Bodkin / Patterns

Elden's Improved Hare's Ear

Nymph · Trout · Intermediate · 1 version

Classic Recipe

  • Hook 1XL-2XL nymph hook, 12-18
  • Thread Brown or tan 8/0

Materials

  • Bead Gold tungsten or brass bead (optional) (1)
  • Tail Hare's mask guard hairs or partridge fibers (small bunch)
  • Rib Fine gold oval tinsel or wire (4-5 turns)
  • Abdomen Hare's ear dubbing (natural) (pinch)
  • Wing case Mottled turkey or pheasant tail (with flashback) (1 strip)
  • Thorax Coarse hare's ear dubbing, picked out (pinch)
  • Legs Picked-out thorax guard hairs or partridge (few)

How to tie it

  1. Slide an optional gold bead onto the hook and start thread. Tie in a small bunch of hare's-mask guard hairs for a tail about half a shank long.
  2. Tie in the gold rib at the tail, then dub a slim, tapered hare's-ear abdomen forward over the rear two-thirds.
  3. Counter-wrap the rib forward in 4-5 evenly spaced turns for segmentation and durability, and tie off.
  4. Tie in a mottled turkey (or flashback) wing case pointing back at the thorax.
  5. Dub a fuller, spiky thorax of coarse hare's ear, pull the wing case over the top and tie it down behind the bead.
  6. Pick out the thorax dubbing hard with a bodkin to free plenty of buggy legs, whip finish and cement. The extra-shaggy picked-out thorax is the "improved" twist that gives it life.

Tying videos

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