How to Tie the Clouser Half & Half Fly

Tips for tying the Clouser Half-n-Half Fly including a materials list, instructional video, and much more. Improve your fly tying skills.

Materials:

We've put together a kit that contains all the materials you need to tie this exact fly pattern.

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Hook: Gamakatsu SL11, Size 1

Thread: Uni Mono Thread

Eyes: Hareline Brass Dumbbell Eyes, Fl. Yellow

Tail: Hareline Bugger Hackle Patches, White

Body: Hareline Mini Flat Fly Braid, Pearl

Wing: Hareline Large Northern Bucktail, Yellow & White & Olive

Wing: Hareline Strung Peacock Herl

Flash: Hedron Flashabou, Ice Pearl

The Clouser Half & Half is a pattern that imitates baitfish with added flare. We've tied the Clouser Minnow in the past, but this pattern is tied with a twist. Great for freshwater Bass, Striped Bass, and just about any fish that'll eat a baitfish. The Clouser is most well-known as a saltwater pattern but works well in all situations. Watch Jared tie the Clouser Half & Half with step-by-step instructions and techniques explained.

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Step One:

Start your thread and tie in the Dumbbell Eyes. Place the eyes about an eye's width behind the hook eye and create a little thread bump with your mono thread. Tie in the eyes using a figure-eight pattern and pull them into the thread bump. Take as many figure-eight wraps as you need to securely anchor the eyes. Put some super glue on the underside of the hook to further secure the eyes.

Step Two:

Bring your thread back to the point of the hook and tie in the hackle. Measure and cut the hackle so they extend two hook lengths, strip the butts, and tie them in facing each other on opposite sides of the hook.

Step Three:

Tie in the pearl Flat Braid for the body. Tie in the Flat Braid right behind the eyes, wrap back to the start of the hackle, then return the thread to just behind the eyes. After the Flat Braid is tied in, wrap the Braid forward around the shank of the hook to create a body. Tie if off right behind the eyes. Move your thread up in front of the eyes.

Step Four:

Tie in the belly of the fly with White Bucktail. Choose hair from the middle of the Bucktail and strip out any loose fibers. Cut the butts so they're even and measure the Bucktail so it extends to the halfway point on the hackle. Tie in the Bucktail down in front of the eyes then wrap the thread behind the eyes to secure the Bucktail.

Step Five:

Rotate the hook and tie in the Yellow Bucktail for the wing. Again, choose about 25-30 hairs and strip out the loose fibers. Measure so the Bucktail extends to the halfway point on the hackle, cut the butts so they're even and tie in the underbody on the bottom of the hook shank.

Step Six:

Start by tying in the Flashabou right on top of the Yellow Bucktail. After tying in the flash, tie some Olive Bucktail on top of the Yellow Bucktail on the underside of the hook.

Step Seven:

Add four Peacock Herls to the bottom of the hook shank. Tie in the Peacock Herls right on top of the Olive Bucktail to create a dark accent on the underbody of the fly.

Step Eight:

After tying in the Peacock Herl, whip finish and finish the fly with superglue to increase the durability of the fly. Put superglue on the underside of the fly and in between the eyes to hold down the Bucktail on top.

Step Ten:

And that's the Clouser Half-n-Half. This fly is a great pattern for any saltwater species feeding on baitfish and can be fished productively with a sinking line or a floating line on the flats. Stripers go wild for this fly especially when it's tied in colors that imitate prevalent baitfish.

Questions?

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