By adapting the Clouser style of tying to standard hair wing streamers with the hook point facing upward on standard flies like a Mickey Finn or Black Nose Dace I find that the fly will now ride point up. Even with no eyes attached it seems the hook rides point up giving me fewer hang-ups on the bottom:toast: . I don’t think its a “weed guard” effect from the hook point being somewhat hidden as it is that the hook shank itself is bumping the bottom. I’ll admit that my testing is not scientific but to me the results are encouraging. Has anyone else tried testing this concept.
Bob Popovics did a bunch of research on that a few years back when he was working on his Jiggy fly. The theory is that the material causes drag in the water and whatever side of the hook the majority of the material is tied on is the side that will be the top when it’s being fished. So if you tie an upside down Clouser(hook point down) it will fish with the hook point down regardless as to what side the eyes are tied on.
Hi, JKLETT
You did not read my post correctly. I did not say to tie a Clouser upside down.
I have tried anything as large as the streamer, but tied some prince nymphs on 1/124 oz. jigs. I do not believe these were hanging onthe bottom and stuff between the surface and bottom as frequently. I really don’t remember having to get one off a log.
I read a long time ago that bucktails in particular could be tied upside down to be more snag resistant. Softer materials with less water resistance like hackle don’t work as well. To make it even more snag resistant bend the front portion of the hook shank down (towards the bend) slightly
Hi Ray,
I tied hair wing streamers “upside down” about 10 years ago or so. In particular I was tying flies like the Little Rainbow Trout, and other hair wing streamers. Basically, I put the hook upside down (point up) in the vise, and then basically tied the streamer normally so that the wing on the fly was on the point side of the hook.
The streamers did often swim point side up. I think part of the reason is some boyancy of material making up the wing.
I don’t tie them that way very often, in fact hardly ever any more, because I finally decided that the classic hair wing streamers just look too good tied the standard way. Tie one on a #6 Mustad 3665 with wing up and point side down, and they just exude a certain classic look.
Tied upside down they just don’t quite look just right. If I fished them mostly in streams instead of lakes and ponds, and I would probably go back to tying them upside down because I think that they definately would snag less.
Regards,
Gandolf
I thought I was the only fly pervert here on the board. Obviously, I have company.
I’ve been tying Classic Streamer patterns Clouser-Style ever since I learned how to tie the Clouser. Most streamer patterns can be adapted to this style, and it makes them tons more effective. My favorites are the Black Ghost Streamer, Blace-Nosed Dace and the Iris.