What size Clouser's do you use?

[riverwhy]

I have been getting some clouser’s tied while at Dewey Beach just in time for the rain to ruin smallmouth fishing until mid September! Thanks for all the comments on this thread. I have been tying larger ones as many have suggested. 6’s turned out nice but I am struggling with 2’s. Seems like the butts of the deer hair are too thick to tie off a nice head. I have had some problems with the whip finish sliding off the steep taper. They also look short, really no longer than the 6’s I tied. Perhaps my deer hair is just too short.
Any suggestions are appreciated. I am using flymaster+ thread which I like because I can really tighten down hard on the deer hair.
But even with that, putting the second color on adds too much bulk unless I tie super sparse.

 

[Bamboozle]

I have been getting some clouser’s tied while at Dewey Beach just in time for the rain to ruin smallmouth fishing until mid September! Thanks for all the comments on this thread. I have been tying larger ones as many have suggested. 6’s turned out nice but I am struggling with 2’s. Seems like the butts of the deer hair are too thick to tie off a nice head. I have had some problems with the whip finish sliding off the steep taper. They also look short, really no longer than the 6’s I tied. Perhaps my deer hair is just too short.
Any suggestions are appreciated. I am using flymaster+ thread which I like because I can really tighten down hard on the deer hair.
But even with that, putting the second color on adds too much bulk unless I tie super sparse.

I use GSP (gel spun) thread for only a few things, one of which is lashing down Clouser dumbbells and hair work. It is super strong and adds almost NO bulk so you can over-wrap with regular thread.

If you decide to try some, just make sure you have a ceramic tube bobbin because it can cut a regular metal tube bobbin.

FWIW - I'm not a purist so I switched to artificial hair for Clousers decades ago. It's a lot easier to work with with a bit of shimmer, more color options and the fish don't give a rats a$$.

I use a pair of cheap coarse cutting thinning shears to make the ends of the artificial hair at the back of the fly ragged & uneven like the real stuff.

Like a lot of folks I like the Mustad 3366 for freshwater Clousers & the 34007 stainless steel version for the salt.

 

[falcon]

Gelspun is strong stuff. I have some in black and white. The white disappears with head cement which gives a interesting effect.

 

[Striperbobby]

I have been getting some clouser’s tied while at Dewey Beach just in time for the rain to ruin smallmouth fishing until mid September! Thanks for all the comments on this thread. I have been tying larger ones as many have suggested. 6’s turned out nice but I am struggling with 2’s. Seems like the butts of the deer hair are too thick to tie off a nice head. I have had some problems with the whip finish sliding off the steep taper. They also look short, really no longer than the 6’s I tied. Perhaps my deer hair is just too short.
Any suggestions are appreciated. I am using flymaster+ thread which I like because I can really tighten down hard on the deer hair.
But even with that, putting the second color on adds too much bulk unless I tie super sparse.

To get length on bigger hooks don’t use the fibers near the bottom of the tail, the butt ends are too thick.

Step 1. Tie in some flash at the bend of the hook slightly longer than you want your tail to be.

Step2. Add a sparse clump of long bucktail the same color as the belly will be..

Step3. Taper down the butt ends and cover the hook shank with thread wraps same color as your under belly up to the dumbbell eyes. I also like to use pearl flashabou to wrap up to the eyes for added flash.

Step4. Tie your clouser bottom color in to match the tail,

Step5. Tie in your crystal flash and top color of bucktail

Play around with it and remember that sparse clousers work way better than ones tied with too much material

PS. Another trick is to use a zonker strip as the tail then tie the normal clouser

 

[riverwhy]

Thanks some interesting techniques! So should belly color be longer than the top? I think this looks more common on photos I see. But I swear when I had the course with Clouser the “top” was Longer.

 

[WV waver]

In preparation of my wish to tie some of these, I’ve been recently studying a lot of YouTube videos of tying Clousers (my interest started because of this thread). Many I’ve watched have been by Mr Clouser, the inventor. He seems to suggest the “top” should be the same as or slightly longer but with a bigger bulk of material. Something I realized that added to my confusion is the “top “ is actually the bottom on conventionally tied streamers. But also, watched a video by an accomplished fishermen, Alvin Dedeaux, that really simplifies it by just tying the top and says it’s really effective. I’d say the magic is in the balance point and length & stiffness of the material it is tied with? My 2 cents.

 

[Striperbobby]

Thanks some interesting techniques! So should belly color be longer than the top? I think this looks more common on photos I see. But I swear when I had the course with Clouser the “top” was Longer.

The bottom or underside when fishing should be longer

 

[Bamboozle]

Thanks some interesting techniques! So should belly color be longer than the top? I think this looks more common on photos I see. But I swear when I had the course with Clouser the “top” was Longer.

As per Bob and Bob's book, "Clouser's Flies: Tying and Fishing the Fly Patterns of Bob Clouser," the top and bottom are the same length however the bunch of fibers on the top of the HOOK (meaning the dumbbell side/bottom of the fly) are sparser.

Bob also removes any underfur at the butt of the fibers, trims the length accordingly and THEN ties the hair in by the butt and works towards the hook bend and back.

This helps reduce bulk at the head versus having a long bunch of fibers that are trimmed to length at the butt end AFTER being lashed to the hook.

 

[wbranch]

Buy deer tails labeled as saltwater bucktails. The fibers are longer. I use 3/0 monocord. It is flat thread. Builds less bulk. After cutting a clump of hair hold the tips tightly ang nd with your other fingers strip out the short guard hair. Try tying with synthetic wing material. The fibers aren't hollow like deer hair and add less bulk.