Q: Certainly the Clouser Minnow is a very effective underwater fly. What is your favorite method of tying this pattern?
George Close
A: Bob Clouser conceived the Clouser concept. As one of my best friends and fishing buddies, we often worked together in the early stages of the fly. Bob usually ties his Clousers with the belly material on the base of the pattern, and the rest of the wing secured on the top of the hook, generally adding some flash to the wing as well. Our favorite Clouser has a white belly with a chartreuse topping.
If the fly is shorter than 3 inches or I am tying with hooks no larger than size 1, I prefer to tie all materials on the top (with the hook point up). I tie all bonefish flies this way. But with longer Clousers – a Half and Half, for example – I think the fly looks better when tying the first material on the bottom of the hook, the way Bob does.
