Gold Bead Hare's Ear

 

The Gold Bead Hare's Ear is another one of those patterns that doesn't directly imitate anything in particular but does a passable imitation of a few different bugs. It is an excellent search pattern especially in early summer when lots of bugs are on the move. It can pass for a damsel nymph, mayfly nymph and caddis pupa. It is also a very popular fly with lake fishermen and has a place in many boxes.

 

I find it best fished around weed beds with a floating line and leader length adjusted for depth. A slow hand twist retrieve with a few quicker twitches usually produces results. It is also excellent under an indicator retrieved very slowly.

 

I believe the key to this fly is to use very soft hackle for the collar. Hen hackle is what I use and have had good luck with capes from Whiting. Their capes have long feathers with nice soft barbs and have a good range of size of feathers. The soft hackle adds subtle movement to the fly which I believe to be important. Partridge feathers can be used as well, but it can be tricky to find feathers small enough for the smaller sizes.

 

A material list would include a Daiichi 1560 hook in size 12 to 16, a gold bead, partridge feather for the tail, rabbit dubbing for the body, small gold wire for ribbing and hen hackle for the soft hackle wrap. I use olive 6/0 thread and 8/0 for the small size 16.

 

 

First steps are to place a gold bead on the hook shank, then tie in the wire ribbing as well as the hackle fibres from the partridge feather.

 

 

 

Form a budding noodle by twisting the rabbit fibres onto the thread. I try and keep the loop tight and fairly thin. Wind the loop to the bead and chase it by counter winding the wire.

 

 

 

Next I tie in a hen hackle feather by the tip, the barb length should be so that the fibres extend just past the hook point. Wind the hackle while brushing the barbs back towards the back of the fly. Tie off after two or three wraps.  

 

 

 

Form another very small dubbing noodle and place a few wraps ahead of the hackle. This small collar helps keep the hackle swept back nicely. Whip finish and it's done.

 

Give this fly a go when you're not sure what to try in the early summer, I'm positive you won't be disappointed.