How to Tie a Clouser

The Clouser minnow is one of Bob Clouser's original and most popular fly patterns. The minnow is a versatile fly with adjustable color patterns and minimal materials. The design uses large eyes to imitate a frightened baitfish, and the slender body displays the flash of lateral lines and the profile of a swimming fish. Anglers use the Clouser minnow to target trout, bass, pike, bonefish, tarpon and many other predatory species.

Things You'll Need

  • Fly-tying vise
  • 2XL streamer hook
  • Bucktail
  • Dumbell eyes
  • Silver flash
  • 3/0 fly tying thread
  • Head cement
  • Whip finishing tool
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Place the hook in the fly-tying vise. Start the thread at the eye of the hook and wrap it one-third of the way up the hook shank.

    • 2

      Place one set of dumbbell eyes on the top of the hook shank. Wrap the thread in a figure-eight pattern around the center of the eyes. Make the wraps tight and adjust the position of the eyes with your fingers to ensure they are perpendicular to the hook shank.

    • 3

      Cut a clump of bucktail from a fur patch. Measure the fur to match twice the length of the hook shank. Hold the fur on top of the hook shank and make seven tight thread wraps to secure the fur behind the dumbbell eyes. Wrap the thread towards the bend in the hook, covering the bucktail with each turn. Stop at the one-half point on the hook shank.

    • 4

      Remove the hook from the vise and reinsert it in an upside down position. Wrap the thread back down the hook shank, stopping behind the eyes. Cut a section of silver flash to match the length of the bucktail. Make seven tight thread wraps to secure the flash to the hook. Cut away the excess from the butt ends of the flash.

    • 5

      Cut another section of bucktail and measure it to match the original clump. Make seven tight thread wraps to secure the bucktail immediately behind the dumbbell eyes. Cut away the excess base fibers. Wrap the thread between the dumbbell eyes and the eye of the hook to form a neat thread head. Use a whip finishing tool to half hitch and knot the thread.

    • 6

      Cut the thread from the hook. Cover the thread head with head cement to create a glossy finish and to reinforce the fly.