Clouser Deep Minnow

[dc410]

Aside from the “What are you tying today” thread which has always been a great long running thread with some excellent ties shared, I thought it would be interesting to devote a thread specifically to a particular pattern and the many variations of it. As we know the Clouser Deep Minnow is a very effective streamer pattern designed by Bob Clouser of PA. Over the years multitudes of variations of this streamer have been tied. Changes in hook style, weight variations, color schemes, materials used, type of flash or lack thereof etc. all can lead to some really nice streamers. I’ll lead it off with Bob’s classic original Deep Minnow pattern. This one I tied on a Gamakatsu size 4 B10S hook, medium red dumbell eyes, Chartruese/White bucktail with rainbow Krystal flash. I also used 12/0 white Semperfli Nanosilk for the thread and the color of the Chartruese bucktail comes through brilliantly when cured with UV cure resin. Hope many of you PAFF fly tyers decide to share some of your favorite Clouser Minnow patterns as it may continue to spur on the creative side in all of us.

 

[jifigz]

I'll tie one and post later tonight. Thanks for the inspiration to get on the vise, DC!

 

[hooker-of-men]

Let me ruin the concept with too much junk right quick 🤣

Rainbow smelt kitchen sink clouser. White zonker and purple Marabou tail hidden in the normal bucktail body

 

[tomgamber]

Biggest variable I've learned over the years is that when tying clousers for salt, they should be tied much more sparsely than i do for fresh water.

Some color combinations i really like:

Olive over orange for OBX

White Marabou over white with emerald crystal flash lateral line for Erie on the lake.

Blue over white for Erie tribs.

Classic red, chartreuse, pink, orange over white as stock stand-bys.

Some of these are basic knowledge but do not be afraid to try any combination you think works. Confidence can trump a lot of factors in fishing..

 

[dc410]

Let me ruin the concept with too much junk right quick 🤣

Rainbow smelt kitchen sink clouser. White zonker and purple Marabou tail hidden in the normal bucktail body

View attachment 1641239128

That’s a very interesting concept with the bunny strip, marabou and bucktail all together in one.

 

[dc410]

Biggest variable I've learned over the years is that when tying clousers for salt, they should be tied much more sparsely than i do for fresh water.

Some color combinations i really like:

Olive over orange for OBX

White Marabou over white with emerald crystal flash lateral line for Erie on the lake.

Blue over white for Erie tribs.

Classic red, chartreuse, pink, orange over white as stock stand-bys.

Some of these are basic knowledge but do not be afraid to try any combination you think works. Confidence can trump a lot of factors in fishing..

Thanks for all of those specific color combinations for particular locations, Tom. The white marabou/white bucktail with emerald flash makes perfect sense when considering the importance of the Emerald Shiner in the Lake Erie system. That’s good stuff.

I have to totally agree with you on the importance of sparseness when tying Clousers (even for freshwater). I’m often a pretty hard critic of my own ties and that is the one thing that I would try to improve on in the first one that I tied in post #1. It should be tied more sparsely - particularly with the chartruese bucktail portion and maybe even a bit sparser on the flash component.

 

[hooker-of-men]

That’s a very interesting concept with the bunny strip, marabou and bucktail all together in one.

Going for action. I'm hoping that will help get attention when I'm fishing in a giant cloud of real smelt in April.

 

[dc410]

Here’s a darker version of a Clouser Minnow tied much more sparsely on a size 4 Gamakatsu hook. This one is tied for that time of year when picking those eddies for prespawn Smallies in the Spring of the year when the water temperature reaches that magical level. Black/Grey with black pearl Krystal flash. I threw in the copper/grizzly hackle feather along the lateral line almost as an afterthought on this one.

 

[DO_inthewoods]

Here’s a darker version of a Clouser Minnow tied much more sparsely on a size 4 Gamakatsu hook. This one is tied for that time of year when picking those eddies for prespawn Smallies in the Spring of the year when the water temperature reaches that magical level. Black/Grey with black pearl Krystal flash. I threw in the copper/grizzly hackle feather along the lateral line almost as an afterthought on this one.

View attachment 1641239144

That lateral line really rounds out that fly nicely! Ill post mine when I am home tomorrow