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Jack Reis is back this week with some important life lessons regarding acceptance. He also shares a modern twist on a classic fly. Keep it up Jack!
“It’s time to get jiggy with it.
I’ll pause for the chorus of boos…
“GET OFF MY LAWN!” “Not in my bag,” they say, clutching their fly boxes and glancing around suspiciously. Don’t be so quick to judge this twitchy crowd of naysayers though. Let’s see a show of hands for all of you who refuse to fish a bead, or foam, or a squirmy worm (gasp!), or anything synthetic for that matter. How many of us have refused to pick up a euro-rig, or leave behind the streamer box on a day that doesn’t call for it? It’s ok, because I understand what a finicky bunch of purists we can be. I, for one, have long been guilty of pointing out to friends and family that the funny-looking bubble is called an ‘indicator,’ not a ‘bobber,’ and it goes on your ‘leader,’ not your ‘line.’
Now, today’s fly isn’t particularly offensive, or even original. Jigged versions of the clouser have been around for many years and are starting to pick up more popularity globally. In fact, Bob Clouser imparted a jigging action into the original clouser deep minnow through the weight and position of the eyes. I just wanted to preface the whole thing with a reminder that leaving our comfort zone can sometimes do more good than harm. Many tiers find that even with weighted eyes, tied on the top of the shank, clousers have a tendency to spin and foul. No-such trouble with these hooks. I would encourage you to tie a few of these no matter where you fish, as they’ve been known to fool more than just the bass at your local pond. Stripers, jacks, blues, redfish, and even trout will respond favorably to a jig-hooked clouser.
I’d like to believe that back in the late ‘80s, Bob’s invention was met with curiosity and acceptance. But, I suspect that more than one chafed angler took the opportunity to remind him that ‘real men’ fish snelled blind hooks. The first step toward change is awareness. Look at us, we’re already healing!” – Jack Reis
Materials:
- Hook: Gamakatsu 291 – 2-5/0
- Thread: UTC 140 – Yellow
- Body: SF Blend – UV Shrimp, Sculpting Flash Fibre – Camo, Lateral Scale – Pearl, Peacock HerlBucktail – White/Blue, Krystal Flash – Pearl
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