Whitewater Clouser step by step

lemaymiami

Had more than a few requests about the basic flies that work for the backcountry out of Flamingo and Chokoloskee... This is one of about five patterns that we use day in and day out -particularly along mangrove shorelines and similar structure for just about everything that swims in the 'glades from the salt all the way up into freshwater areas...   Here we go, this is a "guide's pattern" - quick to tie (or re-tie) and very simple. It's named for where we first started using it - Whitewater Bay out of Flamingo

Hook:        Mustad 34007, 2/0

Eyes:         largest beadchain (the same size chain you see as a pull cord on vertical blinds -                     old time hardware stores would call it "plumbers chain"

Thread:      Danville's flat waxed nylon - body.. fl. fire orange, #505.  head.. Ultra 210 - fl.                        green

Weedguard: #5 trolling wire (Malin's Hard Wire)

Wing:          Under - white bucktail, over fl.green bucktail

Flash:          Pearl Flashabou

Finish:         Krazy Glue

Before starting I sharpen each hook with a 4" mill **** file - then mash down the barb...

Chuck up your hook with the point down then run a double course of thread from one beadchain space behind the hook eye to nearly the hook's point (roughly 1/2 ")

Now figure eight your eyes in place at the front end of the thread "body" and tie off

Reverse hook in vise (hook point up) and re-start with fl. green thread and secure the end of the weedguard in place on top of the hook shank

This is what those weedguards look like when they're ready to use - and are tied in at the bend of the wire - so that they're fixed in place and can't move side to side...

From this point on the remainder of the tying will be done with that wire weedguard sticking out (and in the way... takes some getting used to and maybe a band-aid or two as well...)

Now tie in the first clump of bucktail right in front of the eyes (the wing is twice the length of the hook).... then add flash on top of the bucktail...

In this photo the under wing is in place and the flash (3 strands, doubled - then re-doubled with staggered ends) is wrapped around the barrel of the bobbin, ready to be slid up the thread and into place on top of the under wing...

Over wing in place, thread head completed and whip-finished off, then the wire is raised slightly ready for the head to be super glued - and you're done, except for bending the wire down into place

The wire is bent down into position, it's trimmed so that it ends at the hook's barb - then a final slight bend in the end and you're done...

This is the basic Whitewater Clouser - change colors as needed - but the only other thing I may do occasionally is to dress it up a bit (particularly when you want a fly that pretty well imitates a baby largemouth bass...) Just add a grizzly neck hackle to each side of the wing before you finish out the head... like this...

I have my anglers toss this fly into the baddest sorts of tangles and mostly that weedguard allows us to fish it back out where the fish are...