The Gold Ribbed Hare's Ear Wet Fly
by
Gene Macri
©2012 E. Macri All Rights Reserved
When I look in most angler's fly boxes I am sometimes amazed at what I find and what I don't find.
The Hare's Ear Wet Fly is probably the most important wet fly any fly angler can carry. It will catch more
trout than any wet fly pattern if used properly and the more it gets ripped up some days..the more it seems to
work. Yet, not that many fly anglers carry it today! If they do they don't usually have much of a
selection! The fly will work for so many insects that it's hard to list them all. In fact, if I had to
limit myself to a half dozen patterns to fish any water in the world.The Hare's Ear Wet Fly would be in that six
pack.
This wet fly can be used in the following ways: 1) exact imitation 2) suggestive imitation and 3)
attractor pattern! Not bad for one pattern! This wet fly is one of the best for all early season mayfly
hatches in the East including: The Blue Quill, Quill Gordon, Hendrickson, and early season Sulfur. How can
one fly imitate all of those patterns? Well it works well enough that it usually contains one of the color
triggers that these flies have including the blue grey wing! It's by far and away the best Quill Gordon
pattern because these flies emerge underwater and this is the best wet fly I have ever found for these flies.
In the spring many mayflies get drowned, tumble sideways on the currents and get roughed up in high waters.
This pattern is close enough that the trout have no trouble taking it for any of those flies.
The Hare's Ear Wet also works well for Caddisflies in the spring, especially for pupa! Here's
a little trick you can use. Take your Hare's Ear Wet Fly and trim the wings about half-way! You now
have a great caddis emerger pupa for many early season patterns.
By mixing your fur from dark to light you can use this wet fly for tons of patterns. Use a
combination of olive brown to grey brown mixes and add a little yellow and you have the major color combinations
that covers 95% of the color levels of the insect community!
You can fish the Hare's Ear Wet Fly from top to bottom. Fish it down deep when needed; fish
it as an emerger; put some floatant in the fur and fish it on the surface! You can use it in tandem or on
droppers and it usually works as the fly that catches the most fish.
The Hare's Ear Wet Fly is a pattern that should be used in most situations especially when you
really don't know what the trout are hitting. I like the fly in sizes 8 to 16. Remember to make a combination
of fur colors as I have stated above and I think you'll find that it will surprise you in many situations.
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©2012 E. Macri
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