MATERIALS
Hook: Nymph hook 2x heavy lx long TMC 3761 Size #12
Weight: .020" Lead wire
Thread: 8/0 Brown
Tail: Guard hairs from hare's mask
Rib: Small oval gold French tinsel
Abdomen: Hare's ear plus dubbing "Natural Hare's Ear #1" Wing Case: Scud back 1/8" Brown
Thorax: Hare's ear plus dubbing "Dark Hare's Ear"
TYING INSTRUCTIONS
Step 1. Place 5 turns .020 lead wire one eye width from eye of hook.
Step 2. Wrap thread dam in front and back of lead wire.
Step 3. Tie in hair from hare's mask at hook bend.
Step 4. Tie on strip of small oval gold tinsel.
Step 5. Dub tapered body of light hare's ear dubbing slightly more than half the shank length.
Step 6. Reverse wind oval tinsel to end of dubbed tapered body and tie down.
Step 7. Tie on right side of strip of brown scud back shiny side down. Wrap thread back far enough onto tapered abdomen so there is no gap between dubbed body and scud back when the free end of the scud back is pulled towards eye of hook.
Step 8. Dub full body of dark hare's ear dubbing for thorax. Put on enough dubbing so the diameter of the thorax will still be larger than the abdomen after it is picked out to simulate legs.
Step 9. Pull and slightly stretch scud back over dubbed thorax. Make sure you have scud back centered and then tie off.
Step 10. Slightly stretch excess scud back and cut with scissors.
Step 11. Pick out dubbing in thorax to simulate legs. Fly is now finished.
The gold-ribbed hare's ear nymph is an effective attractor nymph. It is a simple searching pattern that imitates no particular bug. The shaggy outline resembles many species of nymphs as they emerge and molt to the next life stage. The fur below the thorax can be tease to mimic legs and the abdomen can be picked out to simulate gills. Fish the fly dead drifted on the bottom.
Cast the fly slightly up stream of where you want to actually fish the fly to give it time to sink to the bottom. Let out enough line and mend when necessary to let the fly drift along on the bottom, At the end of the drift let the fly swing until it is directly below you and let it sit for about 20 seconds. Don't be in a hurry to make the cast for the next drift. Slowly lift the fly line out of the water the first couple of feet to bring the fly up the water column. Don't be surprised if you get a strike while you are raising the line.
Tied by Del Wahlert
