• Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
231-228-7135
Hawkins Outfitters - Northern Michigan Fly Fishing and Wingshooting
  • Flyfishing
    • Trout
      • Michigan Trout Fishing
      • Night Fishing for Trout
    • Steelhead
      • Fly Fishing for Fall Steelhead
    • Smallmouth Bass
    • Carp
    • Salmon
    • Pike
  • Wingshooting
    • Upland Hunting – Grouse and Woodcock
    • Waterfowl Hunting – Ducks and Geese
    • Spring Turkey Hunting
  • Travel
    • Garden River
    • Fly Fishing Patagonia, Argentina
    • Puerto Rico Tarpon Fishing
    • Dorado Fly Fishing
    • Belize Fly Fishing
  • Booking a Trip
  • River Reports
    • Manistee River Trout Fishing
    • Manistee River Fishing Report – Below Tippy Dam
    • Pine River Fishing Report
    • Pere Marquette
    • Boardman River
    • Grand Traverse Bay
    • Garden River
  • Hunting Reports
    • Grouse and Woodcock Hunting Report
    • Waterfowl Hunting Report
  • Resources
    • Fly Patterns
      • Streamers Patterns
        • The Closer
        • Parr None – Salmon Parr Streamer
        • Hawkins Little Rascal
        • Mad Pup
        • Flash Monkey Fly Pattern
        • Triple Double
      • Dry Flies
        • Hendrickson Emerger
        • Hendrickson MayFly
        • Sulphur Dun
        • Sulphur Spinner
        • Damsel Fly Pattern
      • Steelhead Swing Patterns
        • Purple Traitor Sculpin
      • Nymphs – Steelhead, Trout, & Carp
        • Alevin Salmon Pattern
        • Fry and Eggs
        • Rabbit Wiggle Nymph
        • Black Stone Fly Nymph
        • Wet Skunk
        • Carp Crayfish Fly
    • Fly Fishing Schools
    • Videos
    • Articles
      • Fly Fishing Traverse City
      • Dry Fly Fishing
      • Streamer fishing
      • Winter Fly Fishing
      • Kids Fly Fishing
    • Newsletter
    • Manistee River Maps
    • Used Gear
  • Blog
  • About Us
    • Guides
      • Chuck Hawkins
      • Chris Butz
      • Matt Barthels
      • David Tropf
      • Russ Maddin
    • Testimonal’s
    • Contact Us
  • Menu
Northern Michigan Fly Fishing
Fly Fishing for Steelhead
smallmouth bass on the fly

The Closer

by Chuck Hawkins

Fish the Closer close to structure on a 250 grain sink tip. Cast tight and let it hover adding short strips and jerks to animate it. Use it’s buoyancy to let it run close to wood and other structure. Keep your eyes on it. They get smashed!

My favorite colors are Olive/white, white, black and natural. In Argentina I tie it pancora style, orange body with olive feathers and head.

If you have success with other colors let me know.

Have fun!

Capt. Chuck

Material List for “The Closer”

The Closer
  • Orvis 8808 Size 4 or any quality 4x long streamer hook
  • Bucktail White
  • Solid Tinsel Chenille Pearl
  • Schlappen Olive
  • Flashabou Pearl and Holo Pink
  • Sili Legs Clear/Pearl
  • Olive Deer Hair
The Closer

Start thread 1/3 of the way back from the eye and cover hook shank

The Closer

Tie in a clump of bucktail that is one and a half times the length of the hook shank. Do not tie it so that it flares!

The Closer

Cut off Ducktail ends and tie in Tinsel Chenille

The Closer

Wrap chenille forward

Stop short of the thread on the hook, leave enough room to tie in feathers

The Closer

Tie down and cute off chenille

The Closer

Tie in two feathers on each side of the hook, concave side out. The feathers should be two and half times the length of the hook shaft

The Closer

Both sides

The Closer

Cinch the feathers down tight and clip ends

The Closer

Looking at a schlepped feather convex side towards you strip the barbs of the left side and tie tip in on top of the feather wings

The Closer

Wrap schlepped feather around shank pulling barbules back to lay over feathers

The Closer

Tie in 2 stranded of each color of flashabou, then fold it over and tie it down

The Closer

Add two strands of Sili legs to each side of the fly

Clean and stack a deer hair bunch and tie it down on the top 50% of the hook shank

The Closer

Spin deer hair to create a head. Whip finish and cement

The Closer

Trim the bottom of the spun fair hair flat

The Closer

Trim the deer hair to create a muddler head.

Other Effective “The Closer” Color Combinations

The Closer
The Closer
The Closer
Share this entry
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Google+
  • Share on Pinterest
  • Share on Linkedin
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Share on Reddit
  • Share by Mail

Book a Fly Fishing Trip

231-228-7135

River Reports

  • Manistee River Trout Fishing
  • Manistee River Below Tippy
  • Pere Marquette
  • Boardman River
  • Grand Traverse Bay
  • Garden River

Hunting Reports

  • Grouse and Woodcock Hunting Report
  • Waterfowl Hunting Report

Hawkins Outfitters Instagram

Follow Us on Instagram

Hawkins Outfitters Blog

  • Pine River – Secret Trout Water February 20, 2023
  • Spring Steelhead – Times have Changed January 27, 2023
  • Trout Unlimited Manistee River Habitat Project October 26, 2022
  • Basic Spring Turkey Hunting Gear January 21, 2022
  • The Tug is the Drug, Swinging Flies for Steelhead December 14, 2021

Subscribe and Follow Us on YouTube

© 2015-2020 Hawkins Outfitters all rights reserved.

Scroll to top