Clouser Swimming Nymph

Tied by John Stoeckel

Hook:  TMC 200  #10

Thread:  Bright orange (I used 3/0, but 6/0 probably would have been better)

Weight:  .025 lead-free wire.  About 8 turns on front-half of hook

Tail: Clump of dark brown rabbit with 4 strands of root beer colored Krystal Flash.   The rabbit is cut from the skin (I used a Zonker strip).  The tail materials are tied about shank length.

Abdomen: Dark brown rabbit dubbing with copper wire rib.  About half shank length.

Wingcase: Peacock herl.  About 12 pieces. 

Thorax: Dark brown rabbit dubbing.

Hackle:  Brown hen hackle.  3-4 turns palmered over the thorax with the wingcase tied down over the hackle.   The hackle is somewhat oversized. 

For this year's swap, I tied a Clouser Swimming Nymph.   I ran across this fly while researching flies for Carp fishing in the book "Carp on the Fly" by Barry Reynolds, Brad Befus, and John Berryman.   This fly was originated by Bob Clouser (of Clouser Minnow fame) and I would imagine it was created as a Smallmouth Bass fly.  However besides use for carp and bass, I've also used it as a trout fly when I want something a little different and bigger as the top fly on a tandem nymph rig.   I suspect it would also make very good panfish fly and generally, it just seems to have a very "fishy" appeal to it.