Bob Clouser’s creation is one of the most versatile streamers you can have in your box.
Saltwater action on the Atlantic Coast is heating up, so it’s time to stock up on baitfish patterns for stripers, bluefish, and false albacore. Perhaps the most famous fly for the salt is the Clouser Deep Minnow—created by Susquehanna River icon Bob Clouser, named by Lefty Kreh, and mutated into hundreds of forms by other tiers. This version, by Tim Flagler of Tightline Productions , is fairly sparse, yet durable and should work for a wide variety of species, including freshwater big game.
In his 1994 book The Professionals’ Favorite Flies, Lefty Kreh wrote about the Clouser Deep Minnow: “I believe that this pattern is the most important and effective underwater fly developed in the past 20 years. During the past three years I have been able to catch 63 species of fish in fresh and saltwaters around the world with this pattern!”
Like many iconic flies, the Clouser has become a style of fly, rather than a specific pattern. You can alter the colors, the materials, the sparseness, the weight, or any other element to fit your needs, while still maintaining the basic Clouser concept.
Clouser Deep Minnow
Hook: Mustad 34007 saltwater hook, sizes 1/0 through 8.
Thread: White Danville Flat-Waxed, 6/0.
Eyes: Dumbell eyes (size to match hook).
Belly: White bucktail.
Flash: Gold Krystal Flash.
Back: Olive bucktail.
Head: Tying thread.
Head coating: Cement or epoxy
The Clouser is a staple in both my Smallmouth Bass fly box and I would not think about going to the Florida Gulf Coast without an ample supply in different colors and sizes.
One of the top fly patterns ever designed. I was fortunate enough to be one of the people to see it in its development when Bob was first playing around with the idea at his tying bench. Always brings a smile to my face when I see the pattern in a fly shop, magazine, or on stream.
Thanks for another great video. Always nice to get a refresher, I think I’ve been tying mine too close to the eye of the hook. By the way, what is that lovely song playing in the background?
Where do you get the non-toxic eyes as shown in the video? Orvis used to sell them years ago; my supply is running low! They don’t plummet down into the weeds like lead eyes.