Fish will attack a fly that sinks quickly when we stop stripping it in. And in happy times, they’ll blast throthe surface to grab a topwater fly. But at certain times as the seasons pass, fish prefer baitfish type flies that land soft and sink slow. For this stage, I tie OB’s Unicorn Clouser.
This variation on the Clouser minnow style of flies is designed to fish down the water column in vegetated areas. Nearly weightless eyes and craft fur are assembled in the normal steps on light wire trout hooks. When chasing bass and bluegill in water up to 7 feet, I use this leisurely sinking fly if I don’t know what vegetation may be coming up from the bottom.
Craft fur has been used as a body material for years. It absorbs water at a pace that allows for slow sinking, it comes in various colors, and it moves as well as any other material. I like the multicolor ‘unicorn,’ because it does not match one particular fish. When the fingerlings of various species have left the shore and are running around the mid-depths, unicorn serves as a general attractor.
The key to these flies is monofilament eyes, either burned or manufactured. These very light additions will still turn the hook up, still provide something of an eye for the fish to key on. But, in combination with light hooks, these flies can be used where traditionally eyed Clousers would hang up.
I fish unicorn Clousers on a fine leader, 10 pound or even 8 pound, with a loop knot. For this application, I’ll use a floating line and a popper dropper rig.
Suggested Materials
OB’s Unicorn Clouser
Thread: Uni Waxed 8/0
Body: Craft Fur, Unicorn
