Clouser

This is not my pattern. I take no credit for creating it. Bob Clouser made this pattern. Now that we have that out of the way, this is and extremely effective pattern for almost every type of fish species. This is a great pattern for any fish that eats bait fish. Any colors work, just make sure the darker color is on top when is swims. I have a full box full of clousers, and carry it in my bag especially in the summer for lake fishing.

Hook: any size hook works. this is a size 1 saltwater hook.
Thread: florida read ultra thread (any color works).
Materials: buck tail (2 colors), crystal braid, crystal flash, and dumbbell eyes.
Tools: scissors, vise, bobbin, whip finish tool.

Step 1: tie the dumbbell eyes onto the hook shank by making figure-8s overtop the eyes and around the hook shank.

Step 2: wrap the thread to the rear of the fly. Tie in a pinch of buck tail. (this buck tail should be the darker of the 2 colors). Tie the buck tail down all the way up the hook shank right up to the dumbbell eyes.

Step 3: once the buck tail is tied down behind the eyes, wrap the thread to in front of the eyes and pull the buck tail over the eyes and tie down. Clip the extra buck tail and wrap thread overtop the rest of the buck tail in front of the eyes.

Step 4: wrap the thread to the rear of the fly and tie in a piece of crystal braid.

Step 5: wrap the crystal braid up to the eyes and tie off. Clip any extra braid.

Step 6: make slanted wraps with the thread to the rear of the fly (its hard to see in this picture because of the color but it should form a swirl. THIS STEP IS OPTIONAL it just makes the braid more secure).

Step 7: Wrap the thread back to the eyes making a swirl. The wraps from front to back and the thread wraps from the rear to the front should form X's down the braid).

Step 8: turn the fly over in the vise. Infront of the eyes tie in a clump of crystal flash. Clip extra. Tie in a small amount of the other (lighter) color of buck tail. clip extra buck tail. Wrap thread around the head of the fly to give it a clean look. Whip finish and apply head cement.