CLOUSER FLOATING MINNOW VARIATION
This is a variation of a fly I first saw in Bob Clouser’s book on tying and fishing the fly patterns of his. I used an Eagle Claw weed less 449WA – 1/0 hook. This for when bait fish are hiding in the grass along shore and bass are trying to eat them. It can also be used when fish are chasing bait fish in open water. The weed guard is not necessary in open water. The head is two white foam bug bodies glued together. When fishing with a fly rod with this type of weed guard, the guard must be adjusted. You want the hook point to penetrate, on the hook set, and the guard to keep it off the grass.
Materials:
- Hook – Eagle Claw weed less 1/0 or similar hook
- Thread – UNI 3/0 white
- Flash - Pearl Flash a bou and Gold and Black flash
- Tail – 5 pairs of saddle hackles approximately 2 X hook length. White and grey.
- Body – Two white sponge bug bodies (spyder #10 )
- Eyes – Red stick on prism eyes
Put hook in vice, bend wire guard out of way and wrap thread up hook shank
Tie in flash of choice Here I used pearl and a mix of gold and black (adds a little contrast)
Tie in pairs of saddle hackle on each side approximately at hook point. Tie in 6 pairs of hackles. I used white and shad grey,
Tie a foam bug body in at bend of hook.
Tie in a saddle hackle at but end and wrap a collar. Tie off hackle and whip finish.
Super glue bug bodies around hook shank and hold or clamp until set.
Tie in thread at hook eye, tie down front end of bug body and wrap a neat head.
Stick on eyes and coat body. Softtex or Sally Hanson’s. Turn till dry.
Adjust the weed guards by bending wire. Too much pressure and you’ll miss fish. Too little and the guard will come off on the cover.
Ronald Stevens ( RonS81)
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