It seems that everyone loves the Clouser Minnow for fishing smallmouth bass...well, everyone, that is, except me.

I know it's an amazing fly, and I've caught other species using this fly (from yellowtail snapper to brown trout) but rarely do I catch bass - well, at least not bass of any size (greater than 2 lbs.).

What might I be doing wrong? Is it colour, size, presentation, or a combination of all three?

Please tell me what colour, size, and presentation you use for targeting smallies in shallow rivers (most of where I fish is less than four feet deep, and never over six feet deep, and you can often sight cast to fish, or at least to very fishy structure).

I've lived on this river all my life, and I catch a ton of bass...just never on the Clouser. So, that's my challenge this year, start catching sizable bass on a Clouser.

Thanks for your help.

Andrew