MLFT Hare's Ear Variation

[SalarMan 0]

I got this pattern from my time with the Main Line Fly Tyers (MLFT) going back to when we were starting the club 50+ years ago. It is still going strong too!!

It is simple and easy to tie with only a few ingredients - orange pre-waxed monocord, brown partridge, gold tinsel (size of your choice) and hare's ear dubbing. The photos show the wet fly version and the nymph version which is weighted. I tie them from size 12 through 18. It seems the rattier and shaggier the tie the better the fly works. It is a 5 or 6 minute tie and I'd say give it a go.

I have taken more trout on this pattern than anything else in my fly box...including all the latest and greatest patterns...bar none!!

George

 

[DFoster 0]

I can certainly see this variant as a great trout fly.  I still have empty spaces in both my nymph and wet fly boxes so I will tie a few.  Thanks for the post George!  

[Philly 0]

George, I'm still member of MLFT, though I don't make too many meetings.  I'm trying to remember if Sam ever taught that pattern in any of the fly tying classes the club runs.  It seems familiar.

[SalarMan 0]

11 hours ago, Philly said:

George, I'm still member of MLFT, though I don't make too many meetings.  I'm trying to remember if Sam ever taught that pattern in any of the fly tying classes the club runs.  It seems familiar.

Sam was still in diapers when this pattern was conceived by the late Jack Sebzda. He  was unaware of a flyrod when I started fishing this hare's ear pattern.

[chugbug27 0]

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[SalarMan 0]

Not a Nemes pattern. As I said to Philly, it was created over 50 years ago by the late Jack Sebzda, and he based the pattern on the flies of Jim Leisenring, who in turn based his flies on the work of G.E.M. Skues. I will give Nemes credit for bringing the soft hackle flies to a much great audience than anyone else in the past.

That being said, I have found the nymph version far more effective than the wet. Probably because I fished it a good deal more often.

[niveker 0]

Lawdy, lawdy.  It's rabbits wool and partridge, a March brown spider, described by Dame Juliana Berners 500+ years ago, or am I missing something?

Nevertheless, yours looks like a fish catcher for sure, George.  

  

 

[chugbug27 0]

Sorry Salarman, I was just thinking that Nemes' book came out about 50 years ago, and maybe he was presenting it from having read the book. Didn't mean to diminish, meant as an add. Sometimes I get my foot so far up my mouth it comes out my ass. 

[SalarMan 0]

1 hour ago, chugbug27 said:

Sorry Salarman, I was just thinking that Nemes' book came out about 50 years ago, and maybe he was presenting it from having read the book. Didn't mean to diminish, meant as an add. Sometimes I get my foot so far up my mouth it comes out my ass. 

No problem Chugbug, after all sharing thoughts and ideas benefits all of us!!

That pattern is an old standard and Nemes (I am a fan of his) gets  well deserved credit for introducing a lot of fly fishermen to the soft hackle/spider type of wet flies and just how effective they can be. Actually deadly in many cases.

I think I'll tie a few spider patterns I've had great success with and post them here. Most if not all of my flies of this type are from or based on Leisenring's flies. He corresponded with Skues and when he received some flies of his from England...well the rest is American fly fishing history.

Over the last few years, locally we lost 2 fine gentlemen who knew "Big Jim" Leisenring. They were a couple of great guys to be acquainted with (barely) and listen to with great stories and tales from interesting times in the evolution of our sport.

[SalarMan 0]

2 hours ago, niveker said:

Lawdy, lawdy.  It's rabbits wool and partridge, a March brown spider, described by Dame Juliana Berners 500+ years ago, or am I missing something?

Nevertheless, yours looks like a fish catcher for sure, George.  

  

 

Not missing a thing niveker. I love learning something new from the world of fly fishing. It seems that fly has a lloonngg history behind it.

[niveker 0]

I'm with with you, George, I enjoy learning the history of flies and fly tying. I wasn't trying to be snarky, I'm glad you didn't take it as such.  I really thought I might have been missing something. 

-  Kevin

[SalarMan 0]

38 minutes ago, niveker said:

I'm with with you, George, I enjoy learning the history of flies and he sly tying. I wasn't trying to be snarky, I'm glad you didn't take it as such.  I really thought I might have been missing something. 

-  Kevin

Kevin - As I like to say...I'm easy...I'm not cheap but I'm easy HA HA HA HA.  "Snarky" never crossed my mind.😁

[SalarMan 0]

On 1/26/2023 at 10:47 AM, Philly said:

George, I'm still member of MLFT, though I don't make too many meetings.  I'm trying to remember if Sam ever taught that pattern in any of the fly tying classes the club runs.  It seems familiar.

No response Philly?