[jimw]

Cliff your previous post states he was trying to imitate a jig when he invented the clouser, the way i read his quote " attaching metallic eyes to the hook turned the fly upside down. This helped to prevent it from snagging on debri. Patterns were then developed according to this upside down arrangement". IMHO i feel he was trying to create a fly that was snagless not a jig. The clousers i use lay flat when sinking, a jiggy fly falls hook eye first. A clouser will sink eye first if being pulled down by a sinking fly line, if the line has a faster sink rate, but when the line hits the bottom the clouser goes back to laying flat. I would think if he were try to imitate a jig the eyes would have been closer to the hook eye. Hey Cliff Happy New Year and Tight lines

[BigCliff]

Jim, you hit on a good point- the position of the eyes does have a considerable effect on the action of the fly. Goes back to the all purpose answer for any question asked in an econ class- "it depends".

Happy new year to you as well!

[jimw]

I have bobs salt water fly tying video and he says to tie the eyes 1/3 of the shanks lenght from the eye. I guess if you used really heavy eyes it would tend to fall eye first. Every time i try a jiggy it wants to twist my leader would you know why?

[BigCliff]

Hmmmmmm, I would have to think that might happen when the bucktail is all off to one side of the hook, which could make it spin. It may function like the fletching on an arrow, only slightly diagonal, but enough to make the projectile spin when flying that fast through the air.

Trying to make sure the bucktail is equally distributed on both sides of the hook point should help prevent it.

Do you have any idea if tying it on with a loop or clinch-type knot helps reduce the spinning?

[sandfly]

to light of a leader will have the same effect, go heavier and shorter, also like big cliff states keep the bucktail on top of the fly..a 3 foot piece of 30# leader on a sink tip works great with the jiggy in deep water and rocks...tying even heavy eyes to the shank in the proper place(1/3 to 1/2 back) will not effect it its a balance thing...if you tie a clouser right it should swim on the pull and settle like a minnow suspended, not dive..

[BigCliff]

I have graciously been made aware I was incorrect, and that Bob clouser himself never wanted the Clouser Deep minnow to swim like a jig.

I however will continue to tie mine with the eyes quite near the hook eye, and love the action this imparts on the fly.

[jimw]

Cliff it takes a man of true character to admit he was wrong and if your clousers catch fish i wouldn't change a thing. I have learnt that if i want a jiggy action with a clouser to move the wieght forward. It's all good. I think i need heavy leader with my jiggy the ties appear striaght and do not favor one side.
Is It Spring Time yet
Jim

[BigCliff]

Thanks Jim

I'm also a BIG fan of the hourglass brass eyes over the lead version. Besides the fact that lead is toxic for us and the swimmers, their shape makes them much easier to get perfectly perpendicular on the hook. They're also much tougher than lead eyes, which comes in real handy if you're fishing from a jetty and tapping the fly on the rocks on the occasional backcast.

[Frank Whiton]

Hi to all,

I have been following this thread with interest. I have never fished for Strippers but I have used a lot of Clouser Minnows. After reading this thread I did a little research. Bob states that the flash should extend beyond the bucktail. I have not been doing that. The picture shows two examples of the extended flash on his Bonefish Minnow. Bob Clouser and Lefty Kreh have teamed up to make a DVD showing their techniques for tying the Clouser Minnow and Lefty's Deceiver. A lot of the information would apply to other flies. I have not seen the DVD but I would bet it is a winner. If you look closely to the picture on the DVD you will see two old friends having a great time.

Frank

Clouser Bonefish Minnow


The Fly Tying Techniques of Bob Clouser & Lefty Kreh

[jimw]

I have a video that is called saltwater fly tying and it features both, bob tying his clouser, and lefty tying his deceiver. They also tie a half and half, a bend back minnow, and an epoxy sand eel pattern. It was part of the tying kit I started tying with a sunrise AA vice, some basic tools, material, and the video. They are great fisherman, friends, and tyers and are even better together.
jim