#8 Clouser Minnow Fly Tying

The original Clouser Deep Minnow evolved from traditional bucktail streamers and was created in 1987 by Bob Clouser, a Pennsylvania fly shop owner and guide. The original patterns were intended for smallmouth bass on the Susquehanna River. The name Clouser Deep Minnow was coined by Lefty Kreh, a noted Fly Fishing writer in a 1989 article in Fly Fisherman. Today, the Clouser Deep Minnow is widely used for many species of both fresh and saltwater game fish. Lefty Kreh claims to have caught over 87 species of game fish on Clouser Deep Minnow flies.[3]

I believe that this pattern is the most important and effective underwater fly developed in the past 20 years. During the past three years I have been able to catch 63 species of fish in fresh and saltwaters around the world with this pattern!

— Lefty Kreh 1994 in The Professionals' Favorite Flies[4]

The Clouser Deep Minnow is an imitation of a baitfish, although there are many variations intended to imitate very specific baitfish in different fresh and saltwater situations.

The original Clouser Deep Minnow pattern was tied with bucktail and krystal flash. However today, Clouser Deep Minnows are tied in a wide variety of color combinations and material combinations. The widespread availability of synthetic hair-like materials today, make the creation of an almost infinite number of Clouser Deep Minnow variations possible. The originals were tied on a number 2 saltwater hook with either a white bucktail belly, gold krystal flash and natural brown bucktail wing or white belly, silver krystal flash and gray dyed bucktail.

Typical sizes
1/0 – 10
Typical hooks
TMC 811S
Thread
6/0 nylon matching underwing colors
Tail
None
Body
None
Wing
Bucktail, white underwing and brown, gray, chartreuse overwing with flash
Head
Thread color
Bead
Dumb bell eyes painted red or chartreuse

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