Hare's Ear and Plover

[Smuggler]

A classic no doubt. Bill, this is excellent! That touch dubbed body has just the right amount of dubbing for me.

[daringduffer]

In 'The Art of the Wet Fly', Adam and Charles Black, London, 1979, W. S. Roger Fogg gives another interpretation: "Hare's Lug and Plover. A personal favourite of mine and an excellent nymphal and emerger imitator. Dressed as above but with the addition of a hackle taken from a golden plover. This hackle should have mouse-coloured fibres with yellow tips".

The above dressing is like this: "Gold ribbed Hare's Ear. A superb imitation of emerging duns.
Body: Dark hare's ear dubbing. A tiny gold tag is included at the end of the body and the body is ribbed with a fine gold wire. The body should be tied with a plump thorax tapering towards the bend of the hook.
Hackle:Pick out the longer fibres of the dubbing.
Tying silk: Brown.

The book includes painted illustrations and these show that he wound the hackle through the thorax, even if I didn't find this in the text. ("Plate 3. Flies tied after the style of W. C. Stewart").

The book in itself is a gem. (Just an opinion).

He recommends the fly for the Large Dark Olive (Baetis rhodani) in size 12 and 14, and for the Blue Winged Olive (Ephemerella, now Seratella, ignita in size 14.

dd

There you are, tiethis2.

[NJpatbee]

Great looking fly! Plover is one hackle that I do not have but I will begin searching.

[daringduffer]

John Roberts, in his 'A Guide to River Trout Flies', gives the dressing like this:
Hook: 12 - 16, Code A, G3A, L2A or CS7
Thread: Well waxed primrose or brown.
Tip (optional): A small tip of flat gold tinsel.
Body: Hare's ear fur tapering to the rear.
Rib: Gold wire.
Hackle: Golden plover (pale brown or dark-ash feather with yellow tips).

He comments all flies included in the book and this one gets the comment: "What makes a great trout fly? What gives it those fish-catching qualities? If only we knew! This fly falls into the 'great' category for me. If I had to choose only one wet fly for northern rivers this would be it. It mainly represents the olives and when used in appropriate sizes it kills whenever any of the olives are out. When tied with a Stewart-style semi-palmered hackle it is an excellent emerging olive imitation. It is even better when fished upstream with the current enlivening the hackle fibres, and more so when dibbled back at the surface in the manner of the dun at the point of emergence."

The illustrating photo shows a dark fly with a substantial tapered body and 'rich' palmered hackle with a rather long head. I suspect this fly is tied by one Nick Bradley who has tied the flies that aren't contributed by their creators (I think).

This is also a very nice book to have, and easy to aquire.

dd

[tie2fish]

Here's what I came up with based on Stefan's description of Fogg's variation, which sounds very much like the John Roberts pattern.

Hook: Sealey 1748-B, Size #14 (or similar wet fly hook)
Thread: Pearsall's Gossamer #3, primrose
Hackle: Golden plover wrapped flymph style
Tag: Small flat gold tinel
Rib: Fine Gold wire
Body: Hare's ear spun in #3 Gossamer

[Theroe]

Now THAT is special Bill..... nice hook choice too!

[DOUGSDEN]

Bravo Bill on this ultimate fish getter! We all have different dubbing techniques....wait a minute....styles that are unique and recognizable! Yours Bill, are both and we simply cannot get enough of it! The guys are right! Plover is special and essential and powerful! You do a bang up job on treating it right and making it look great and lively! I know that Plover is rare these days so get out your Plover feeders or pen raise some in the back yard!
Perhaps I am a feather hoarder,
Dougsden

[daringduffer]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/THE-ART-OF-T ... SwSlBY3k5o

dd

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Golden-Plove ... SwvTpaCKBC

(I've bought snipe from him but not plover).

[narcodog]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/THE-ART-OF-T ... SwSlBY3k5o

That's a great price on the book, a lot less than what I paid several years ago.

dd

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Golden-Plove ... SwvTpaCKBC

(I've bought snipe from him but not plover).

[daringduffer]

Yes, it's very cheap and well worth it.

dd