Your one-stop website for fly fishing the White River, the Norfork Tailwater, and Lake Taneycomo
How To Tie Bob Clouser's Minnow
Clouser Minnow
Recipe: Hook: Mustad 34007, size 2-6 Thread: Danville 210, White Wing: Bucktail Flash: Krystal flash (color to match bucktail) Eyes: Weighted eyes (Barbell style)
Step 1.
I will say that I’m known for doing this wrong too. A lot of tiers sometimes tie the eye to close to the eye of the hook. Notice where I placed my thread. The reason why you need to tie the eye back a little further has to do with the bucktail. When you fold it over the eye and tie it down, you need to be able to tie it down to where it won’t slip out from not tying enough of the bucktail down. You have to be able to tie back a little bit so the bucktail is secured.
Step 2.
Tie a little thread base first so the eye don’t slip and it will lock them in better. To learn more about how to tie the eye in properly go to Taneycomo sculpin and read about it there. There’s a correct way that the eye needs to be tied in so they don’t spin after you fish it for a little bit. Of course the key is Sally Hansen Hard as Nails. That seems to be the best stuff for tying in eyes (barbell) with a post in the center of the eye.
Step 3.
When measuring the right bucktail to be tied in. There is a right way and a wrong way when it comes to selecting the right hair. When choosing the right hair you need to cut more on the upper portion of the tail. The closer you get to the bottom then the more hollow the hair is which will cause it to flare when you go to tie it in. You also need to work with the hair so you don’t have any short pieces when you tie it in. What I do is cut more off and regroup it by measure just the longer pieces and get rid of the shorter ones.
Tie the hair directly behind the eye. You always do the top which is the belly and then the bottom. Make about three turns in the same spot. Then you’ll wind back about three turns spacing them. You shouldn’t tie all the way to the bend either. Once you get to the back make about two turns and then advance the thread back up behind the eye. When you get to the back make sure you don’t tie it down so hard that it flares. You’ll have to learn how much tension to apply with the thread. Just play with it and you’ll understand what I mean.
Step 4.
Once you’ve tied back up behind the eye. Advance the thread in the front of the eye and fold over the bucktail and tie it down. Make enough wraps to secure it, but not too many because you still have more bucktail to tie in which will build up the head at the end.
Showing you the close up on how to make the "X’s" when tying back on the bucktail and then back up.
Step 5.
Rotate the hook over and tie in some flash. It’s up to you on how much you want to tie in. I like to tie in two colors to match the colors of bucktail I’m tying in. I also fold mine around the thread and then tie it in. This will help secure it and it’s easier to do it that way.
Step 6.
Measure the bucktail to the same length as the belly. Make an even cut and tie it in front of the eye. Make sure when you tie it down no pieces of bucktail are hanging in front of the eye. That’s why when I make a cut it’s real close to my fingers. You seem to have better control as far as tying it down. Keep the bobbin short too. That will help with the thread control.
Step 7.
After you’ve tied down the bucktail make a nice cone shape head.
Step 8.
Whip finish the fly and glue the head. I prefer using epoxy and go back a little so it touches the bucktail. If you don’t have epoxy your next best bet is gloss coat. They sell it in an applicator bottle which is real handy. Head cement is not good and I would recommend not buying that anymore. Trust me on this.
