Dirty Water Half and Half Clouser
By Deschutes Angler Staff
First of all - I should set the record straight. This is just a strange
variation on a standard half and half clouser - all due respect to Lefty
and Bob. However, in the winter where rain and mud can dirty up the water
where stripers hang out - a much bulkier and flashier
version of the old standard is called for. In shallow deltas, estuaries,
and impoundments where big stripers feed - wind and rain can turn the
water into the color of chockolate milk. These flys are designed to move water so fish can locate them easily. Also these are tied on Eagle Claw 413 hooks. However - they will work on any
hooks appropriate for Clouser tying. Good luck.
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Step 1
Get the thread started, and tie in your favorite pair of dumbell eyes. Keep in mind that this fly has a lot of bucktail, which is bouyant. You will need larger eyes than normal to keep it upright.
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Step 2
First tie in some bucktail hanging off of the back of the fly. This helps keep the hackle tail from wrapping the hook while casting. Then tie in two tail hackles on each side.
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Step 3
This is the best time to tie in some flashy materials - as it will be sandwiched between tail hackles and also will extend beyond the tail a little bit - kind of flashtail style. You can't really tell in the image - but I've tied in some pearl and chartreuse flashabou. Then tie in one more tail hackle on each side over the falshy material. In this case I've used chartreuse hackles over the white tied in earlier.
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Step 4
Now tie in your first group of bucktial just in front of the tail hackles. Keep in mind the bottom of the fly is facing up at this point - so I usually work with light material at this point. This is a clump of white bucktail. Then, turn the fly over, and tie in a second clump of bucktail, in this case I'm using chartreuse.
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Step 5
Turn the fly back over again, and tie on another clump of white bucktail a little forward of the previous clump. Turn the fly over and tie in another clump of chartreuse bucktail.
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Step 6
Return the fly to upright (hook point down) position. This is usually where I tie in some more flashy material. In this case I've chosen some silver angel hair just behind the eye. Its also a good place for crystal flash or whatever. Make sure you do both sides evenly.
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Step 7
Then tie in the top white bucktail. YOu do this by lashing it down in front of the dumbell eyes first, just behind the hook eye. Then pull the bucktail back over the top of the fly, loop the thread under the dumbell eyes, and lash it down around the neck of the fly.
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Step 8
Turn the fly over once more. Return the thread to the front of the fly, just in front of the eyes. Tie in you final bucktail. This will be the top (dorsal) side of the fly while its being fished, so I usually a third color of bucktail, the darkest yet. In this case its olive. I nature - most baitfish are lightest on the bottom and darkest on the top - and I tend to tie this fly with three colors in this order.
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Step 9
Whip finish the fly, epoxy the head. Its very important to cement the head with lots of head cement, as it helps the fly last longer if some absorbs into the materials around the head. There is lots of material in this fly, if any of it starts coming out the fly will deteriorate rapidly.
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