.
    #10
    fishmonger
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    Re: Clouser Tute 2014/07/28 09:29:51 (permalink)
    I tie a sculpin pattern in the clouser. It works well for Browns, and also smallmouth in the Juniata. I also tie a version of the Black - nosed Dace in the clouser with Polar Fiber. Good turorial!

    Fishmonger
    #11
    Cold
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    Re: Clouser Tute 2014/08/04 08:48:42 (permalink)
    It's not with the long hook, but I've got about a half dozen of these ready for the Clarion outing this weekend:
     

     
    I covered the thread wraps in UV resin to hopefully improve durability a bit.
     
    Clousers have always been a pattern I've kind of overlooked.  I've used a few and caught fish on them, but the flies I've tied on have been only about a 50/50 mix of my own ties, and clousers I've received in swaps.  Usually I'll go to a zonker before a clouser...but maybe I'll have to change that.
    #12
    Porktown
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    Re: Clouser Tute 2014/08/11 11:31:57 (permalink)
    Wrap some saddle hackle behind the eyes on the shank before the buck tail, and you have a 1/2 & 1/2 (or very close to).  I tie them onto bucktail jigs more than clousers, since I swing a fly rod maybe twice per year now.  The saddle hackle gives it a great swimming motion.
    #13
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