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Clouser Eye Size

3K views 19 replies 9 participants last post by  Mike Oliver 
#1 ·
Guys can you help please. I am not sure which size eyes I should be using. But I am aware that the amount of dressings has a bearing.

My go to hook is a Timeco 811S in a size 1/0. What size Eye for medium dressing would be about right. I use Spirit River Real Eyes. Would you go down a size for sparsely dressed and up for heavily dressed.

Same question for a size 2 same pattern hook.

I tye my Clousers in both Bucktail and Synthetics.

Thanks.

Mike
 
#4 ·
Mike this is what I can tell you:
7/32 Black Lead Eye = 22 grains
3/16 Black Lead Eye = 16 grains
Med Size White/black lead eye = 16 grains
Sml Size White/black lead eye = 11 grains
5/32 Nickel Eye = 5 grains

These are all from my grain weight scale and remeasured on reloading powder scale in multiples of 10 eyes.

Pete
 
#5 ·
Thanks Pete useful background info.

I am also interested in what works for others size wise in Clouser eyes in terms of the Spirit River eyes which are very popular. I tend to use the 5/32 and max out on the 3/16. The 7/32 is a real pig to cast any distance at all.

Mike
 
#6 ·
With all due respect -

Weighted eyes do not turn over a fly, final tension on the leader does. It can affect the turnover in either positive or negative ways however. For instance recoil can lose tension; conversely mass can prevent turnover of the leader.

Proper balance of dressing dampens recoil thus solving half the problem.

However if the leader can not overcome the mass it will fail to turnover.

Your casting stroke must accommodate the slower line speed (dampened weight) while keeping tension intact.

My suspicion without looking at the setup (casting stroke->line->leader->fly design) is that the dressing is not balanced with the eye weight and/or the leader is failing to turn the mass of the fly over because it's too light. Another consideration is a long forward taper on the fly line you're using, or an discontinuity in butt / taper / tippet tapering.

I can cast most of a fly line with an 8wt using 7/32 eyes... this is not a comment about "casting prowess" but about balancing leader, dressing and line speed.

I can fail such a cast by making a single change in the leader or casting stroke while the fly remains unchanged.
 
#9 ·
I use the plated brass spirit river eyes (with the eyes in place) in the 5/32 size for most of my clousers. Deep Eels on 1/0 811s and bucktails on a 1/0 ec413. Most of my fishing is shallow. Reverend Juro's comments on material balance, recoil, casting stroke and leader construction are appropo to my thinking. The last couple of years I've been pretty casual about these details and my casting, flyturnover etc. has deteriorated. This years fishing resolution is to pay more attention to these details.
 
#10 · (Edited)
Juro and Fred.

Ok I guess I could have given a little more info. I am aware of the need to balance the amount of fly dressing to the size/weight of the Eyes. I was asking for a starting point in requesting what others are currently doing as regards the size of the eyes.
I do appreciate that a heavy eye and a sparse dressing is likely to lead to the fly kicking at the end of both the forward and backcasts. I am working on my casting stroke to make it more eliptical. Looks like I need to pay more attention to my leader design to.
juro pretty impressive to cast a full line with a 7/32 eye on it.

My main interest was the casting side but of course it is also important to get the balance right so that the fly will mostly fish hook point up.

Thanks for the help so far.

Mike
 
#11 ·
I dunno much about all the science involved in casting. Anyone who has fished with me can vouch for that :hihi:

Never the less Mike, I typically use 5/32 or 3/16 inch Spirit River Real Eyes Plus for my Clousers on a #1 or 1/0 hook & dress as needed to look right. I do have larger & smaller sizes for when I make other sizes as well.
 
#17 ·
Juro,

I tye all my Clousers on Tiemco 811S in sizes 6,4,2.1 and 1/0 My main go to sizes are 2 and 1/0 for the Cape when the Bass are really having it. These are the Clousers I am really interested in knowing what you Guys use for eyes. Me I have been using 5/32 and 3/16. The 7/32 just look and feel so heavy and piggish to cast. But if 7/32 are really important at times to get fish I will pereservre with them.

Paul J I hate those Varivas 2600 hooks. They are so heavy in the wire. Over the top for our Bass. Be ok for fish with serious attitued. I don't like the shape of them either. But of cousre I could be very wrong for not using or liking this hook pattern.

I do like strong light sharp hooks that do not rust up too badly. The Tiemco 811S fits this bill well even though they are quite expensive compared to many other hooks.

Mike
 
#20 ·
Juro,

I land 13:20 June 1st Logan and depart on 15th June on last flight out of Logan.

My rough plan is to hit the flats area around Brewsters on the bigger tides at the start of my trip. I hope to hit the flats twice a day for around 4 to 5 days before looking at pastures new. I have a plan to meet up with HL AKA Herb and hope to try and fix up a Rip trip with John and Jim S during my stay. Last years Rip Trip was wonderful.

Be great to meet up and do some calibrating and maybe even fishing if you have some time. I am camping out at The Old Landings along with Paul Jennings, Allan Hughes, Crunch, and a few other UK migrants well temp ones anyway. I am there for the whole of my stay athough I sometimes do the Gypsy thing and stay away for a day or two somewhere else.

Mike
 
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