Legendary fly tyer Bob Clouser invented the Deep Minnow in the mid-1980s, and found the sparse fly was incredibly effective for smallmouth bass on the Susquehanna River, his home waters. The Clouser Deep Minnow is simple and easily customized. Today, fly-fishing anglers tie the Clouser Minnow, and variations of it, on a variety of hook sizes and types, depending on the target species and type of water. The belly and back are tied with various color combinations of bucktail accented by a length of flash. Lead, brass or tungsten eyes provide the weight to animate the fly and get it down in the water column, where it behaves much like a conventional jig. A popular version is the Half-and-Half, wich shares elements of the Deep Minnow and Lefty's Deceiver, created by Bob Clouser's longtime friend, Lefty Kreh.
In this video, the inventor of the Clouser Deep Minnow shows you how he ties the fly that has caught fish all over the world.
A full profile about Bob Clouser, his life, his fishing and his flies appears in the Fall 2021 issue of Anglers Journal. To read more about Bob, pick up an issue or visit www.anglersjournal.com.
To visit Bob's fly shop, go to: clousersflyshop.com/
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