Video: How to Tie the Gold-Ribbed Hare’s Ear Nymph

A great all-around nymph, the Gold-Ribbed Hare’s Ear should be in every trout angler’s box. photo courtesy Tightline Productions

Victorian tier James Ogden is often credited with inventing the Gold-Ribbed Hare’s Ear, but Ogden’s version was, in fact, a dry fly. In fact, it is listed in the great Frederick M. Halford’s Floating Flies and How to Dress Them. The dry version of the Hare’s Ear (now often tied as a parachute) is now considerably less popular than the nymph, mostly because dry flies are usually more exact imitations of naturals. Of course, a greased beadless Hare’s Ear fished in the film can be deadly when insects are emerging.

Hare’s Ears tied in different colors will mimic the larvae of different insects. photo courtesy Tightline Productions

The Gold-Ribbed Hare’s Ear Nymph is probably one of the most popular nymph patterns in all of fly fishing for two reasons: it works, and it’s easy to tie. In this video by Tightline Productions, Tim Flagler walks us through the steps to create a very attractive, buggy pattern that doesn’t necessarily imitate one insect species but suggests many bugs simultaneously. As usual, there are a few tying tips and tricks here to make you more accomplished at the vise.

Gold Ribbed Hare’s Ear Nymph from Tightline Productions on Vimeo.

Gold-Ribbed Hare’s Ear Nymph

Hook: 3X-long nymph hook (here, a Dai-Riki 285), sizes 12-20.

Bead: Gold, 7/64-inch.

Weight: .015 lead-free round wire.

Adhesive: Zap-A-Gap.

Thread: Olive, 6/0.

Rib: Gold Ultra Wire, brassie size.
Tail and wingcase: 10-12 pheasant-tail fibers.

Abdomen and thorax: Hair’s mask and rabbit-fur dubbing, mixed.

Coating: UV Clear Fly Finish or head cement.

Note: Use different color materials to match naturals.