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Current Tags for This Pattern
/ Black / Brown / Chenille / Clouser / Flash / marabou / olive / Ostrich / Red / step-by-step instructions / white /

Howser Clouser

 
tied by GHow
Fly Type: Streamers,
Target Species: Freshwater Bass,
Recommended Region: Northeast US,
Imitation: General Baitfish,
Material List: HOOK: Mustad 7957B #8 1X long.
THREAD: Olive 6/0.
TAIL: Dark Gray marabou.
Other working colors, White, Black w/ Red, Olive. The larger the hook use ostrich herl
BODY: Pearl flat mylar coated with nail polish.
Other workable material, Chenille and finger twisted strands of polar flash.
WING: Brown Neer Hair over dark Polar Flash.
Other versions, Gray, White, Olive, Chartruse. Any variation of underwing flash to fit the imitation.
EYES: 1/120 oz barbell, X-small for larger hooks
HEAD: Dark Olive. Match the color to different wing colors used.

Tying Instructions: These are details for tying this fly if you need something more than the pictures.

Hard Body & Marabou tail

Step 1 A) De-barb and sharpen hook mount in vice shank up. Thread wrap the hook shank from the eye back to the bend and then forward until roughly 2/3’s up the shank and secure eyes with a few crisscross wraps. Size 1/120 macro is perfect for proper action and proportion.

Step1 B) Prep a full marabou feather and strip off one side for the tail. Wet fingertips and form a tail. The tail can be 1 ½ to 2 times of the length of the hook shank. Secure the marabou tail behind the eyes and wrap backward to the bend, and back forward to the eyes.

Step 2 A) Secure the body flash material starting behind the eye, wrapping back to the bend a then back to over the eye bar and hitch off just behind the hook eye.

Step 2 B) Wrap the body flash material clockwise up to just behind the eye bar. Next wrap diagonally over the bar away from you completely around so the material is under the shank and behind the eye. Next pass the wrap over the shank away from you and come diagonally under the eye bar wrapping towards you and over the bar. The material will again be behind the eye ready to repeat the two steps again.
As you make the fourth wrapping of the material diagonally under the eye wrapping towards you tie the material of in front of the eye with a few wraps and hitch off. You can also fashion a head and use the fly AS IS. Makes a great Bluegill fly by itself. NOTE: Now coat the whole body with a nail polish (Hard as Nails) and let dry. This will make the fly indestructible!

Clouser Winged version

The wing will be fashioned by taking lengths of material for both sides of the wing, tying them forward, folding them back and wrapping backwards. This keeps thread wraps to a minimum and NO cut ends that have to covered up that can and create blockage in front of the hook eye.

Step 3) Turn the fly over hook point up and re-secure in the vice. Tie in 3 strands of flash to the side of the fly facing you so they are riding over the eyes. Too much flash makes the fly messy and bulky. Wrap towards the eye so they ride on top to the far side of the hook eye. Pull the strands backward and wrap over them backward towards the bar eyes and they are secured on top on the otherside of the hook point.

Step 4) Separate a strand of Neer Hair by starting at the clasp and working your fingers though to the end of the strand. You may need to cut the ends apart with scissors.

Step 5) Brush out the Neer Hair using an old toothbrush against your thigh. You want to separate the strands so they lay flat. Trim off knotted ends as required to get a very flat piece of hair COMB OUT BOTH ENDS. NOTE: You want to make the wing very sparse. Remove strands of hair as required. Too much hair will create a large head that will block the hook eye!

Step 6) Secure the Neer Hair on the top of eyes, wrapping your thread forward and crossing the hair over the shank towards the hook eye. APPLY some nail polish (cement) to the wraps and fold the Neer Hair backwards. Wrap thread backwards (compressing the hair with wraps) to the eyes so the hair is on the far side of the hook point. Cross under the eye bar and secure the hair behind the eyes, wrap forward under the eye bar again and complete the head.

Step 7) Apply a heavy coat of cement over all wraps and hair between the wraps. Careful scissors trim and your done.

Presentation Tips: It is a light fly that can be cast easily during an expedition without arm fatigue. I prefer to fish it on a 5-weight rod in current on a weight forward floating line. A leader with a 30-LB butt tapered to a 4 LB tippet makes for excellent turnover, and the floating line allows for easy mending in tricky currents. Don’t rule out still water as you can fish it shallow on floating line or on a sink tip in deeper water. Even Striped Bass in the salt will take an up-sized version. Competes with a Sluggo!