Tying instructions for Clouser’s Bunny Crustacean

By Bob and Jackie Clouser

We developed this pattern in 2021 to target Redfish & Seatrout along with Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass.  To our knowledge, it has caught over 20 species of fish so far.

Ingredients:

  • 6/0 Uni-Thread,

  • Krystal Flash,

  • Magnum Cut Rabbit Fur Strip (Zonker strip),

  • Cross Cut Rabbit Fur Strip,

  • Neck Hackles,

  • Medium size rubber legs,

  • Medium size Pearl Chenille,

  • 1/80 or ex-small red with black pupil lead eyes,

  • Hook either stainless or freshwater standard or up to 2x long.

  • Wapsi Z-Ment fast drying glue with brush in bottle.

Step-1 Tie in the lead eyes around 1/3 to ¼ the distance behind the eye of the hook

 

Step-2 Tie in a clump around 8 to 12 strands of Krystal Flash, wrapping it to the hook shank down to the center of the bend as in photo.

 

Step-3 Tie in a strip of rubber leg material medium size and three strips wide to each side of the hook. Make sure you wrap both one on each side of the hook down to the center of the hooks bend.

Step-4 Pull both strips of the rubber leg material down and forward and tie off as in photo.

Step-5 Tie down the magnum strip of rabbit fur (Zonker Strip) fur side down on the hook shank, Wrap to the rear end of the hook shank.

 

Step-6 Select 2 bundles of 5 Neck Hackles each side and place each bundle convex sides together, they will flare as in photo, Use a pinch wrap to place them on top of the already tied down fur strip.                                                                                                                                            

NOTE-The number of Neck Hackles can vary from 5 each to 7 each depending on the bulk you want to show in the finished pattern. Wrap a collar with the tying thread as in photo. Place a layer of the quick drying Z-Ment on the collar let dry before starting step 7.

Step-7 Tie in a Cross Cut Rabbit Fur Strip fur side down making sure the hair fibers are facing off the left side of the leather strip. Wrap a collar with the tying thread as in the photo.

 

Step-8 Wrap the cross cut fur strip leather side down, while stroking the hair fibers back toward the hook point 2 to 3 turns and tie down under and behind the lead eyes as in step 9 photo.

Step-9 Turn fly upside down and cut remaining cross cut fur strip away from fly as in photo.

Step-10 Tie in the Pearl Chenille strand at the rear of the lead eye pull it forward under the eye and back over top of the eye and under the eyes wrapping the chenille around the opposite eye. Wrap 3 to 4 turns around the hook in front of the eyes packing it together by pulling it rearward to form the chenille head as in photo step 11

 

Step-11 Tie the Pearl Chenille off making a small head to finish the fly. Apply Wapsi Z-Ment to the thread head.

Step-12 Part the bands of rubber leg material on each side of fly you should have three segments for each side as in photo.