When I first started fly fishing, the Clouser Minnow was one of the first flies that I began to tie. I caught my first bass, snook, and sea trout all on that same fly. Since then I have developed a few different variations of the traditional fly that I still use quite often.
The first adjustment I made was switching this fly into a high tie style. This means that you leave out the bottom piece of bucktail and tie both piece up in front of the eyes. When tied this way the hook shank remains completely bare. So, to cover the shank and add a little flash to the fly, I tie in some tinsel to palmer around the shank and between the eyes. This does a great job of adding a little accent to the fly.
I also like to tie in about 8-10 pieces of ostrich in between my buck tail. This adds to the body of the fly and gives it a slightly fuller profile without causing too much bulk. Remember, on a Clouser Minnow, less is more.
I hope you enjoyed the video. If you decide to tie this fly for yourself, make sure to send some pics of the flies to our Facebook page. Feedback is always welcome. If you have any questions about the steps or materials needed to produce this fly please comment below or send me an email.
Tight lines,
Capt. Jesse Males
Backwater Fly Fishing / Jesse Males 
Nice fly Capt Jesse, I like the ostrich for movement. I’ve got to say though, that this fly is more of a variation of a Crazy Charlie than of a Clouser – not to parse terms. Well done.
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I can see where you are coming from with the “Crazy Charlie” view. It certainly shares some of each of their tying techniques and materials. It fishes well, thats all I know. Next time I snag a snook with it, I’ll ask him what he thinks. Thanks for you feedback, hope you enjoyed the videos. haha
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