Beadhead Gold Ribbed Hare's Ear

Materials

• All-Purpose
  Hook
• Spirit River Tungsten Beads
  Bead
• Veevus Thread
  Thread
• Turkey Tail
  Feather
• Hare's Mask
  Fur
• UTC Ultra Wire
  Wire

Instructions

1. Slide on the bead and start your thread.
2. Tie in the tail. From the hare's mask, snip a small clump of the longer, spikier guard hairs (the fur right around the ears and cheeks is ideal). Measure a tail about one shank-length long, then tie it in at the bend so it extends off the back. Keep in mine we are using an extra long hook so the tail can bit a bit shorter but it's also personal preference.
3. Tie in the rib. Secure your gold wire or tinsel at the bend, on the near side of the hook, leaving the length hanging back to wrap forward later.
4. Tie in the wing case. Wrap the thread over the turkey tail fibers just over 1/2 way toward the bead, then wrap back to where the tail is tied in.
5. Make your dubbing. Cut and pluck a mix of soft underfur and spiky guard hairs from the mask, blending the two gives the body its scruffy texture. Don't clean out the guard hairs; you want them. Some people user a coffee grinder or something similar to blend the dubbing but for this fly I just tear the fur up with my fingers and roll it around.
6. Build the body. Wrap the dubbed thread forward from the bend, building a body that tapers slightly thicker toward the front. Make sure not to wrap over the turkey tail fibers, pull them up and wrap up to the bead.
7. Make the wing case. Pull the turkey tail fibers over the top of fly and tie in right behind the bead.
8. Wrap the rib. Spiral the gold rib forward over the body in evenly spaced, open turns (usually 4–6 wraps). Tie it off behind the bead and clip the excess.
9. Pick out the guard hairs. Use a bodkin, dubbing brush, or a strip of Velcro to tease out the guard hairs.
10. Finish the head. Build a small, neat thread collar behind the bead, then whip finish against the back of the bead. Use a drop of epoxy, glue, or head cement of your choice behind the bead.