Tying and Fishing the Hare's Ear

Hare's Ear 

The Hare’s Ear is an all-around effective nymph. It can suggest caddisflies, mayflies and many other species, and it is a good searching pattern. It can be fished effectively in most water types by stripping or dead drifting. You can also grease the fly so that it floats and represents mayflies and caddisflies that are hatching or insects that are blown onto the water. Twitching the fly across the surface can simulate these actions.

Good colors to use for the fly are natural brown, tan and olive. A hare’s mask is the best material for constructing the fly, and be sure to pick out the dubbed fur to give it a buggier look. A traditional mottled turkey feather is normally used for the wing case, but some variations use pheasant feathers, peacock herl and some synthetic materials. A gold bead head can also be used. However, I think that the fly is just as effective without additional materials.

Step 1. Tie in some sparse fibers from a hare’s mask and attach the gold tinsel. Then dub a body from the light tan section of the hare’s mask.

Step 2. Spin the dubbing forward over two-thirds of the shank and spiral up four to six wraps of tinsel.

Step 3. Depending on the hook size tie a one-eighth to three-sixteenth inch wide section of turkey quill flat over the top. Then, from hare’s mask dub a larger and darker amount for the abdomen. Don’t clip the guard hairs.

Step 4. Bring the turkey quill over the abdomen and tie it for the wing case. Then, pick out the dubbing and finish tying off the head.