First Clouser

[erhetta]

I would appreciate any feedback.

This is my first attempt at a clouser. I tied it on a 1/0 Eagle Claw jig hook using bucktail and Rainbow Pearl Polar Flash.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a167/erhetta/Flys/IMG_5295.jpg

[notyalc]

I think it looks great...If anything I might move the eyes back a little bit and make more of a "head", but that's personal preference. A tip that I would like to throw out for everyone is coating the head of clousers with either UV wader repair or UV knot sense. I started doing this to all of my striper flies and it is really making them last longer. Before I started doing this I was getting maybe 4-5 hookups on a fly, then the hair started falling out. With the UV products I have caught 12-14 stripers on the same fly and its still going strong.

[Hairstacker]

Looks pretty good to me too. Ditto what Notyalc said about moving the eyes back a bit to provide less crowding of the eye. I like to use less chartreuse hair and I like to sandwich some Flashabou and Krystal Flash between the two colors of hair but these are just personal preferences that you can take or leave. No doubt it will catch fish as it is. Good job!

[Adam Grace]

That is a good first clouser, have fun tying more!

[SteelieD]

Looks way better than the first one I tied! Nice job.

Do move those eyes back a bit. It makes it much easier to get those bucktail ends ties in and create a real smooth tapered head.

[koffler]

I once saw a tutorial by B. Clouser on-line and abide by his rules. Define the hook lenght into 3 similar lenghts (for the clouser this is the length from behind the eye to the end of the hook, i.e. the back of the bend - trout flies are typically measured from behind the eye to either the barb or the beginning of the bend, typically one in the same). The eyes should be tied in at the 1/3 point (closest to the eye). This gives the fly the chance to be more symetreical in nature and allows more room for the material to be tied in. By and large that is a good 1st tie....happy hunting.

Koffler

[Loren E]

Erhetta, looks good, for sure will fish. One minor detail that might be more personal prefernce than anything: looks like you wrapped the white bucktail about halfway back the hook shank. I like to wrap the white bucktail for the entire flat part of the shank, as it then leaves the fly straight instead of tilted away a bit. this just makes it a little more streamlined. Great work! I'm sure that fly will be rippin lips soon -Loren

[erhetta]

Thanks for all the great tips...you guys rock!

I did not follow any recipe with this one. I took one that I bought and wanted to try to duplicate it without a recipe.

From what I get above, I should move my eyes further back, taper the head a bit more, and tie the white bucktail all the way back to the bend.

I will take those considerations and try another this week. I think I want to try to get my eye placement right first, so I will probably post a hook and eyes to get feedback and then make a bunch of those to start.

[Ed Wahl]

Erhetta, go back and have a look at the you tube link that Scott V had posted earlier. If you can set up your tying bench close to the computer you can follow the man step-by-step. After the first one the rest only take a few minutes to tie. After that, since it's so quick, you'll start going crazy with different color combinations, sizes, and hook styles. I got carried away and ended up with like 2 dozen clousers. The plus side, I can throw 'em anywhere without worrying about running out. Ed