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Martin - martin@globalflyfisher.com

Hare's Ear Bug

Fished actively over sea weed and its likely to be mistaken for a gammarus. Same thing in a lake. Dead drifted or fished using a lift in a stream, it looks like a tumbling scud or cress bug or even a hatching caddis. What the fish think, I don't know, but it's a fact that they find it edible.

9 comments
Hare's Ear Bug
Hare's Ear Bug
Martin Joergensen

When I ran through

the step-by-step shots for this article I was a bit surprised that we actually managed to get as many as 12 different steps documented--me shooting pictures and my friend Ken Bonde Larsen tying. And I even had more pictures to choose from.

But then I thought

: why not? Some people have never tied a fly, and if this will be their first fly 12 steps is not too many. For the seasoned fly tyer I could just say: some teased out dubbing on a hook, but that wouldn't necessarily mean much to a beginner.
So I kept the large number of steps, but as you can see—even as a beginner—it is actually just some hair on a hook, and nothing more! But in spite of its simplicity, this is one efficient fly, and will serve well as an imitation of a lot of small and nondescript animals such as scuds (gamaruses), water cresses and even caddis larvae.

Small gray/brown and elongated?

Hare's Ear bug is it.

Where I live

we use it both in the salt and the fresh.
Fished actively over sea weed and its likely to be mistaken for a gammarus. Same thing in a lake.
Dead drifted or fished using a lift in a stream. Well it certainly looks like a tumbling scud or cress bug or even a hatching caddis to my eyes. What the fish think, I don't know, but it's a fact that they find it edible.

So get out

your hare's mask, your rabbit skin or any other soft, grayish brown fur you might have. Make sure it's not too coarse, and dub along as we tie one of the simplest flies in the world.


Hare's Ear Bug

Nymph
roach
sea trout (sea run)
Hook Short shank, wide gape. Carp hooks are great.
Thread Tan, 8/0
Body Hare's ear dubbing
Very easy
Hare's Ear water
Gammarus
A handful
Small fly, big fish!
Hare's Ear Bug country
Kasper Muhlbach - Martin Joergensen

Some people might argue

that the fly would be better with a tail. You could rib it for durability. Add some hackle for legs. Use two colors to imitate a caddis. Add antennae.
Not on my shift!
The ease and simplicity of the fly is its strength, how weak it might ever be. And as I always say: it's way faster to tie two or three than to start fumbling with tinsel or copper for ribbing. And once it's teased out you have all the tails, legs and antennae you need.

Another example
Gammarus
Hans Hillewaert

Submitted by Guy Edwards on

Permalink

I Love the look for this pattern, I will definitely be trying it on UK Stillwater trout.
I tied one last night with an orange dubbed "egg spot". I look forward to seeing how it performs.

Thanks for a great pattern.

Guy

Submitted by Guy Edwards on

Permalink

This looks like a great pattern for uk still water fishing and stalking. I tied one up last night with an orange dubbed "eggspot" I will see how it performs. Very excited to try it thanks for putting it on the site!

Guy

John,

I'm not trying to offend anybody, but adding dubbing to a hook can hardly be called an invention can it? Nobody's trying to steal the thunder from Walt here (I never heard of him or his fly before now!), but I'd be surprised if somebody hadn't done this before Walt... like Frank Saywer. Try googling Saywer's Killer Bug and you will find something very similar to Walt's Worm and somewhat similar to this fly.

Flies as simple as this one is nobody's invention. They have been "invented" and tied by thousands of fly tyers all over the world for hundreds of years.

Martin

Submitted by Jeroen van Wijk on

Permalink

Maybe now people start believing in the small flies we use for seatrout!
We've been using sizes 12, 14 for the last years with very simple dressing as well.
They have been picked up by a lot of big seatrout; they like to follow a big flies, but eat the small ones.

Instead of straightening a hook, I like to bend (forge) them on purpose. It will hook fish more easy, but that my believe

Submitted by Patrick 1737246354 on

Permalink

I know that this is a good fly for seatrout, but I ad some flash in the dubbing.

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