Hare's Ear Soft Hackle

Wrap thread onto the hook shank from about 1mm behind the eye to the start of the hook bend. Tie in the hair tail material by making two loose wraps followed up with 3 to 5 tight wraps. Continue with additional tight wraps right to the base of the tail.

Tie in a fine gold wire with 4 tight wraps. Wax thread with a light coat of wonder wax. Apply a thin amount of dubbing. Spread dubbing fibers out evenly on thread. Twist dubbing evenly on thread with thumb and forefinger.

Wrap dubbed thread evenly forward to the front end of the body. Tie off with 3 to 5 tight wraps.

Note: it is common to either over or underestimate the dubbing amount. It is easy to add more dubbing or pinch off excess dubbing.

Wrap ribbing material with even spaces forward from the tail base to the front end of the body. Usually 9 to 12 wraps are used. Tie off with 3 to 5 tight wraps.

Select hackle for size and expose base stem by stripping off fibers. Tie in by base with 2 loose winds followed up with 3 to 5 tight winds. Convex side of hackle faces the fly's body. Evenly wrap hackle with 2 winds. Tie down with 5 tight wraps.

Whip finish head with 4 to 8 turns. Pull tag end firmly and cut off excess thread. Place a drop of head cement on knot and allow it to penetrate both the thread base and hackle stems.