Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Rattle Clouser

Materials

Hook: Mustad CK74S SS #1 Popper Hook
Thread: 3/0 Fl. Orange
Eyes: Painted Lead Medium
Rattle: Pyrex Mini (3mm)
Flash: Pearl Krystal Flash
Wing: White Bucktail over Chartreuse Bucktail
Misc Material: Pearl Mylar tube (small), Clear Cure Goo Thin

Step 1: Attach thread just behind hook eye. Work thread past kink (since its a popper hook) then back to the middle of the kink. Tie in lead eyes with x-wraps. Apply touch of zap-a-gap or superglue.


Step 2: Continue with thread down hook shank until it is about 1/4-1/2 the way around the bend.


Step 3: Prepare rattle. To do this simply cut a 1" piece of mylar cord. Remove core. Tie off one end of empty mylar cord with mono thread or CCG epoxy. Slip rattle in. 


Step 4: Coat rattle with CCG Thin and Cure. Once cure wipe down with alcohol to remove tack. 


Step 5: Attach rattle onto hook about 1/2 down the bend of the shank. You may have to put a thread bump underneath rattle to hold it in the outward position like pictured below. Work thread back in front of eyes.


Step 6: Cut off small bunch of chartreuse bucktail from the hide. The closer to the tip of the bucktail the more soft the fiber. Softer fibers are preferred in this case. Tie down bucktail in front of eyes and a few wraps beyond the eyes if you like it cinched down good.


Step 7: Tie in 3-5 pieces of krystal flash pearl. I put the tie in krystal flash in the middle of its full length then bend it back over itself. 



Step 7: Cut small hank of white bucktail off the hide. Trim to desired length and remove any underfur. Tie in with a couple loose wraps and progress tighter. Some adjustments may need to be made depending on how soft the bucktail is. Whip finish and head cement.



5 comments:

  1. Sexy. I love clousers I just think they always look better when someone else ties them.

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  2. Thanks Stealth. I know the feeling. Alot of the flies I tie look so much better when someone else does it. Maybe its cause we are most critical of ourselves!

    as an FYI for everyone, I tied the top bucktail in front of the eyes on purpose. I know the tradiitional clouser is top bucktail behind the eye. I was going for a larger profile and something different.

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  3. " I know the tradiitional clouser is top bucktail behind the eye"

    Actually, it's not. A traditional Clouser is tied exactly as you've shown it, with the top hair in front of the eyes. If you tie it where both top & bottom hair is behind the eyes, it's really just a hair streamer with barbell eyes, not a Clouser.

    Nice tie BTW. Rattles can improve the effectiveness of many patterns. I like the chartreuse/white combo anyway, but always tie the white on the bottom. It just seems more natural that the white should be on the belly side. Not that chartreuse is very natural looking! The orange thread gives it a nice touch too & a bit of a tropical look. I like that!

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  4. Thanks for the comment Tide. Its funny you mention about placement of the top and I went back and looked and you are right. I have gotten some "criticism" about it being the way it is and my anwser has always been the same. I did it that way because I wanted too!! :-)

    Capt Bob LeMay out of FL has a pattern you will see online once in a while. Its called the white water clouser. The color pattern here with the fire orange thread is a take off of his. Killer pattern saltwater and fresh.

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  5. Very nice! I need to start tying my pike flies with rattles.. think it'll definitely help out the catch rate.. not that it's usually an issue.. but with how the weather has been up and down here.. any advantage is good

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