This is the Gold Ribbed Hare Ear (G.R.H.E.) There are many ways to tie this classic nymph. The method I have shown is the quickest and easiest method. You can if you wish though tie it using dubbing loops or split thread dubbing or touch dubbing instead of the twist dubbing shown.. You can also substitute Rabbit, Squirrel or synthetic dubbing for the Hares Mask dubbing I have used, the fish won?t mind one bit.
Instructions assume right-handed tyers.
HOOK ? Kamasan B175 #12
THREAD ? Yellow UTC70
TAIL ? Pinch of Hares Mask taken from between the ears
BODY ? Hares Mask
RIB ? Fine Flat Gold Tinsel
THORAX ? Hares Mask with more guard hares than the body.
THORAX COVER ? Grey Goose
STEP 1
Attach the thread and wrap down the shank. Catch the rib in under the shank as you go.
(http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t149/scot2flyfish/GRHE.jpg)
STEP 2
Take a pinch of Hares Mask and tie in. If you prefer a darker tail, take the pinch of fur from a darker area on the mask.
(http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t149/scot2flyfish/GRHE-1.jpg)
STEP 3
Apply a pinch of dubbing to the thread.
(http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t149/scot2flyfish/GRHE-2.jpg)
Then wrap to form the body.
(http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t149/scot2flyfish/GRHE-3.jpg)
STEP 4
Wrap the rib to the shoulder. Here I have wrapped the rib counter-clockwise, if you prefer you can wrap it clockwise.
(http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t149/scot2flyfish/GRHE-4.jpg)
STEP 5
Take a piece of feather fibre. I have used Goose here, but you can use any feather you want.. Turkey, crow, Pheasant, etc.
(http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t149/scot2flyfish/GRHE-5.jpg)
Then tie in on top of the shank. If you tie the fibres in by the thick (butt) end it will make tying it off and forming a small head easier at the end.
(http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t149/scot2flyfish/GRHE-6.jpg)
STEP 6
Dub another pinch of dubbing to the thread. This time with more guard hares in it than in the body dubbing. The extra guard hares will simulate the legs and help to add more ?life? to the fly.
(http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t149/scot2flyfish/GRHE-7.jpg)
Then wrap to form the thorax, the thorax should be thicker than the body.
(http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t149/scot2flyfish/GRHE-8.jpg)
STEP 7
Pull the thorax over and tie down at the eye.
(http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t149/scot2flyfish/GRHE-9.jpg)
Then trim the waste, form a neat head and whipfinish.
(http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t149/scot2flyfish/GRHE-10.jpg)
STEP 8
Finally I like to give the fly a rub with Velcro to make it more ?buggy? in appearance.
(http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t149/scot2flyfish/GRHE-11.jpg)
(http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t149/scot2flyfish/GRHE-12.jpg)
As you can see with the accompanying text, there is no hard and fast rule as to what you can use when tying the G.R.H.E.. You can use a variety of materials and you can alter the overall colour or shade of the fly to suit your own preferences. Personally I think that the colour is of little importance to the fish, but I think that profile and overall ?bugginess? is of paramount importance.
With its variations this is without doubt one of my favoured flys when there are no fish showing on cold windy days. It is an excellent early season fly but also highly succeseeful mid summer when there are no rising fish.
Sandy B.O.
Great looking flies you posst here Scotfly,
How do you guys fish the GRHE, up-stream or acrross and down when on the river, I never feel that I am in contact with Nymphs and therefore don't use them that much.
Also would you usethis fly in still water?
Cheers
The GRHE is one of the best flies I know. As stated above, it can be tied in many ways, covering lots of situations, with or without adding weight.
If you tie them even rougher than shown here you can even fish them as a dry fly, especially if a wee bit of grease is used.
It gives a great emerger pattern.
I sometimes tie in a few long fibres from a CDC feather in the thorax, it seems to give some illusion of life to the fly.
Something to try.
Hans.
Quote from: Harpo on July 10, 2007, 09:00:17 PM
Great looking flies you posst here Scotfly,
How do you guys fish the GRHE, up-stream or acrross and down when on the river, I never feel that I am in contact with Nymphs and therefore don't use them that much.
Also would you usethis fly in still water?
Cheers
I have had fish take it as a static wet fly on lochs as well as downstream nymphing on rivers. A very versatile fly, even as a dry fly as Hans says.
Quote from: Hans on July 10, 2007, 09:35:53 PM
If you tie them even rougher than shown here you can even fish them as a dry fly, especially if a wee bit of grease is used.
That's all Bob Wyatt's DHE is really, a floating GRHE. I'm not knocking it so Bob fans can relax – he said that himself :D
Quote from: Hans on July 10, 2007, 09:35:53 PM
If you tie them even rougher than shown here you can even fish them as a dry fly, especially if a wee bit of grease is used.
One of my most memorable days on the dry was about 10 or 12 years ago at the Solway fishery near Dumfries where I took 11 fish of the top on a dry Hare's Ear. What made it even more memorable though was it was on the 2nd of January. :shock: