The Tiger Clouser Terry Babich

It's winter, that time of the year when we can get our hands on some of the best freshwater fishing available to us, or perhaps even that we can possibly imagine.

At this time of year the majority of guys that you ask will tell you that the most effective colours are sunset tones, black and red, and maybe even grey and black or purple. Tan is a colour seldom mentioned.

This is probably because the guys in the know just don't want to share - you know what fishermen are like. (Just kidding!) Actually, tan has been coming through strong and with the imitation of bait fish being my biggest consideration I have put together this little baby. I sent a bunch off to the Zambezi and the results have been very positive indeed!

Hook: 1/0 Gamakatsu B10s Stinger Thread: Semperfli Nano Silk 18/0 and UTC 140, red Eyes: 6.4mm Dumbbell Under-Body: Saltwater flash Wing: Steve Farrar Flash Blend - white, tan and black

Attach the thread and tie on the dumbbell. Leave enough space to fasten down three types of body material between the eye and dumbbell.

Dress the shank with thread and tie in a piece of saltwater flash.

Wrap it forward to the dumbell and tie off. This is just for a bit of reflection of light like that off fish scales. Generously cover with UV resin of choice and put under UV lamp. This is done to create hard body that will hold up to those ferocious tiger teeth and add durability to your fly.

Take a small amount of white body material about twice the length of the hook and trap it between the hook eye and the dumbbell. Be careful not to allow it to wrap or spin around the hook as this will throw you fly off balance. Just remember that bait fish have a slender fish-like profile. You can experiment with length of body material, but I prefer to keep it short so as not to have too many fish biting it short and nibbling on the tail.

Add the tan as per the white, keeping it the same length. The fly should invert because of the weight of the dumbbells so you are actually tying an upside down fish. The white is the belly and the tan the lateral side, so I go for a bit more than than white. The white was tied in closest to the hook eye and I tie each alternative material in a little closer to the dumbbell as I go.

Tie in the black in the same manner as the other two colors. Using a bit less material as the i will be the small dark top side of the fish that protects its visibility from prey above.

The last tying sequence is to finish it off with red or orange or a colour of choice. For bait fish I use tan but for tiger imitation I might use orange or red. The choice is really up to you. Red looks nice and is very visible.

Now I just apply UV on the head and a bit on the top of the dumbbell for extra strength.

If you like to get creative and want your fly to look a bit more like a bait fish you can add barring with a permanent marker. It looks cool!

For fun add some gills.