Gold-ribbed Hare’s Ear Nymph

A timeless pattern that imitates almost any aquatic insect.

The Hare’s Ear nymph is perhaps the most versatile nymph pattern ever created. It’s buggy, mobile, and trout absolutely love it.

Materials

Hook: Size 12-16 nymph hook (1X or 2X fine wire) Thread: Tan or rust 6/0 (70 denier) Tail: Guard hairs from hare’s mask (short and spiky) Body: Hare’s ear dubbing (underfur + guard hairs mixed) Rib: Fine gold or copper wire Wing case: Darker hare’s ear dubbing or turkey quill Legs: Guard hairs from dubbing (picked out)

The Natural Inspiration

The Hare’s Ear imitates:

• Mayfly nymphs
• Caddis pupae
• Small stoneflies
• Scuds
• Even aquatic sowbugs

Its buggy appearance means it passes for many things - which is why it works so well.

Step-by-Step

1. Thread and Tail

1. Place hook in vise
2. Start thread behind eye, wrap to bend
3. Select a small clump of guard hairs
4. Measure: tail length = hook gap
5. Tie in at the bend, wrap forward to secure

2. Ribbing

1. Tie in gold wire at the bend
2. Wrap thread to about 2/3 up the shank
3. Leave thread here for later

3. The Underbody (Optional but Recommended)

Create a slight taper:

• Build a small thread underbody
• Taper it thinner toward the bend
• This gives the nymph a realistic shape

4. Dubbing the Body

1. Wax your thread with dubbing wax
2. Apply a sparse amount of dubbing
3. Twist to create a dubbing noodle
4. Wrap forward in touching turns
5. Stop about 2 eye-widths behind the eye
6. Important: Keep the body somewhat thin and buggy

5. Ribbing

1. Spiral the gold wire forward through the dubbing
2. Make 5-7 evenly spaced wraps
3. Tie off and trim excess
4. The rib should segment the body

6. The Wing Case

1. Apply more dubbing to your thread
2. Make one wrap over the thorax area
3. Pull the dubbing fibers back over the body
4. This creates the wing case

7. The Thorax

1. Apply a slightly thicker amount of dubbing
2. Make 2-3 wraps over the thorax
3. This should be slightly bulkier than the abdomen

8. Pick Out the Legs

1. Use your bodkin to pull fibers from the thorax
2. Sweep them backward on both sides
3. These create the “legs”

9. Finish the Head

1. Build a small, neat head
2. Whip finish
3. Cement if desired

Pro Tips

Dubbing Consistency

• Too thin: Fly floats or sinks too slowly
• Too thick: Looks unnatural and bulky
• Just right: Sparse but buggy, fibers mixed evenly

The Perfect Mix

Good Hare’s Ear dubbing should have:

• Soft underfur for the base
• Guard hairs mixed throughout
• Mottled, natural appearance

Commercial blends work well, but blending your own from a mask gives you more control.

Ribbing Options

• Gold wire: Traditional, adds flash
• Copper wire: More subtle
• V-Rib: Creates more pronounced segmentation
• No rib: Simpler profile

Size Matters

• Size 16: Small streams, selective trout
• Size 14: All-around choice
• Size 12: Larger water, faster currents
• Size 10: Golden stonefly imitation

Color Variations

While the natural (tan/brown) is classic:

• Olive: Excellent caddis pupa imitation
• Black: Dark mayflies, stoneflies
• Red: Good attractor, suggest blood midges
• Chartreuse: Bright attractor for stained water

Weighting for Depth

• Unweighted: Shallow water, slow currents
• Wire underbody: Medium depth
• Beadhead: Quick-sinking option
• Wire + bead: Fast, deep water

Fishing Techniques

Dead Drift

The most common and effective method:

• Cast upstream or across
• Mend for drag-free drift
• Watch for subtle takes
• Set on any hesitation

nymphing Rig

Fish it as a dropper:

• Point fly: Heavy nymph or split shot
• Dropper: Hare’s Ear 12-18 inches above
• Allows you to fish two depths

Indicator nymphing

• Use a strike indicator
• Adjust depth to fish near bottom
• Set indicator at 1.5-2x water depth

Matching the Hatch

While it’s a generic pattern, you can tune it:

Mayfly hatch:

• Use natural color
• Size 14-16
• Dead drift near bottom

Caddis hatch:

• Use olive version
• Size 12-14
• Swing it at the end of the drift

Stoneflies:

• Use size 8-10
• Darker dubbing
• Fish near the bottom

Common Problems

Body too smooth: Pick out more fibers for bugginess.

Fibers too neat: Don’t be too tidy - ragged is good.

Tail too long: Keep it short and spiky.

Wing case invisible: Make sure you pull fibers back clearly.

Tying Sequence for Efficiency

Tie 6 at a time in stages:

1. Do all the tails and ribbing
2. Dub all the bodies
3. Rib all the flies
4. Finish all thoraxes and heads

This is much faster than tying each fly completely before starting the next.

The Hare’s Ear nymph will catch trout anywhere in the world. Tie your box full and fish it confidently.