Critique on Bead Headed Hare's Ear Nymph

[RCFetter 0]

This is my first decent Hare's Ear Nymph on an Orvis size 12 bead headed nymph hook. In addition to the bead, it has about 11 wraps of 015 lead free wire..

 

It seems the tail is too long. First time dealing with short tail material.

 

Should the body be more "scrappy" like the thorax?

 

Any criticism will be appreciated.

[utyer 0]

It looks pretty good to me. The tail is about the same length as the abdomen, its not too long. The thorax is a little thicker than the abdomen, and well picked out. There is a lot of personal variation in the way people tie hares ears (as well as every other fly pattern,) and at this one should work just fine.

[wschmitt3 0]

Nothing wrong with that at all, I'd fish it.

 

Nice job!

[flytire 0]

let the fish decide

[RCFetter 0]

Thanks for the feedback.. I think I had beginner's luck on the hare's ear.

[flyfisher76544 0]

Looks good! Like most have said, let the fish decide.

[gunsmith 0]

Looks good to me

[Markbob 0]

Looks like the back of your wing case rolled a bit when you tied it in, if you can't hold it in place while you tie it in, place it so that as it rolls, it moves into place.

Also, if you taper stuff up a bit more, the bead will look more like an integrated bit of the fly.

I like your tail, check it when you fish it, it may trap a bubble in it, I like it when that happens, I think it adds a little something.

[Crackaig 0]

Mark has a point about the thorax but other wise I don't see any problem. I do wonder though why you have counter wound the rib? It is more difficult to do and may not be as secure (The thread causes a counter wound rib to loosen when tied in, unless you reverse the thread to tie it in).

 

Cheers,

C.

[RCFetter 0]

Mark has a point about the thorax but other wise I don't see any problem. I do wonder though why you have counter wound the rib? It is more difficult to do and may not be as secure (The thread causes a counter wound rib to loosen when tied in, unless you reverse the thread to tie it in).

 

Cheers,

C.

 

I don't have a reason for counter wrapping the thread. Maybe just a habit from tying wooley buggers (wooley buggers were the first fly I tied when I started last tying last March). Thanks for picking up on that.

 

Looks like the back of your wing case rolled a bit when you tied it in, if you can't hold it in place while you tie it in, place it so that as it rolls, it moves into place.

Also, if you taper stuff up a bit more, the bead will look more like an integrated bit of the fly.

I like your tail, check it when you fish it, it may trap a bubble in it, I like it when that happens, I think it adds a little something.

 

Thanks. The wing case rolled because I'm going too fast. I need to slow down when I'm finishing the fly. I never thought about the gap behind the bead. Thanks for pointing that out.

 

________________________________________________

 

I really appreciate the feedback on these details.

[YosemiteSam 0]

What is used for the wing case here? Or, in general what is good to use for a Hare's Ear Nymph wing case?

 

I tied a few Hare's Ear Nymphs ten years or so ago when I started tying, but haven't done one since. I'd like to add a dozen or so to my fly boxes and figure I ought to give a go at one of fly fishing's standard patterns.

[wschmitt3 0]

I think he's using pheasant tail. That is what I think most use for wing cases. I prefer black or a strip of pearl flash (making it a flash back variation) on my natural grey and black hares ear. I think brown is more common though.

[muskyhunter81 0]

Looks like a good bug to me...

[crazy4oldcars 0]

Most use Pheasant tail or Turkey tail for the wing case. Barred owl and Eagle work good, too.

 

 

 

.....waiting.....waiting.....

 

RCF, A good looking fly. It will catch fish. The only thing I would do different is make sure the back of the fly isn't down in the bend. That is why the tail is pointing kinda downward. Try starting even with the barb.

To get the bead to stay in place, try putting about an inch of dubbing on your thread, then, with your off-hand, pinch the hookshank with your thumb and index fingernails just touching the bead. When you wrap the dubbing, your fingernails will force it into the hollow on the bead. It's a lot simpler and cheaper than putting 200 turns of thread trying to get it to stay. If you are using lead (or lead-free) wire, you can push a few turns of wire in the hollow, instead. You will have to build a dam behind the wire to keep it from moving away from the bead.

 

Be sure to post a picture of the fish you catch with that fly.

 

Kirk

[RCFetter 0]

That fly, even with some of its faults, was beginner's luck. It was tied in June with 3 months tying experience under my belt.

 

This past Oct I got involved with an informal tying group that meets every week. The guy who holds the meetings has been tying for at least 35 yrs and is experienced in tying classic salmon & other wet flies.

 

It was like starting all over again. I was going to outline what I learned in the first two meetings but thought it would be better to start a new thread on the subject.

 

I did attempt to photograph a stockie rainbow caught with the hare's ear but ruined my cell phone by getting it wet. Since then I leave my cell in the car when I hit the stream.