Hooks for Clousers/Crappies

[Gandolf]

Hi All,

I was wondering what you folks who fish streamers for crappies, such as Clousers, use for hooks. I tie only on classic Mustad hooks.

What size and type hook do you use for crappies and other crappie streamers?

Thanks and regards,

Gandolf

[quivira kid]

I use size 8 and 10 Mustad 9672's for my Crappie Candy flies and other panfish streamers.

[tailingloop]

I use the Mustad 3407 in sizes 6 and 8 most of the time. The hook gape on the #8 3407 is the same as the #8 9672 but the shank is 2/3 as long. I don't feel clouser's perform as will on the longer shank hooks, especially in the small sizes.

[Ray Kunz]

Hi Gandolf; Somewhere I read that the original Clousers were tied on Mustad 3366 ring eye hooks.
It could have been in a recipe by Clouser himself but I can't find it now.

[tailingloop]

In his book, Bob Clouser lists the Mustad 3365A, 3366, S71S SS, and Tiemco 811S for the basic Clouser Deep Minnow pattern. Other hooks will work too of course. I don't see in the book where he mentions the hooks he used originally.

[Gigmaster]

Cabelas Model 40 Streamer hooks.

[kelkay]

The 3366A is the large eye hook. I have the regular 3366 and like them for tying smaller flies...especially I use a lot of size 6 and 8 on these hooks for panfish, and bass. The best part is, these hooks are sharper out of the box than some, and they are nice and cheap...that is always a plus for me.

[wayneb]

Hi Gandalf;

For crappie streamers ie. "crappie candy" which I find very effective in the fall, I use a size 8 or 10 4x streamer hook. I prefer thin wire hooks for crappie. Another trick is to use a kink shank popper hook and place the dumbell or beadchain in the hump. this way you place the weight exactly the same in each fly tied and it seems to locate the weight in a different place than I usually put it. This gives a slightly different action than typical clouser style tie.

In spring I use an all yellow wooly bugger with beadchain eyes, I typically use a slightly larger hook size 6 or 8 4x shank, again with a thinner wire if I can find it.

I really prefer thin wire hooks for crappie, I seem to catch more probably due to their thin mouths.

Wayne

[Joe Billingsley]

Hi, Gandolf

I use #3366 in various sizes for just about all my warmwater flies - Clousers, Gurglers, Stayner Ducktails, Murdich Minnows, everything. They're strong, sharp, inexpensive, and have a nice wide gap.

Joe

[Daniel J]

I sometimes use size 8 bait hooks. There are some Eagle Claw models with a straight eye that have been successful.