Fishing The Fly Scotland Forum

Magnus Angus

Hare's Ear Spider
« on: 21/02/2024 at 12:32 »

Medium or light wire hook in the vice - I prefer a standard shank. Size 10 or 12 - partridge hackles are a bit big for smaller hooks.


This pattern uses brown partridge hackle - from a grey partridge! Yellow thread works well but any thread colour is fine. Sort a small bunch of barbs for a tail.


Tie in the tail on top of the shank. Tail should be about the length of the shank.


Tie in a rib on the side of the hook, oval gold or gold wire is fine.


Wrap a smooth underbody, tying down the tail and rib.


With the thread at rear of the shank. Dub the thread with hare's ear dubbing or similar - I prefer natural squirrel which dubs on more easily.


Cover the body in touching turns. I prefer to keep the body slim and more or less level.


Follow the dubbing with the gold rib, in open even turns. On a wet fly, five turns of rib is traditional.


Choose a well marked brown partridge feather. Strip away the fluff at the base of the feather and the longest barbs. I try to measure the longest barbs so they come to the rear of the hook or just longer than the bend.


Tie in the hackle by the tip. The good side of the feather should be facing out.


Wrap the hackle. I fold the barbs back and wrap about 2 turns.


Wrap a small head, I like to fold the stem back and form the head over the stem. Whip finish , trim the waste and thread, varnish the head.


Fish as an emerger, just under the water surface. Works well early season when March Browns and similar upwing flies are hatching mid-stream.

Mike Barrio

Re: Hare's Ear Spider
« Reply #1 on: 21/02/2024 at 13:42 »
Nice one Magnus, that's a cracker  :z16

I need to get some of those tied up ready for opening day!

Eddie Sinclair

Re: Hare's Ear Spider
« Reply #2 on: 22/02/2024 at 21:31 »
Hares lug body and a partridge hackle, what’s not to like.

Fantastic pattern :z16

Steven Sinclair

Re: Hare's Ear Spider
« Reply #3 on: 25/02/2024 at 09:00 »
Very nice Magnus  :z14

I've been tying similar myself lately  :z16



 :z18

Steven.

Magnus Angus

Re: Hare's Ear Spider
« Reply #4 on: 25/02/2024 at 16:45 »
Nice fly Stephen, doing exactly the same job. Is that partridge hackle? The patterns looks a little different. Always interested in a partridge alternative.

Steven Sinclair

Re: Hare's Ear Spider
« Reply #5 on: 28/02/2024 at 10:56 »
Cheers Magnus!

Its actually teal  :z16 with the fiber lengths it can be a bugger to tie in the hackle conventionally so instead (idea fully stolen from my Dad) I tie a tail in at the head in reverse and fold it back.

 :z18

Steven.

Allan Liddle

Re: Hare's Ear Spider
« Reply #6 on: 11/07/2024 at 14:29 »
Beautiful tying Magnus, love a Hare's Lug, especially with a pearl rib or tag.

 




Barrio Fly Lines - designed in Scotland - Cast with confidence all over the world

Barrio Fly Lines

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