NymphbeginnerMidwest & Driftless
Gold-Ribbed Hare's Ear
$3.50
Available Sizes#12 - #18
Color Variations
Natural Hare's EarDarkOlive
The Hare's Ear is the fly equivalent of mumbling -- it does not say anything specific, but somehow everyone understands it. The dubbing is scraggly, the profile is vague, and the gold rib catches the light in a way that suggests 'food' without committing to a particular species. Trout eat it because it looks like everything and nothing, which on a spring creek full of a dozen different insects is exactly the ambiguity you need.
Quick Facts
TypeNymph
Difficultybeginner
SeasonsSpring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Target SpeciesBrown Trout, Brook Trout, Rainbow Trout
Sizes#12 - #18
Best LocationsCurrent River, MO; Eleven Point River, MO; North Fork White River, AR
Where to Fish It
Current River
MO · Ozark River
Eleven Point River
MO · Ozark River
North Fork White River
AR · Ozark River
Map unavailable. Locations for Gold-Ribbed Hare's Ear: Current River, MO; Eleven Point River, MO; North Fork White River, AR
Related Reading
region guide
Driftless Area: Spring Creek Paradise
Tucked into the unglaciated hills of southwestern Wisconsin, southeastern Minnesota, and northeastern Iowa lies the Driftless Area — a landscape of cold spring creeks, limestone bluffs, and wild trout that rivals any destination in the country. This is the complete guide to fishing the Driftless.
seasonal playbook
The Spring Playbook: First Hatches to Full Send
Spring is the most dynamic season in fly fishing — water temperatures swing daily, hatches emerge in waves, and fish that have been dormant for months begin feeding with increasing urgency. This is your region-by-region playbook for fishing the awakening.
hatch guide
The Complete Guide to Mayfly Hatches
Mayflies are the foundation of trout-stream entomology. This guide covers every major hatch — BWOs, PMDs, Green Drakes, Sulphurs, Tricos, and Hendricksons — with the biology, timing, and fly selections you need to fish them effectively across the country.
hatch guide
Caddis: The Underrated Hatch
Caddisflies outnumber mayflies on most trout streams, yet they receive a fraction of the attention. From the explosive Mother's Day caddis hatch to the giant October caddis of the Pacific Northwest, understanding Trichoptera transforms your fishing from spring through fall.
technique
Reading Water: Finding Fish by Reading Structure
Every river tells you where the fish are, if you know how to listen. Reading water is the fundamental skill that separates productive anglers from persistent ones. The ability to look at a stretch of river and identify the handful of spots that hold fish — and dismiss the vast majority that don't — is worth more than a lifetime of fly pattern knowledge.
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