How to Tie the Hot Spot Hare’s Ear Step-by-Step Guide

From: Gilbert Rowley

Hot Spot Hare’s Ear Step-by-Step Guide

In this tutorial, Gilbert Rowley will walk you through the process of tying a Hot Spot Hare’s nymph, a great pattern for Euro nymphing that’s durable and easy to use. This fly features a striking hot spot that can catch the attention of fish, especially when fished in deeper water.

Materials:

• Size 12 hook

• 3.5 mm tungsten bead (or 1/8" bead)

• Red thread

• DeIyon (tail)

• Copper wire (for ribbing)

• Natural brown squirrel dubbing

• Craft thin skin (for wing case)

• Hot pink ice dubbing (for hot spot)

Step-by-Step:

1. Prepare the Hook and Thread
   Start by securing the size 12 hook in your vise. Attach red thread to the hook and wrap it back to just past the bend.

2. Attach the Tail
   Tie in a small bunch of DeIyon for the tail. This material is highly durable, ensuring the tail stays intact for longer periods than traditional materials like pheasant tail.

3. Add the Ribbing
   Tie in a copper wire on the near side of the hook. This will provide a durable ribbing for the body.

4. Dub the Abdomen
   Apply a thin layer of natural brown squirrel dubbing to your thread. Wrap the dubbing around the hook to form a slightly tapered abdomen, stopping about 2/3 of the way up the hook.

5. Wrap the Ribbing
   Using the copper wire, wrap 4 turns of ribbing around the abdomen, ensuring the wraps are evenly spaced. Tie it off with thread wraps on the near side.

6. Attach the Wing Case
   Cut a strip of craft thin skin and tie it in with the shiny side facing down. This will create the wing case that adds to the fly's durability.

7. Create the Hot Spot
   Take some hot pink ice dubbing and form a small, visible hot spot at the thorax area. This bright color will attract fish, especially in low-visibility conditions.

8. Finish the Thorax and Wing Case
   Dub a thin layer of brown squirrel dubbing over the hot spot to blend it in and form a smooth thorax. Pull the craft thin skin over the thorax and secure it with a couple of wraps of thread.

9. Whip Finish the Fly
   Use a whip finish tool to tie off the fly securely. Perform at least two whip finishes to ensure the thread wraps are tight and won’t come undone.

10. Final Touches
    Trim the excess thin skin and give the fly a few brushings with a velcro brush to tease out the dubbing and enhance the profile.