GOLDEN RIBBED HARE'S EAR - DRY FLY PATTERN {Variation)

[Steven McGarthwaite]

This is my variation on the "Golden Ribbed Hare's Ear -Dry Fly that was in Frederic M. Halfords book.

I search the internet looking for a possible dry fly pattern for the GRHE, found mostly nymph, and wet fly pattern, and only one dry fly pattern (parachute GRHE).

This is my attempt at updating the GRHE using materials at hand....

Golden Ribbed Hare's Ear - Dry.JPG

Material List:

Hook: Dry, standard, sizes 10 - 14.
Thread: Dark Brown, 8/0.
Wing: Grey, turkey biots.
Tail. Brown, strung schlappen fibers.
Ribbing: Gold tinsel, small.
Body: Dark Hare?s Ear dubbing.
Collar: Coachman Brown hackle.
Head: Dark Brown, 8/0 thread.

There will be a "FOTW" on my variation of the GRHE - Dry, shortly ~Parnelli

[kelkay]

Pretty fly Steven!

[Ron Eagle Elk]

Steven,

I am assuming, from the material listing, that the tail of the fly is intended to hang below the waters surface, since the Schlappen and the Hare's ear dubbing will soak up water quickly and sink the rear of the fly. I am also assuming that the wings are actually slips taken from the trailing edge of the wing primary feathers, rather than biots which are taken from the leading edge of the wing primary feathers. Did you design the fly to hang with the hook shank almost vertical in the water? If so, it makes a nice emerger.

REE

[Steven McGarthwaite]

REE: Like I said, I used materials that I had on hand, I was thinking of using phesant tail (dyed brown), or yearling elk hair colored brown using a brown sharpie pen (permanent ink). The dry capes that I have do not have any hackle with bards lond enough. I dressed this fly to get the looks and proportions correct. I also could dip the tail and body of the fly pattern is some dry fly gunk, and let it dry, then it would rest on the water surface.

Thinking on using a 1XL dry fly hook for future GRHE-Dry for a longer abdomen for the body with a better material for the tail.

Donald Nicolson said that the two thing that must be on the fly is gold tinsel and dark rabbit mask dubbing, which I did.

I do like the look of the wing, using turkey biot wing feathers, where I split the quill, removing the biots, and they snip off segments of matched wings for the fly patterns wings, using Halford Backet method.

Other than that I am pretty happy with the look of the fly pattern. Just need some coachman brown (reddish brown) rooster tail material for the tail, if anyone has some they wish to share..... ~Parneli

Steven H. McGarthwaite
3505 Bellaire Ave
White Bear Lake MN 55110

[wet fly guy]

That is a good one Steve.
Like Ree said will be a good emerger.
I have done a few drys with Turkey biot wings , they came out nice

wet

[Steven McGarthwaite]

Attempting to recreat a modern version of a dry fly pattern, 116 after it was included in a F. M. Halford book, is difficult.

I will use a tail material that is what is used for current dry fly patterns, so it will be a true dry fly (not a emerger), there are already a few GRHE Wet Fly patterns available on the internet as well as a Parachute GRHE.

The orginal GRHE (Dry Fly) called for picking out the dubbling material from the thorax to create the legs for the GRHE Dry Fly. I have been using a dark brown rooster hackle for the wing, and it looks all right but I am thinking the color should be more in coloration to match the body coloration.

Possiblities I have come up with is a grey and grizzly hackle, or a brown and medium grey for the collar.

I have determine to use a 1XL hook instead of the standard hook length, to give the abdomen a better proportion on the hook shank.

Been thinking this pattern through for a long time. ~Parnelli

[Steven McGarthwaite]

It is difficult to revise a dry fly pattern that is is still used as nymph pattern, but forgotten as a dry fly after 116 years since the book was published, with only a ink pen drawing of the fly pattern, with sparse instructions for methods no longer used.

I did four beta test on the collar, brown, brown and grizzly, brown and gray, gray, and gray and grizzly

Sometimes taking photos of fly pattern in the vise really help to things when magnified on a full computer screen...

1. Golden Ribbed Hare's Ear - Brown Collar.JPG
1. Brown Collar Test

Good color, but not true to the original pattern, for matching the body coloration.

2. Brown and Grizzly (not show) same story as the Brown Collar.

3. Brown and Gray, (not show) similar story to the first two beta test, still too dark.

2. Golden Ribbed Hare's Ear - Grey Collar.JPG
4. Gray Collar

Colar is too light not enough of the dark colaration in the body dubbing.

3. Golden Ribbed Hare's Ear - Grey & Gizzly Collar.JPG
5. Gray & Grizzly

Gray and Grizzly comes closest to the color of the bodies dark hare's ear dubbing for the body. I accidently burned a chunk out of the hidden wing while using my cauterizer while cleaning out stray hackle fibers. So the Gray and Grizzly will be used for the collar.

Sometimes it help to take digital photos of your fly tying to see everything magnified to a full computer screen. ~Parnelli
_____________________________________
Frederick M. Halford had only one complaint about the original "golden ribbed hare's ear dry fly"! The complain was the pattern was too successful for most species of mayfly hatch it was use for. It was not a species specific dry fly pattern, and for that reason alone, it was soon forgotten.

While everyone know how successful the Golden Ribbed Hare's Ear is as a Nymph and Wet Fly? Just imagine how successful it can be as a Dry Fly, ...... move over Adams!

[JeffHamm]

Hi Steven,

I found the following version, which might be of interest to you:

I can't recall the book I've copied this information from though:

Dressings by Dr. Edwin Pryce-Tannatt
Dr. Edwin Pryce-Tannatt was born in 1881. He was a doctor of medicine and the editor of Salmon and Trout Association magazine. In 1912 he changed careers by accepting an appointment as the Inspector of Salmon Fisheries in the board of Agriculture and Fisheries, where he distinguished himself as an early conservationist and the sponsor of several important pieces of legislation to preserve Salmon and freshwater fisheries. He retired in 1946. He lived until 1965. He authored one other book, "Meditations of a Middle Aged Angler" published during the second world war. Also his lectures on Fish Passes (fish ladders) were published in 1937.

It then goes on to list all of his dressings for trout flies. Here's what he has for the GRHE:

7 Gold-ribbed Hare’s Ear
Hook Nos. 14 & 16. Tying silk primrose yellow. Tail, strands from a cinnamon turkey tail’s feather: body, fur from a hare’s ear ribbed with narrow gold ribbon tinsel: hackle a light honey dun cockerel’s hackle: wings, from a cock’s starling’s secondary quill (the original instead of a hackle has the hare’s fur picked out at the shoulder to represent the legs).


And, since I have them all, here are all 48 of his dressings (including an interesting variation of the Water Cricket, of which Pritt's version is a favorite of mine)

1 Early Brown
Hook Nos. 13 & 12. Tying silk hot orange. Body, fur from a hare’s ear dubbed on the tying silk: hackled with an under covert feather from a woodcock’s wing.
2 Dark Olive Dun
Hook Nos. 13 & 14. Tying silk lemon yellow. Tail, strands from a guinea fowl’s neck feather: body, a strand from a heron’s centre tail feather dyed in picric acid & ribbed with fine gold gimp: hackle, a dark honey dun cockerel’s hackle, wings, from a waterhen’s secondary quill.
3 Blue Upright
Hook Nos. 13, 14 & 15. Tying silk pale orange. Tail, strands from a guinea fowl’s neck feather: body, stripped quill from a peacock’s moon feather, dubbed at shoulder with fur from a hare’s ear: hackled with a rusty dun cockerel’s hackle.
4 Pheasant Tail
Hook Nos. 12, 13, 14 & 15. Tying silk hot orange. Tail, strands from a Rhode Island cock’s spade feather: body, two or three strands from a cock’s pheasant’s centre tail feather twisted and turned round the shank of hook & ribbed with fine gold gimp: hackled with a blue or rusty dun cockerel’s hackle (optionally two or three turns of peacock’s herl, from the centre of the moon feather, may be added to represent the thorax).
5 Water Cricket
Hook Nos. 13 & 14. Tying silk purple. Body, hot orange floss silk ribbed with the tying silk, with three or four turns of herl from a peacock’s sword feather to represent the thorax: hackled with a cock starling’s neck feather.
6 Smoky Blue
Hook No’s 13 & 14. Tying silk lemon yellow. Body, a dubbing of mole’s fur on the tying silk: hackled with an under covert feather from a waterhen’s wing (in Yorkshire known as the waterhen bloa).
7 Gold-ribbed Hare’s Ear
Hook Nos. 14 & 16. Tying silk primrose yellow. Tail, strands from a cinnamon turkey tail’s feather: body, fur from a hare’s ear ribbed with narrow gold ribbon tinsel: hackle a light honey dun cockerel’s hackle: wings, from a cock’s starling’s secondary quill (the original instead of a hackle has the hare’s fur picked out at the shoulder to represent the legs).
8 March Brown (nymph)
Hook Nos. 11 & 12. Tying silk pale orange. Tail, strands from a cock’s pheasant’s side tail feather: body, unstripped condor quill dyed a walnut brown (optionally ribbed with a fine gold gimp) with three or four turns of peacock herl (from the moon feather) at shoulder to represent the thorax: hackle, a freckled feather from the back of a partridge.
9 Grannom (nymph)
Hook Nos 13 & 14. Tying silk pea green. Body, unstripped condor quill dyed pea green with a dubbing of grey squirrel’s fur at shoulder to represent thorax, over two strands of hen pheasant tail feather to represent the “paddles” (optional): hackle, a freckled feather from a partridge’s neck.
10 Iron Blue Dun
Hook Nos. 16 & 17. Tying silk purple. Body, stripped quill from a strand of peacock sword feather, with a dubbing of mole’s fur at shoulder’s: hackle, dark blue dun cockerel’s hackle (if wings are desired a jackdaw’s secondary quill will supply about the right shade).
11 Gravel Bed Fly
Hook Nos. 13 & 14. Tying silk black. Body, grey worsted - cigar ash shade – varnished over with dilute durofix: hackles, two turns of a black cockerel’s hackle (long & fine in the fibre) followed in front by two turns of a freckled feather from a partridge’s back ( a more practical dressing than the winged version and a good floater – more effective than when used wet).
12 Coch-yn-las
Hook Nos. 14 & 15. Tying silk purple. Body, strand from brown turkey tail dyed purple: wings, from waterhen secondary quill: hackle, dark rusty dun cockerel’s hackle (known as Broughton Point in the northern counties).
13 Little Chap
Hook Nos. 13 & 14. Tying silk purple. Body, Peacock sword feather: hackle, badger cockerel’s hackle.
14 Black Midge
Hook Nos. 14 & 15. Tying silk black. Body, stripped quill of peacock sword feather: wings from jay’s secondary quill: hackle, black or very dark blue dun cockerel’s hackle (in front of the wings).
15 Crimson Partridge
Hook Nos. 13 & 14. Tying silk crimson. Body, crimson floss silk ribbed with fine silver ribbon tinsel, with a dubbing of grey squirrel’s fur at shoulder (and optionally a tag of silver ribbon tinsel); hackle, a grey freckled feather from the neck of a partridge (this is supposed to represent the nymph of the preceding – No 14).
16 Hawthorn Fly
Hook Nos. 12 & 13 Tying silk black. Body, ostrich herl: wings from a jay’s secondary quill: hackle, a black cockerel’s hackle (in front of the wings).
17 Alder Fly
Hook Nos. 12 & 13. Tying silk black. Body, three or four strands from the central tail feather of a cock pheasant, twisted together and ribbed with the tying silk: wings from a hen pheasant’s central tail feather; hackle, a black cockerel’s hackle (in front of the wings).
18 Stone Fly (nymph)
Hook Nos. 9 & 10. Tying silk lemon yellow. Tail, strands of cock pheasant side tail feather; body, lemon yellow Berlin wool ribbed with fine oval gold gimp, dubbed at shoulder with fur from a hare’s face, to represent thorax; hackle, the freckled feather from a grouse’s back.
19 Olive Brown (nymph)
Hook Nos. 11 & 12. Tying silk lemon yellow. Tail strands from a cock pheasant’s side tail feather; body, unstripped condor quill dyed olive green with three or four turns of natural unstripped condor quill (grey) at shoulder to represent thorax; hackle, a freckled feather from a cock’s partridge’s back.
20 Oak Fly
Hook Nos. 12 & 13. Tying silk hot orange. Body, hot orange floss silk ribbed with grey ostrich herl; wings, from a woodcock’s secondary quill; hackle, in front of wings, a furnace cockerel’s hackle.

<continued next post>

[JeffHamm]

21 Black Smut
Hook Nos. 16, 17 & 18. Tying silk black. Body, brown turkey tail strand dyed purple; hackle, cock starling’s neck feather (a refinement is to provide a hot orange or scarlet silk head).
22 Yellow May Dun
Hook Nos. 12 & 13. Tying silk primrose yellow. Tail, strands from a partridge’s centre tail feather; body, strands from a swan’s secondary quill dyed sulphur yellow & ribbed with fine gold gimp; hackle, a white cockerel’s hackle dyed sulphur yellow; wings, from a cock partridge’s secondary quill.
23 Coch-y-Bonddu
Hook Nos. 12 & 13. Tying silk pea green. Body, peacock’s sword feather, with a strip of cock pheasant’s centre tail feather tied in before the sword feather and doubled forward over the body to represent the elytra & fastened at the shoulder behind the hackles; hackles, a black cockerel’s hackle (three or four turns) and in front two or three turns of a cock pheasant’s crest feather (this pattern can be used wet or dry).
24 Yellow Sally
Hook Nos. 13 & 14. Tying silk primrose yellow. Tail, strands from a hen pheasant’s side tail feather (short); body, primrose yellow floss silk; hackle, an under covert feather from a cock starling’s wing.
25 Coachman
Hook Nos. 9, 10, 11, 12 & 13. Tying silk purple. Body, peacock herl, from the moon feather, with a tag of gold ribbon tinsel; wings from a white hen’s secondary quill; hackle, a ginger cockerel’s hackle (in front of the wings).
26 Heather Moth
Hook Nos. 10, 11 & 12. Tying silk pale orange. Body, grey squirrel’s fur, ribbed with fine silver gimp, with a tag of narrow silver ribbon tinsel; hackle, blue Andalusian hen’s hackle.
27 Soldier Beetle
Hook Nos. 12, 13 & 14. Tying silk hot orange. Body, hot orange floss silk with a strip of golden pheasant tippet tied in, having the dark barr at the extreme end, carried over and fastened at shoulder; hackle, a bright ginger cockerel’s hackle.
28 Dusky Wood Ant
Hook Nos. 11, 12, 13 & 14. Tying silk purple. Body, three or four turns of peacock herl, from centre of moon feather, followed by two or three strands (as dark as possible) from a cock pheasant’s centre tail feather; wings, from a jay’s secondary quill; hackle a rusty black cockerel’s hackle.
29 Brown Ant
Hook Nos. 12, 13, 14 & 15. Tying silk hot orange. Body, three or four turns of peacock herl from centre of moon feather followed by three or four strands from cock pheasant’s centre tail feather; wings, from a cock starling’s secondary quill, hackle a bright ginger cockerel’s hackle.
30 Fire Tail
Hook Nos. 11, 12, 13 & 14. Tying silk pea green. Tag, gold ribbon tinsel, with a strand of scarlet Berlin wool tied in at tip and carried over to about a third of body’s length, where three or four turns of peacock sword feather strands are tied in to shoulder; hackle, a rusty or honey dun cockerel’s hackle.
31 Tupp’s Indispensable
Hook Nos. 15 & 16. Tying silk primrose yellow. Tail, strands from a guinea fowl’s neck; body, three or four turns of primrose yellow floss silk followed by a dubbing of crimson wool & grey squirrel’s fur mixed; hackle, a pale honey dun cockerels hackle.
32 Purple-bodied Smut
Hook Nos. 15 & 16. Tying silk purple. Body, the tying silk followed by two or three turns of peacock sword feather strands; hackle, a cock starling’s neck feather ( a pattern known in Yorkshire as Fog Black)
33 Willow Fly
Hook Nos. 13, 14 & 15. Tying silk pale orange. Body, stripped peacock herl from the moon feather, binding a strand of yellow Berlin wool which is exposed at the end to represent the egg sac; wings, from a waterhen’s secondary quill, rolled, split & divided horizontally; hackle, a dark blue dun cockerel’s hackle (more effective used dry – especially for grayling).
34 Pale Autumn Dun
Hook Nos. 15 & 16. Tying silk primrose yellow. Tail, strands from a guinea fowl’s neck feather; body, primrose yellow floss silk; wings, from a jay’s secondary quill; hackle, pale honey dun cockerel’s hackle.
35 August Brown
Hook Nos. 12 & 13. Tying silk pale orange. Tail, strands from a cock pheasant’s side tail feather; body, two or three strands from a cock pheasant’s centre tail feather (as light as possible in shade) twisted and ribbed with fine gold gimp, two or three turns of bronze peacock herl from the centre of the moon feather at shoulder to represent the thorax; hackles, a pale honey dun cockerel’s hackle followed by a grey partridge neck feather dyed beige.
36 Cinnamon Sedge
Hook Nos. 9 & 10. Tying silk pale orange. Body, unstripped condor quill dyed a greenish yellow, ribbed with fine gold gimp; wings, from a Rhode Island Red secondary quill; hackle, a ginger cockerel’s hackle (in front of the wings).
37 Crane Fly
Hook Nos. 10, 11 & 12. Tying silk pale orange. Body, stripped peacock herl from the moon feather; wings, from a woodcock’s secondary quill, rolled, split & divided; hackle, a rusty dun cockerel’s hackle.
38 Bluebottle
Hook Nos. 10 & 11. Tying silk orange. Body, dark blue floss silk, ribbed with black ostrich herl; wings, from jay’s secondary quill; hackle, a black cockerel’s hackle (in front of the wings).
39 Black Spider
Hook Nos. 11, 12, 13 & 14. Tying silk purple. Body, silver ribbon tinsel, followed by three or four turns of peacock swords feather strands, ribbed with fine silver gimp; hackle, a black cockerel’s saddle hackle (a few & long in the web).

- Jeff

[JeffHamm]

40 Cooke?s Bogey
Hook Nos. 8 & 9. Tying silk black. Tag, silver ribbon tinsel; body, ostrich herl ribbed with oval silver gimp; wings, white hen secondary quill; hackle, a badger cockerel?s hackle (in front of the wings).
41 Peter Ross
Hook Nos. 9, 10, 11 & 12. Tying silk crimson. Tail, strands of golden pheasant breast feather; tag, gold ribbon tinsel; body silver ribbon tinsel followed by scarlet Berlin wool ribbed with fine silver gimp; wings, from a teal drake?s flank feather; hackle, a black cockerel?s hackle (in front of the wings).
42 Dovey Bumble
Hook Nos. 7, 8, 9 & 10. Tying silk purple. Tag, silver ribbon tinsel; body, peacock herl from the moon feather, ribbed with oval silver gimp & a light grizzled cockerel?s hackle dyed a pale smoky blue; hackle, at head, a dark grizzled cockerel?s hackle.
43 Freckles
Hook Nos. 7, 8, 9 & 10. Tying silk pale orange. Tag, gold ribbon tinsel; tail strands from the breast feather of an Egyptian goose; body, grey squirrel and hare?s ear fur equally mixed, ribbed with silver ribbon tinsel, the fur picked out at shoulder; wings, strips from an Egyptian goose breast feather, laid Spey wing style horizontally over body; hackle, a grey partridge breast feather dyed caf?-au-lait (in front of wing).
44 Blae & Silver
Hook Nos. 7, 8, 9 & 10. Tying silk purple. Tag, gold ribbon tinsel; tail, golden pheasant topping; body, silver ribbon tinsel; hackle, a white cockerel?s hackle dyed pale sky blue; wings, from jay?s secondary quill.
45 Butcher
Hook Nos. 9, 10, 11 & 12. Tying silk purple. Tag, gold ribbon tinsel; tail, strands of scarlet ibis secondary quill; body, silver ribbon tinsel; hackle a black cockerel?s hackle; wings, from a mallard drake?s secondary quill (excluding the white tipped portion).
46 Silver, Black & Mallard
Hook Nos. 7, 8, 9, 10 & 11. Tying silk black. Tag, gold ribbon tinsel; tail strands from a golden pheasant?s breast feather; body, silver ribbon tinsel; wings, brown mallard scapular feather; hackle, a black cockerel?s hackle.
47 Watson?s Fancy
Hook Nos. 7, 8, 9 & 10. Tying silk purple. Tag, gold ribbon tinsel; tail strands from a golden pheasant?s breast feather; body scarlet Berlin wool (one third) followed by black Berlin wool, ribbed with gold oval gimp; hackle, a furnace cockerel?s hackle; wings, from a jackdaw?s secondary quill; cheeks, jungle cock.
48 Green & Gold
Hook Nos. 7, 8, 9 & 10. Tying silk purple. Tag, gold ribbon tinsel; tail, strands from a golden pheasant?s breast feather; hackle a white cockerel?s hackle dyed apple green; wings, from a cinnamon turkey?s breast feathers.

- Jeff