Hare's Ear

This article is about the fishing fly. For the fungus, see Otidea onotica.

Hare's Ear is one of the most traditional artificial flies used in fly fishing. It is a nymph.

Description

The Hare's Ear nymph is a fly fishing lure that is fished below the surface. It is thus a wet fly or nymph. It is an older pattern that imitates a variety of aquatic life, including scuds, sow bugs, mayfly nymphs, and caddis larvae.

Tying

Soft hair and stiff bristles from a hare are wound around the shank of the hook and fastened with copper wire that suggests ribs. Sometimes a gold bead head is added for weight and stability in the water and a strand of pheasant feather is added for a tail.The bead head can be fastened near the eye of the hook. This pattern is commonly tied on size 10 - 16 nymph hooks. Traditional colouring is a brown body with orange or brown thread.

Tactics

When this fly is immersed, the stiff fibers in the dubbing stand out and imitate the legs of an insect. Fish this lure below the surface with or without a small strike indicator and split-shot to help it sink. It is an effective pattern throughout the year because it covers a broad spectrum of prey that are active in every season.

External links

• Heptageniidae Mayfly Pictures and Behavior – Details about the mayfly family usually imitated by the Hare's Ear nymph.
• http://www.flyfishersrepublic.com/patterns/gold-ribbed-hares-ear/index-lht.html – Notes, Uses, and Tying Instructions for the Hare's Ear