Tying flies upside down?

[arthur]

I've been thinking about tying more bass and pike patterns in a Clouser-style upside-down method, with eyes used to make the pattern ride point up.

Benefits will be that I can fish slower, allowing the fly to rest on the bottom without picking up debris or snagging, or fishing above weeds, through wood, etc.

I'd apply these ideas to variants of crayfish patterns, bunny leech patterns, some minnow patterns, just about everything. Not sure if there would be a downside.....

Anyone else tying like this? If so, what percentage of you flies do you tie like this?

 

[Frank Whiton]

Hi Arthur, it is very feasible to tie Pike and Bass flies upside down. Look at the Whitlock Hare Grub. It has a bunny body with under-hook eyes. You could also tie the V-Worm with Clouser eyes. With experimentation you can size the eyes to achieve different sink rates. Also take a look at the saltwater epoxy flies. You can use an epoxy body that drops below the hook and put some weight there. Another idea is to use a floating material on the body (foam) with Clouser eyes. With the right mixture of floating body and sinking eyes, you can get a fly that sinks very slow. When it gets to the bottom it will be nose down like a real critter.---------------Frank

 

[arthur]

Thanks, Frank.

 

[Frank Whiton]

Thanks, Frank.

No problem Arthur, let us know how it works out for you.------Frank

 

[awmiller]

just a note... usually with the clouser if the hook is down it's designed for freshwater and if the hook is up it's designed for saltwater.... having said that, I tie and use whatever I feel most comfortable with.... when you're comfortable and confident in your fly/lure, then your fishing experience is going to be much more rewarding...

 

[BigCliff]

Hate to come across as rude to a new poster, but what awmiller posted about Clousers having the eyes on different sides of the hookshank depending on what type of water its intended to be used in isn't actually correct. A properly tied Clouser Minnow will have the eyes on the opposite side of the hook shank from the hook point EVERY time. If a Clouser is tied on a bronze hook, it shouldn't be used in saltwater, but clousers on stainless or tinned hooks work fine in fresh or saltwater. A size 6 bead-chain eye chartreuse and white clouser on a stainless hook is a wonderful fly all over the south for this reason.

Once again, I don't mean to be rude, but I don't want our folks leaving a flyshop frustrated because there were no Clousers to be had that will work in fresh water.

 

[awmiller]

oh you're not coming across as rude at all... I'm just reiterating what I read in the book Clouser's Flies by Bob Clouser. I'll go back and re-read to make sure I have my facts straight. I'd hate to mislead anyone with faulty info. In some of Bob Clouser's videos he often makes references as were noted.... and I wholeheartedly agree with the info on the hooks....

 

[awmiller]

well it looks like i've got some retracting to do.... after some further research, my comment wasn't true as I was confusing two totally different fly tying aspects.... I'll be sure to keep the facts straight before rambling off a post....

 

[Frank Whiton]

Clouser Minnows are used extensive for Smallies. They are just like the Saltwater Clouser except they are on different hooks.

 

[keebranch]

I like to tie traditional micro clousers. They are perfect with size 8 -12 hooks, small or medium sized beadchain eyes, and sparse bucktail. I fish this pattern extensively in nearby creeks to catch bass, and other sunfish.
Les

 

[BigCliff]

Les, I fish those quite a bit all over Texas, though not quite that small. I use the hard to find mustad 34007 hooks and tie up lots in light blue and white a chartreuse and white. They work really well on the Paluxy, btw. Except there's no fish in it..... :wink:

 

[keebranch]

Pitty about the Paluxy. Ol Al Crise told me it will be a while before the fish get re-situated after all the floods.
Les

 

[BigCliff]

HA! Not too suprised to hear that, given the turd-floaters/toad- stranglers/gully-washers we've had a bunch of this year. I'll be down that way this wknd, mostly fishing the brazos by the 67 bridge, and I hope its settled back down some. It might be great, might not, will just have to see.