This is a pattern of my own I have called the Flashing Hare?s Ear. I say ?my own? with some reservation, there is little new in fly tying and many flys are created by several tyers at the same time. When I first tied this pattern several years ago it was to give me a G.R.H.E pattern with the flash of a Gold Head but not the weight. It has and is a successful pattern for me, on stillwater, but surprisingly not on rivers. Why this should be, I have no idea. You can, if you wish, weight this fly.
Instructions assume right-handed tyers
HOOK ? Kamasan B175 # 12-16
THREAD - Yellow 8/0
TAIL ? Small Tuft of Hare?s Mask
BODY ? Hare?s Mask
RIB ? Flat Gold
THORAX ? Gold Flash Bright
THORAX COVER ? Grey Goose (or any grey feather fibre)
Before tying the fly, a brief explanation of the tail and body material.
The tail and body are both obtained from a Hare?s mask. By using hair from different parts of the mask you can alter how the fly looks. On this fly I have taken the tail and body from the base of the ears, this gives the fly an over all darker shade to it. If you want a lighter fly take the hair from around the cheeks. For variations try removing the hair from different places on the mask.
Below is how I remove the hair for the tail and how I obtain the dubbing for the body.
Firstly, cut a piece hair from the mask.
(http://img380.imageshack.us/img380/8997/fhequ7.jpg)
Then grip it by the tips and use your fingers to scrape out the under fur which you will use for the body.
(http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/6452/fhe1nw8.jpg)
Transfer the grip to your other hand and you now have your tailing material.
(http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/9822/fhe2gs3.jpg)
On to tying the fly.
STEP 1 Attach the thread and wrap down the hook, catching in the tail as you go.
(http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/3708/fhe3xs4.jpg)
STEP 2 Tie in the ribbing material.
(http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/6775/fhe4zw8.jpg)
STEP 3 Use the under fur you collected from the tail and dub it on the thread.
(http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/8446/fhe5vx1.jpg)
STEP 4 Wrap the dubbing to form the body, follow with the rib. Tie off and trim waste.
(http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/9913/fhe6fl0.jpg)
STEP 5 Tie in the thorax cover. If you tie it in by the butt end when you fold it over the thorax and tie off you will be left with a slightly smaller head.
(http://img239.imageshack.us/img239/2936/fhe7fk4.jpg)
STEP 6 Dub a generous amount of Gold Flash Bright onto the thread.
(http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/2231/fhe8bz6.jpg)
STEP 7 Wrap to form the thorax.
(http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/7642/fhe9yh7.jpg)
STEP 8 Pull the thorax cover over and tie down. Then whip finish and finally use a Velcro brush to tease out the thorax.
(http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/7154/fhe11et2.jpg)
I like to sweep the Flash Bright so that it slightly shrouds the body.
The completed fly.
(http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/3126/fhe12bv4.jpg)