Hares Ears vs. PT's

[PocketWater]

I was curious what most people fish and in what colors. I think I am probably not normal, where I fish hares ears probably 90 percent of the time when nymphing and pheasant tails only 10%. Not sure why but I haven't had a ton of luck on pheasant tails for some reason but always catch fish on buggy looking hares ears I tie.

Follow up question is what colors of dubbing you use for your hares ears most frequently. I know the traditional is a grayish brown for the hares natural colors, but with so many various dyed and synthetic dubbing options, I was curious what other colors folks have had success on.

 

[J55tyger88]

Pocket, I'm the same. I prefer HE over PT...I just had better luck on the HE. As far as colors, natural and straight off the face work best for me. Ribbing, hares mask, and turkey tail, and youre set.

 

[dc410]

I think I have probably had more success over the years fishing a HE over a PT. However, to be fair I've definitely fished the HE more and with more confidence. I'm with Tyger on the color. Straight natural rabbit fur right off the mask is really the only way I tie them and fish them.

I also tie the HE and PT in soft hackle versions which I'm leaning more toward lately even than the nymphs. For whatever the reason I have caught a ton more fish on a PT soft hackle than the HE. Even when I fish them in tandem the PT soft hackle seems to generally be the hook up fly. PT soft hackles are deadly during an active sulphur emergence.

 

[McSneek]

I like both but think I do better with PT variations maybe because I use them more. Rather than the standard pheasant tail, which I do still use a lot of my PT nymphs are pheasant tail for the tails and body, a copper rib but then just a scruffy thorax that's a blend of hare's mask and some peacock or pheasant tail ice dub. Copper bead and a chartreuse hot spot collar. I've been using larger weighted hare's ears or a guide's choice hare's ear as an anchor fly in a two nymph rig with success too.

 

[PocketWater]

J55tyger88 wrote:
Pocket, I'm the same. I prefer HE over PT...I just had better luck on the HE. As far as colors, natural and straight off the face work best for me. Ribbing, hares mask, and turkey tail, and youre set.

I was pretty pressed for time a couple weeks ago, and needed to tie up a quick half dozen prior to going fishing the next morning. I didn't even bother tying in the turkey tail for the back. Just quickly tied in the fur for the tail, some wire, and then dubbed up to the bead head and wrapped the wire up the body, and actually had a great day where I caught a dozen or 15 trout. Not traditional, but it looked buggy and worked.

 

[MKern]

All put variations and colors. Almost always have one on, unless fishing strictly dries.

No confidence in HE, but a buddy of mine swears by olive HE.

 

[just_jon]

+1 for the olive HE. Also tie in black and a mix of natural/olive. My home water has lots of BWOs so small (18-22) HEs work well.

 

[BrookieChaser]

I rarely, if ever, use a pheasant tail. I fish hare's ear nymphs all the time.

 

[poopdeck]

After about a 25 year hiatus from trout fishing I came to love a HE just this year. Simple to tie and effective for me. But, I have not given a PT equal time.

 

[PALongbow]

I mainly fish a size 12 HE but I tie it with dark and light hares dubbing . This particular fly seems to work well on Fishing Creek (Columbia County) for me especially with the larger trout. The Pheasant tail works for me in size 14 and have good results as well. Both flies produce but the size of the particular fly seems be the key for me at least on Fishing Creek.

Ron

 

[attackone]

i have hardly ever fished a HE and rarely fish a PT anymore. Both great flies and catch a buttload of fish.

 

[bigjohn58]

When fishing nymphs I have a version of a PT on 99.9% of the time. I rarely if ever use a HE anymore. If I don't have a PT on then I pretty much lost confidence in catching a fish that day.

 

[pabrookie94]

I'm with ^ on this one. I really don't use basic PT but mainly variations and that is what I use nearly all of the time.

 

[troutpoop]

I have always leaned towards the PT. I think they are both equally effective but just don't tie on the HE often. No good reason.

 

[JeffK]

I guess I'm more of a PT fly fisherman and have generally used it as my confidence nymph. By way of back story, I got serious about nymphing 45 years ago after I saw someone catch an 18" wild brown in low clear water on a size 18 PT. Didn't have much luck with HE for decades until about 10 years ago when I hiked into the Neversink Gorge and only had a few HEs for nymphs. Had a great day on them and ever since HEs have a staple as well.

 

[PocketWater]

Pretty interesting responses, all. I sort of assumed most people were pheasant tail types because most the people I fly fish are, but at least from the responses here it appears there are other Hairs Ear advocates out there.

I guess it all goes to what you have success with, and at the end of the day I know I'll catch fish on a hairs ear but can't say I have had the same success on pheasant tails.

I mostly fish freestone streams exclusively, living in Western PA, so maybe that makes a bit of a difference for some reason.

Would someone that responded in the pheasant tail camp, mind posting up a video of a pattern you have a lot of success with? I'm going to break the tying vice out this week and get to work stocking the box so will give PT's a shot. Thanks in advance.

 

[NJTroutbum]

Hares ear, or a variation of, over PT's most often. My most productive color is Hareline Ginger.

 

[BrookieChaser]

What people overlook at times is that, when tied with lead and flattened, a Hare's Ear more accurately moves like, and represents, a clinger nymph. Where the Pheasant Tail represents a round swimming nymph.

 

[raftman]

I think I end up fishing the PT more often, but I just tied my first HE last night so I may end up fishing them more. I didn't have any turkey tail so I used pheasant tail and a mixture of natural and olive dubbing.

How often do you guys incorporate flash into either fly? I seem to exclusively fish flashbacks, but at times I wonder if I'm spooking the fish.

 

[NPflychucker]

Im in the Hares ear camp myself, best colors are natural hares ear and muskrat, also I seem to do better without a bead head. I have caught fish with PT's and they are always in my box but the HE's just always seem to outperform them, for me at least