Gold Ribbed Hare's Ear Fly Tying - Tied by Charlie Craven

There are some flies that just have an inherent ‘fishiness’ about them. The Gold Rib Hare’s Ear is one of those flies. A non-descript, buggy compilation of fur and feathers, the Hare’s Ear won’t win any beauty contests but is one of those flies that you may never want to be without.
While I know I won’t win any originality awards by demonstrating the Hare’s Ear, its purpose here is twofold.
You may not know it now, but the Hare’s Ear encompasses virtually all the parts of a standard nymph as well as traditional proportions. We will learn to measure and tie in tails, cut and blend dubbing fur, wrap a rib, dub a tapered abdomen, tie in and fold a wingcase, dub a thorax and form a thread head all on this one simple fly.
The kicker to all this is that once you learn these procedures, you’ll have all the skills to tie a huge variety of nymphs. When you really boil them down, there is a whole group of flies that are tied exactly like the Hare’s Ear, simply using different materials, so even if you’re not fond of the Hare’s Ear itself, for your own good, tie a few to become familiar with the techniques and proportions.
In addition to all of these techniques, you’ll learn to tie the legendary Hare’s Ear, which wouldn’t be so bad even if you didn’t learn anything else in the process.
While the Hare’s Ear is not a perfect match for anything, it looks a little like a lot of things. I like to use Hare’s Ears in large sizes (6-12) as a simple stonefly nymph pattern, tied in both light (natural, bleached or dyed gold) and dark (black, brown and olive) color schemes and in smaller sizes to match anything from callibaetis in lakes to green drake nymphs in rivers. I simply alter the color and size to match the insect I have in mind. This flexibility is one of the reasons the Hare’s Ear enjoys such popularity.
I use hen saddle feathers for the tail of this fly rather than the guard hairs from the ears of a hare’s mask for the reasons that they are much easier to work with and make a better-looking tail.
I also use real hare’s mask fur cut from the mask of a real English Hare. Jackrabbit and cottontail won’t cut it here; they’re a whole different critter, as are the commercially packaged dubbings that come labeled as ‘Hares Ear’. Most of this stuff is plain old rabbit fur and doesn’t have the short guard hairs inherent to the dubbing from the mask. The mix of nicely marked guard hairs and soft underfur from the hare’s mask creates a perfectly buggy dubbing that is still easy to apply.
When tying the Hare’s Ear, keep the proportions in mind, as they are the foundation for many other nymphs. Tie some large and some small ones, thin and fat and an array of colors. This fly will teach you a variety of techniques and fill your fly box at the same time.
Fly Tying Recipe:
(Click the links below to purchase the materials from our store)
Hook: TMC 5262 #8-18
charliesflyboxinc.com/product...
Thread: 70 Denier, dark brown
charliesflyboxinc.com/product...
Tail: India Hen Back Fibers
charliesflyboxinc.com/product...
Rib: Fine Gold Wire or Gold Oval Tinsel
charliesflyboxinc.com/product...
Abdomen: Natural Hare’s Mask Dubbing
charliesflyboxinc.com/product...
Wingcase: Mottled Turkey Tail
charliesflyboxinc.com/product...
Thorax: Natural Hare’s Mask Dubbing, Picked Out
charliesflyboxinc.com/product...

[@williamblair2934]

Charlie, You are a thorough teacher. I appreciate how you explain all of the way down to what part of the rabbit to use.

[@sonja9001]

I seem to learn the most on the simpler fly patters on your videos. Over the last year or so of watching your stuff, I have noticed that my tying is getting more solid and better proportioned. At 65 years old that is a gift that I look forward to fish every time I hit the water with improved flies! Thanks a ton for sharing.

[@CharliesFlyBox]

Sonja, I love hearing that! Thank you! CC

[@GeorgeAkemanColoradoLife]

Thanks for an awesome tutorial. I've watched this video now about a dozen times over the last six years and it just helps with so many basic and advanced techniques. That's the sexiest hares ear i've ever seen. You da man!!

[@robertyetsko80]

BEAUTIFUL WORK...THANKS FOR A. VERY WELL DONE VIDEO CLEAR INSTRUCTION.

[@jdigioia1130]

Always a killer fly on the water! Thanks for showing us the proper technique Charlie. 🎣

[@beenbyrd]

You are a wonderful teacher, Charlie! This video and your books have been immensely helpful. Thank you!

[@cachi-7878]

@4:30 I laughed so hard, Charlie. You always crack me up when you talk about how you keep these crazy spools like that on purpose. Hahahaha!

[@markjgaletti57]

Had an epic on-the-fly redfish in the Gulf of New Orleans last week, drove 14 hours straight got home at 4:45am this morning slept until 4pm & your Channel pops up on my recommendations this goes to show you the Lord works in mysterious ways.

[@jamesvatter5729]

Glad you pointed out the old "dull and shiny side" description as being incorrect, Charlie. That always drives me crazy when I read or hear it used. Masterful video...as always!

[@billmoran935]

Glad I found you! Very informative. Thank you

[@benfranks6375]

Excellent tutorial! Thank you kindly.

[@josephh957]

Glad to see you putting up vids again man! You are definitely one of my go-tos whenever I’m trying to learn a new pattern!

[@Sides1160]

Glad to see you posting again for the winter tying season

[@kennethsanders963]

may you rest along a babbling brook with sunny skies in GOD's heaven Charlie and thank you !😪🙏

[@chipblanton753]

Thanks for the video . I always enjoy watching you tie .

[@manifestgtr]

I’m glad you pointed out that the fish don’t know it’s an “old” pattern. If a hare’s ear variation underneath a parachute adams is a corny setup, someone clearly forgot to tell the trout in my area. Between those two flies and the muddler minnow, all century old patterns, my brother and I took *hundreds* of trout last year. The fish clearly haven’t been spreading the memo…

[@crazywednesday]

You are my favorite fly tyer. Thank you for sharing.

[@krallmi48]

That was really nice work...

[@gregsage1605]

I heard Kelly Galoup talk about you and sought you out. Well worth my time. This was a great demonstration. Thank you!

[@SirPraiseSun]

nice not too complicated looks great gotta pick up a hares mask

[@fredleroux6920]

Thank you for sharing your experience and skills,appreciated 🙏

[@markusviol200]

Great to see some new instructional videos from you, Charlie!

[@joeduca8582]

Excellent tutorial Charlie, you're an awesome teacher. Buggy is beautiful in my book, that GRHE is gorgeous! Thank you.

[@blackflycreations]

Excellent tie Charlie! Thanks for helping me learn, your skills are always on point🔥

[@paulfinger6975]

I learned to tie from your book. However, this video really helps. Answered a few questions for me. You are a great instructor.

[@TheXeniaman]

My favorite nymph. Well done and an enjoyable watch.

[@michaelzobrist8846]

Great job enjoying your videos

[@brianfeeney9493]

Happy December KING 👑 CRAVEN !!!!!!! Missed You Brother ….. Greetings for the Christmas 🎄 Season from NW Michigan ❄️ ✨🎣💫

[@Equipubest]

Awesome tutorial Charlie! Thanks for sharing this...very much appreciate your videos! They are the best!!

[@email16v]

Man, I missed you at our DFF meeting last month. I wish I could have gone to see you tie some flies. Pretty nymph!

[@barbaraemerich1921]

Great video! Thank you for teaching us beginners. Can’t wait to give it a try!

[@emilleum48]

Charlie, you are a wonderful tyer, I am 30 yrs., military ret. and combat disabled, I have been tying through our PROJECT HEALING WATERS ORGANIZATOON out of Charlotte, NC since about 2008, I am getting ready for my 9th surgery, which a second major surgery on my left shoulder. I know I will be laid-up for a while after the surgery, which might give me more time to tie. At almost 76, and extensive combat injuries, my legs don'hsve the strength or mobility that they once had, even though I have been tying for our disabled veterans and members for some time, and have read dozens of fly tying books, I have never gotten close to your ability. I want to learn so much more from you. I really enjoy tying nymphs and midges because there are so many variations. I might be the only one in our organizations who likes tying #22- 26 or #28s. Just for my own curiosity, do you sell your personal ties because seeing the actual fly has been easier for me to learn the patterns. Charlie, you have made so many contributions to trout fishing, thank you, MSG Leum

[@gtoutdoorexcursions2938]

Aint gonna lie, my spool of gold looks like that...

[@dominicrose4009]

Thank for confirming that I'm not messing around by the way I keep my wire. 👍

[@chrisbukowski9434]

Always a fish catcher

[@EscalanteFlyFlipper]

Or the tip of a shotgun cleaning brush for a dibbing brush. Old school fly. The fish don’t know what year it is. Still works. Nice tie.

[@jeffnotti9932]

Beautiful tie... great explaination too... awesome.. that just took my tying to the next level .. thank you < j

[@RVRRUN00]

Charlie, How do you decide whether to tie in ribbing on the near side vs. far side vs. the top of the hook?

[@CharliesFlyBox]

I usually tie the wire along the near side of the shank for the simple reason that I can easily see it there.

[@RVRRUN00]

Thanks!

[@delawarepro3539]

Charlie F*ckin Craven 🤟🏻

[@kc5ril]

Has anyone used pheasant tail as a substitute for the hare’s ear? I’ve got enough feathers after years of hunting the birds.

[@GeorgeSemel]

Yep, I sure have and do.Between the Hare's ear and the Pheasant Tail nymph I catch most of my trout on nymphs with those two. Maybe its because I fish them a lot, they both work and work well.

[@SirPraiseSun]

are pheasant wings ok for tails or too webby?

[@GeorgeSemel]

I used peacock herl for the wing case to good effect on trout. Sure you can.