The Fly Guide | July 2025
The Fly Guide: july 2025
How to target Large stripers on the fly
The clouser is a staple fly that dates back to 1987, during this time shop owner and guide Bob Clouser created the fly to help catch more smallmouth bass on the Susquehanna river. Little did Bob know his fly would be infamous for catching just about any fish around the world. Since the time of its inception the fly fishing community has tweaked the clouser to fit just about any material. If you order flies online or go to your local shop you're sure to find a ton of different variations that use bucktail, craft fur, slinky fiber and even flash. When it comes to fishing, the clouser is extremely versatile. Whether you're new to the clouser or a seasoned veteran check out the 3 different ways you can fish the clouser in order to catch more fish!
What is the clouser?: Before diving into the nuts and bolts of how to fish this fly, it’s important to understand what this pattern entails. To be frank, it’s pretty simple. The clouser is just a single hook, with a dumbell eye sandwiched between two wings of bucktail. The profile may look awkward when it’s dry however once the pattern touches water the materials slim down and your left with the perfect bait fish silhouette.
Dredging Bottom: Dredging refers to fishing your fly along the bottom, whether you're fishing salt or freshwater there is a huge advantage to fishing the clouser along the bottom. In freshwater the fly mimics crawfish, leeches, and baitfish. Conversely in saltwater, the fly mimics shrimp, crabs, and baitfish. If you're fishing shallow water in 5 feet or less, a floating line and standard 8-9 foot leader is all it takes to hit bottom. Simply impart short snappy strips and pauses and watch as the clouser darts like a fleeing predator. The beauty of this fly is that it actually rides hook point up which prevents snags and breakoffs.
Fishing the Middle Column: There comes a point in time where you might see bait such as mullet, menhaden, perch, and shiners suspending in the middle of the water column, there not quite on top but there not on the bottom. The clouser shines in this scenario! If you pair your clouser with a floating line and a long 10-14 foot leader the floating line will counteract the weight of the fly leading it to suspend as you work it through the column. In order to achieve a consistent suspending action simply impart a long strip followed by a 3 to 5 second pause. As you work your fly you’ll notice that it ungulates and flows in the water.
Fishing the surface: Every so often the fish come to the surface and begin blitzing on bait, this usually happens more in saltwater but it’s also a trend in freshwater. That said, if the fish are chasing small bait you can’t go wrong with a clouser and floating line. All it takes is a steady two hand retrieve in order to keep your fly just under the surface. Simply grab the line with two hands and maintain a constant hand over hand motion. This causes the fly to slide and dart in a straight line motion that fish can’t resist.
Too hot for trout?
Trout fishing is phenomenal throughout late spring and early summer, hatches coat the water and fish are ready to chew. However, once water temperatures reach 68 degrees, trout become stressed and exhibit lethargic behavior. When this occurs, it’s best to give the fish a break until water temperatures stabilize. If you’re a hardcore trout fisherman, you might be scratching your head, thinking, “What should I do?” If you’re not sure how to handle the summer doldrums, check out some ideas below.
Carp fishing: Carp have a few different nicknames, the most infamous being the freshwater bonefish. It might be hard to believe but carp are even spookier than trout, stalking a carp is just half the battle, the second half is getting it to eat your offering. Once you hook a carp, you better hold on tight because you’ll be in your backing within seconds. Although carp is a low-numbers game, it’s a rewarding and technical endeavor. If you’re not sure where to start try targeting your local ponds and lakes or check your state fisheries website to identify carp spots. As for the rod and reel setup, you’ll need a 6-8 weight, floating line, and a 10-foot tapered leader composed of 15lb,12lb, and 8lb sections of fluorocarbon. As for flies, you can’t go wrong with a squirmy worm, egg fly, mop fly, and crawfish fly. When it comes down to technique the name of the game is sight fishing. The key is to spot the fish before it notices your presence, once your’e in range be sure to lead the fish by 3-5 feet so that they can gently swim into the fly without being alerted. In regards to retrieve, keep it extremely slow by micro-twitching the fly away from the carp.
Target Panfish on dries: Panfish refers to small freshwater fish such as bluegill, crappie, sunfish, and perch that are roughly the size of your average cooking pan. These fish are fairly plentiful and can easily be found at your local lake or pond. For gear, a 3-weight, floating line, and short 8-foot section of 5 lb tippet is perfect. As you're on the prowl, look for structures like vegetation, log jams, and dropoffs. That said, these fish typically show themselves in the form of dimples and boils on the surface. When it’s time to pick the right fly, any size 10-12 dry fly or nymph will do. For presentation, simply slap the fly down on the water, wait for the fish to slurp it, and set the hook.
Pickup the vise: Let’s be honest, by mid-summer you’ve likely burned through your go-to flies and need to stock up. When it’s blistering hot out, take some time off and hop on the vice so that you're prepared for the upcoming fall season. If you're tying flies in bulk, consider a production-style approach. Rather than tying one fly at a time, take multiple hooks through each step of the process. For example, if your fly requires dumbbell eyes, prepare five hooks with dumbbell eyes rather than just one. This will make your life easier down the line, additionally, it allows you to get the simple parts out of the way quickly.
HOW TO Prep for albie season
The East Coast has a multifaceted saltwater fishery beyond popularized gamefish like striped bass and bluefish. Every year when August rolls around the coastline surrounding Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, and New Jersey hosts the fabled Atlantic Bonito. These fish sport a hard, bony tail, horizontal black stripes, and sharp teeth, making them the perfect picture fish. When it comes to battle, they have a patented zig-zagging run and never surrender attitude! If you want to catch your first bone, check out the tips below.
Productive conditions: As a pelagic fish, bonito love clean ocean water, therefore, it’s best to find a place with gin clear blue or green water. The most optimal places are typically inlets, jetties, and harbors close to the open ocean. Another essential factor to consider is bait; bones prefer small baits like peanut bunker, sand eels, and spearing. If you can find the food source you’ll certainly up your chances. The third condition to look out for is a strong current. Typically, the middle of the incoming or outgoing tide is when water flows the fastest. While these conditions are general markers for a successful outgoing, it’s going to take a few trips to finally hook one.
Gear: As we've mentioned, bonito are fast and aggressive. To stand a chance, you’ll need a setup that can handle their drag-ripping runs. An 8-9 weight rod with a floating or intermediate line is ideal, and our top pick is the 8-weight ripper combo. Ensure you spool your Pelican reel with plenty of backing, these large arbors provide ample space for packing on some serious yardage. A 200-yard spool of 30lb gel spun or dacron is perfect. As for the leader, bonito have impeccable eyesight, 11 feet of 40 pound fluorocarbon tapered down to 12 pound fluorocarbon should be enough to fool the fish. When it comes to flies, you can’t go wrong with a surf candy, bonito bunny, or 2/0 white deceiver.
Telltale signs: As mentioned, bones are skittish however, when they show up, there are a few distinct signs. The first sign of activity to look for is bait spraying in the air, bones often rip through bait, causing it to spray through the air like water. If you watch the bait spray a few times, you may be able to pick out a fast-moving body. The next thing to look out for are boils in the water, which indicates that a school of fish is targeting a bait ball just under the surface. This may be tough to see for the untrained eye but after a few outings you’ll know what to look for. The third sign is blitzing fish, which occurs when bonito rip through bait while jumping through the air. Blitzes are a rare and epic sight, when fish start flying they often get reckless and will eat your fly without question so hang on tight. That said, trying to identify signs can be difficult so it’s best to bring a pair of binoculars to help you get a closer look at what's going down in front of you.
Retrieval techniques: Fishing for bonito demands a rapid two-hand retrieval technique. The exciting part is that these fish are so swift you never have to worry about the fly outpacing their appetite. If you're new to this fast-paced method, don't worry, we’ve got you covered with some instructions. First, point the fly rod directly at your fly, then tuck the rod grip under your shoulder. Finally, grip the line tightly with your pointer finger and thumb of both hands. In a quick, continuous motion, roll the line through each hand. When a fish finally strikes the fly, grip the line tightly and strip hard with both hands to drive the hook through the fish's mouth. Get ready because you’re about to be in your backing!
Small stream dry fly fishing
Fishing for trout in a small stream or brook is a challenging yet rewarding endeavor. It’s easy to think that a small stream might not support much life, but under the riffles and pockets of water is a booming ecosystem full of healthy trout. If you’re not sure where to begin, check out the tips below for fishing dries in small streams.
Pack appropriately: Depending on where you're located small streams may be surrounded by brush, forest, or other structures that impede on your space. Thus, it’s best to leave your 10-foot rods at home and opt for a 7-8 foot 3 to 4 weight setup with floating line. As for tippet, a 7-8 foot section split of 4x to 5x tippet is perfect. When it comes to flies, you can’t go wrong with a few natural attractor patterns like the Royal Wulff, Adams, and Chubby Chernoybl. All of these patterns can be found on our website.
Stay out of the water: Remember that sound and disturbances travel quickly in shallow streams. A single step or loud thud could alert the fish and send them into hiding. As you pick apart a seam or pool, take a few steps away from the bank to remain stealthy. A good rule of thumb is to stand a rod lengths back from the bank.
Fish in front of you: It’s easy to get caught up trying to cast your line to the other side of the steam. While there are likely fish in those pockets you're aiming for, the reality is that fish are alerted to the sound and sight of your false cast. The best method of attack is to fish what's directly under your rod tip by dapping your fly in front of you or roll casting upstream.
Learn the bow and arrow cast: It can be pretty frustrating when you're fishing tight quarters, and you need help generating the right cast. This is when the bow and arrow cast comes into play. Point your tip at the intended target with a rod length and half of the line hanging off the tip. Grab the fly with your pointer finger and thumb and pull your fly back gently. Finally, let go and flick your rod tip toward your intended target.
Look for pocket water: When flowing water collides with rocks, it creates a slow-moving pocket of water directly behind the rock which trout use as resting pools and feeding lanes. Simply cast your fly into the calm water and wait for the strike.
Target undercut banks: An undercut bank can be an excellent place for a trout to hide, they have no problem darting out from underneath the bank to crush your offering. Dap the fly-in tight to the bank and wait for a trout to slither out and eat your fly. For best results, stand a few feet away from the edge.
Foam is home: When two current lines merge into one current seam, foamy water is formed. These areas are high in oxygen and provide trout with security from any predators in the area. Additionally, the current acts as a conveyor belt that slowly delivers insects. To effectively fish the foamy area, present the fly upstream of the foam and allow your offer to move through the conveyor belt slowly.
