Clouser Minnow
The Clouser Minnow, or Clouser Deep Minnow, is an extremely effective baitfish imitation that catches a whole range of game fish in fresh- and saltwater. It’s allure comes from a combination of heavy lead eyes and long, mobile tail and wing that give it a wonderful ducking-diving action on every twitch and retrieve. It is also tied to take the knocks that come when catch large, powerful fish, and the use of tough materials such as bucktail, ultra-strong thread and Super Glue ensures that the Clouser is very robust.
It is an easy pattern to tie: the body consists of simple, crossed-thread raps over the waste ends of the tailing materials. Also, because the pattern is tied to fish point-up, to avoid snagging on the bottom, the heavy lead eyes are tied on the top of the shank rather than underneath.
Materials (above)
- Hook: Size 2-8.
- Thread: White.
- Body: Tying thread over butts of the tail.
- Tail: Bucktail. White and blue.
- Wing: Bucktail, as for tail.
- Eyes: Painted dumbbell eyes.
Source: The Fly Tyer’s Bible, pp. 214-15.
Alternative
(White and chartreuse)
- Hook: Pre-sharpened Saltwater, sizes 1/0 through 8.
- Thread: White 3/0
- Belly: White bucktail.
- Lateral line: Pearl Krystal Flash.
- Back: Chartreuse bucktail.
- Eyes: Weighted dumbbell eyes, prepainted.
Substitute
- Hook: Regular stainless hook
- Thread: Black
- Belly: White Ultra Hair; or any other colour Ultra Hair or bucktail
- Lateral line: Any colour Krystal Flash or Flashabou
- Back: Chartreuse Ultra Hair; or any other colour Ultra Hair or Bucktail
- Eyes: Machined brass eyes with recess on ends; painted or glued-on eyes
Above: Clouser Minnow: Exploring Different Tying Options.
Left: Fly Tying for Beginners – Clouser Minnow with Jim Misiura.
