New Member + How to fish with a Clouser Minnow

[Andrew Chaney]

Hey everyone,

I'm new to this group and am excited to get to know you guys as well as the fishing in the DC area!

I have noticed a lot of positive commentary regarding clouser minnows. However I have never had good luck with them. I have never gotten a strike with a fast retrieval and often snag debris at the bottom if I use a slower retrieval. Are there any tips on how to successfully fish with a clouser? Thanks!

[Steve F]

Welcome to the group Andrew.  I'm of the mind there really is no wrong way to fish a clouser per se, but different techniques can be employed at different times that will induce strikes when others fail.  The technique that will eventually induce the stike can vary by your quarry, any number of environmental factors, and even from fish to fish so varying your technique is the name of the game.  Take a look here [pdf] for info on clousers for smallmouth.

[Matthew Longley]

Andrew--I find it's usually most effective, especially with heavier clousers, to swing the the fly about wildly until it lands in a tree or a bush.  Then pretend you are fighting a fish for the benefit of onlookers.

[Aaron O]

Hey Andrew,

 

      First of all WELCOME!  Its always nice to talk to someone new to us. 

 

      So clouser minnows.   LOVE THEM!  My go too fly for alot of my fishing.  I was shown this fly from Dan over at Orvis and I have gotten most of my fish with this fly.  So first thing to remember is that ther is no one way to use it.  A lot of people have suggestions that I'm sure work but each time I use them, I change it up a little to see what these fish jump at.  That being said, with the colder weather and waters slow is generally better.   

 

     As for suggstion how to use it.  A stripping style I am about to describe was created by Lefty Kreh in an older book of his specific for fishing clouser minnows (I believe for small mouth). With credit like that, I'm sure it has to work.    First this is that once you cast the fly, make sure to give it enough time to truly sink.  Then instead of doing a constant slow strip. Try doing a long strip with your stripping hand stopping at your hip. Also at the end of your strip twist your stripping wrist away from you quickly to a sharp movement.  Then wait and allow the fly to sink back to its previous depth.  repeat.  The fish would generaly bite on the sink.

 

     I have also had success stripping eradically (3 quick short, then pause, then 2 med, the 3 quick or a slow, etc...) but this was during warmer weather and water. just keep trying different variations until you see what interests those fish in that location. 

 

     A nice move I have done is if I get a bite but am not able to set the hook, I will do a bunch of quick short strips (6 or 7) like my minnow is trying to get away to safety.  I have been able to hook back the fish on a couple occasions with with move

 

 

      If you having a problem with getting your hooks such on the bottom,  well unfortunately your in the right area that that is just part of the fun of fishing a weighted streamer.  You can possibly start stripping sooner  so as not to hit the bottom.  You stated that your fishing in the DC area.  I'm guessing that if your getting stuck on the bottom, they your either fishing the Tidal basin or the Potomac itself (possibly near chainbridge).  Please let me know if that is true.  I may have some suggestions to help with those locations.

 

 

 

Let me know if you have any other questions,

 

Aaron

[Michael Smith]

It's like a Reeses Peanut Butter Cup (™): there isn't a wrong way to eat…er…cast it.

But what you have to play with is:

Speed of retrieve

Line (sinking/floating/sink-tip/intermediate/other)

Weight on the fly

Leader length

If you're catching debris, then try a lighter-weighed fly (smaller dumbbells or bead-chain which is hollow) and/or a shorter leader (7.5-feet) on a floating line.  A faster retrieve would keep it from sinking as much, but if you go too fast then it doesn't look like food to the fish, or they can't swim fast enough to catch it.

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[Brendan]

As people have said, no wrong way to fish it...and virtually every species of game fish in the mid atlantic will hit a clouser.  While i don't fish them much anymore, when the fishing is slow testing different techniques with a clouser pattern can be the best method for picking up a few fish.  

My favorite method is a slow drift where possible w/ a twitch every so often but really depends on where you're fishing and the conditions. This time of year, like with any other pattern, it'll be hard to get hits on a quick-strip but always worth testing the spectrum of retrievals when the fishing is tough. 

 

On Thursday, February 7, 2013 1:37:17 PM UTC-5, Michael Smith wrote:

It's like a Reeses Peanut Butter Cup (™): there isn't a wrong way to eat…er…cast it.

But what you have to play with is:

Speed of retrieve

Line (sinking/floating/sink-tip/intermediate/other)

Weight on the fly

Leader length

If you're catching debris, then try a lighter-weighed fly (smaller dumbbells or bead-chain which is hollow) and/or a shorter leader (7.5-feet) on a floating line.  A faster retrieve would keep it from sinking as much, but if you go too fast then it doesn't look like food to the fish, or they can't swim fast enough to catch it.

From: Andrew Chaney <andrew...@gmail.com>
Reply-To: <tidal-potoma...@googlegroups.com>
Date: Thursday, February 7, 2013 11:51 AM
To: <tidal-potoma...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: {Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders} New Member + How to fish with a Clouser Minnow

Hey everyone,

I'm new to this group and am excited to get to know you guys as well as the fishing in the DC area!

I have noticed a lot of positive commentary regarding clouser minnows. However I have never had good luck with them. I have never gotten a strike with a fast retrieval and often snag debris at the bottom if I use a slower retrieval. Are there any tips on how to successfully fish with a clouser? Thanks!

--
http://www.tpfr.org
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[Andrew Chaney]

Thanks for the tips! Steve, I especially liked that pdf link. Matt, that is a favorite pastime of mine when the fish aren't biting ;). I'm heading out to four mile run before it gets dark tonight and I'll test out those techniques. Later!

[TurbineBlade]

Yeah, I tend to do the same as the above posts ^^.  I was just going to add that the only fish I've caught on clousers thus far as a yellow perch in 4MR, and a catfish.  But - I did many that Nile Tilapia one day with a bucktail streamer that is pretty similar to a clouser minnow.  Honestly, I just threw it out there and let it drift in the current.  I guess the fish was just in the right spot -- anyone else using that same fly would have done the same and I had no idea what I was doing (still don't).  

Beth has caught 2 catfish by dragging a weighted fly on the bottom behind her while moving to a new fishing spot ;).  Now I do the same thing when moving around just in case.  I dunno -- even a blind squirrel finds a nut sometimes.  

Gene

[TurbineBlade]

Holy crap I can't spell tonight -- sorry.  

[namfos]

There's are reason they refer to some casting as "chuck and duck." Be sure to wear sunglasses and a hat with heavy clousers, unless you're into do it yourself piercings.

[Brendan]

hah.  well put.   windy days are particularly fun. 

[Dallen Hall]

Special head wear can help. 

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[Richard Lin]

Love to have one! lol!

[namfos]

LOL!