Gold eared Hare’s Ear Soft Hackle, Wet Fly

Gold Ribbed Hare’s Ear Soft Hackle Wet, Jerome Coviello FFI
https://www.flyfishersinternational.org/

Hook: Mustad 3906
Thread: Brown 6/0 or 8/0
Tail: Wood Duck Flank Feathers
Rib: Oval Gold Tinsel
Body: Gold Ribbed Hare’s Ear Mask Dubbing Fur
Hackle: Brown Partridge Body Feathers

VIDEO: Watch this video for more info (Click Link)

1. Tie in thread one hook eye length back from the eye. Wrap thread to the bend of the hook. Wrap thread forward so it hangs between the barb and point of the hook.
2. Tie in the Wood Duck Tail which should be the length of the hook shank.
3. Tie in some Oval tinsel, hold the tinsel on your side of the hook or slightly under the shank. Wrap the thread to the bend over the tinsel securing the tinsel. If you have excess tail material showing, trim it off now.
4. Get your body dubbing spinning a small portion on the thread, keep the dubbing thin. Spin the dubbing in one direction not back and forth. This noodle should be about 1.5 inches long at the most. Wrap the body to the tie in point of your tying thread still leaving an eye length of open hook shank in front of the dubbed body. If your dubbing has filled in this space unwrap one or two turns of dubbing.
5. Grip the Oval tinsel and wrap it forward in even spacing spiral wraps, you may get only 3 or 4 wraps but that is good. If your tinsel was tied in on the near side of the hook or slightly under, counter wrap the tinsel. Secure the tinsel with 2 or 3 wraps of thread. Some people will add a very small dab of head cement at this point.
6. Tie in a Partridge feather by the tips. Preen the hackles back toward the fat part of the stem leaving a little triangle of fibers at the small end of the feather. Place the feather tips fibers under the hook shank that you have left open. Make 2 or 3 wraps of thread. Trim off the excess hackle tip fibers. Take your hackle pliers gripping the stem, hold the hackle straight in the air, preen the hackle fibers back toward the tail pinching them so they stay back as you wrap. You want the dark color of the stem showing out not against the fly body. As you wrap gently continue to preen the fibers back so none of them go forward.
7. Tie off the hackle feather, trim the excess stem, and make a few more wraps. As you make these final wraps take your index finger, middle finger and thumb make a triangle over the hook eye. Pull you fingers back over the hackle opening the thread tie off area. Take a few more wraps and whip finish the fly.