Thread: Clouser minnow try

Like crappiejohn, I use much larger hooks than you are using. I use #4 and #2 streamer hooks which seem to have a longer shank. I started out using a good bit of Buck Hair in mine but found that when I used a more sparse heaping of it the flys looked much better. I used a good dozen of these to dupe summer time Crappie this past season and did fairly well. I tied a bit of a Rainbow Trout pattern that seemed to work well although there are no Rainbow Trout on this lake...go figure. I will be experimenting a lot more with them this coming season though.

Originally Posted by LunaticFringeInc

Like crappiejohn, I use much larger hooks than you are using. I use #4 and #2 streamer hooks which seem to have a longer shank. I started out using a good bit of Buck Hair in mine but found that when I used a more sparse heaping of it the flys looked much better. I used a good dozen of these to dupe summer time Crappie this past season and did fairly well. I tied a bit of a Rainbow Trout pattern that seemed to work well although there are no Rainbow Trout on this lake...go figure. I will be experimenting a lot more with them this coming season though.

I`ve been tying with # 8 and # 10 hooks , I`ve got some # 2`s and 4`s but haven`t tried them yet.............. I`m new to this and "experimenting" too.
I prefer # 10`s for my foam bugs , going to give them a workout this spring..... post some pic`s of your ties.........

Originally Posted by slipbobber

Now we're talking those look great but the red needs to be behind the lead eye to look professional but I'll bet the fish won't care one way or another.

Thanks ,
The thread in front of the eyes should be what color? or I guess a better question would be what color thread should I tie with? I`d really like to get this minnow to look "life like" , found several really small minnows in the belly of some big gills this past summer , maybe white perch fry?

Pat -
Apparently my directions weren't clear, so...
(1) Place a hook in the vise with the point down. Start red thread just behind hook's eye and advance it for 1/2 inch or so (Depending on the size of the hook) towards the bend. Tie in the eyes on the outside of the shank at the end of the thread wrappings (But on the wrappings, not on the bare shank).
(2) With the thread hanging in front of the eyes, tie the white bucktail securely between the eyes and the hook's eye. Now clasp the bucktail in your left hand, compact it and pull it down towards the shank of the hook behind the eyes, and secure it RIGHT THERE with 5 to 6 tight wraps of the red thread. Then advance the red thread back across the eyes to the hook's eye, whip finish it there, and cut it off.
(3) Invert the hook in the vise (Hook-point up). Start chartruese (Or whatever) thread between the hook's eye and the fly's eyes, and finish dressing the fly with that thread, making all wraps now between the eyes and the hook's eye. The only red you should end up seeing is around the white bucktail just behind the fly's eyes.
Okay?
Pete