GRHE question

Whoda thunk a question about such an easy fly...

I was tying some up last night, size 12-18, and I could not get the bodies
on the smaller ones to be compact enough. The hare fur was all spikey and
made them rather bulbous rather than that 'nymph' shape that they should be.
How do you get hare's ear to behave? If I tried cutting the fur down to tiny
little pieces, it wouldn't dub so well (even with wax), but if I left it
long, the rogue hairs made the fly look like a food pellet instead of a
nymph. I eventually just used 80% synthetic dubbing with some pieces of
hare's ear, and wrapped the heck out of it.

And exactly where on the mask should I be harvesting fur for these? I guess
I'm not sure what the different parts of the mask are called. Even the ear
has at least 4 different qualities of fur (inside, on the rim, the tip and
the base).

--riverman

riverman wrote:
Whoda thunk a question about such an easy fly...

I was tying some up last night, size 12-18, and I could not get the
bodies on the smaller ones to be compact enough. The hare fur was all
spikey and made them rather bulbous rather than that 'nymph' shape
that they should be. How do you get hare's ear to behave? If I tried
cutting the fur down to tiny little pieces, it wouldn't dub so well
(even with wax), but if I left it long, the rogue hairs made the fly
look like a food pellet instead of a nymph. I eventually just used
80% synthetic dubbing with some pieces of hare's ear, and wrapped the
heck out of it.

My guess (and from personal experience) is you're cutting the hair too
long. I was cutting the hair at the very base and causing the bulbous
effect you mentioned.

And exactly where on the mask should I be harvesting fur for these? I
guess I'm not sure what the different parts of the mask are called.
Even the ear has at least 4 different qualities of fur (inside, on
the rim, the tip and the base).

I was taught to use the soft shorter stuff right at the base of the ear.
For a "spikier" look, I use the coarser hair, especially at the thorax.
--
TL,
Tim
------------------------
http://css.sbcma.com/timj

"Tim J." wrote in message
...
riverman wrote:
And exactly where on the mask should I be harvesting fur for these? I
guess I'm not sure what the different parts of the mask are called.
Even the ear has at least 4 different qualities of fur (inside, on
the rim, the tip and the base).

I was taught to use the soft shorter stuff right at the base of the ear.
For a "spikier" look, I use the coarser hair, especially at the thorax.
--

I wonder if there's a link out there with a sketch of a hare's mask, and
sections marked out (like one of those butcher's guides for steaks, yum)
that name the regions and the properties for each, as well as which flies
those particular hairs are good for. Anyone? MC?

--riverman

On Thu, 14 Oct 2004 17:56:06 +0100, "riverman" wrote:

I wonder if there's a link out there with a sketch of a hare's mask, and
sections marked out (like one of those butcher's guides for steaks, yum)
that name the regions and the properties for each, as well as which flies
those particular hairs are good for. Anyone? MC?

Try Google, it found this right away: http://www.flyfield.com/hare2.htm
--
Charlie...

On Thu, 14 Oct 2004 17:56:06 +0100, "riverman" wrote:

I wonder if there's a link out there with a sketch of a hare's mask, and
sections marked out (like one of those butcher's guides for steaks, yum)
that name the regions and the properties for each, as well as which flies
those particular hairs are good for. Anyone? MC?

Try Google, it found this right away: http://www.flyfield.com/hare2.htm
--
Charlie...

Riverman writes:

I wonder if there's a link out there with a sketch of a hare's mask, and
sections marked out (like one of those butcher's guides for steaks, yum)
that name the regions and the properties for each, as well as which flies
those particular hairs are good for. Anyone? MC?

--riverman

For smaller flies, I don't use the hare's fur, but dubbing. I tie grhe down to
size 22 and do not use the fur. There is a lot of dubbing out there that could
be used. I use Hareline Dubbin and the fish don't seem to mind.

I also tie PTs using just brown thread and the gold wire rib. They have worked
*very* well on my Maine waters.

Dave

Riverman writes:

I wonder if there's a link out there with a sketch of a hare's mask, and
sections marked out (like one of those butcher's guides for steaks, yum)
that name the regions and the properties for each, as well as which flies
those particular hairs are good for. Anyone? MC?

--riverman

For smaller flies, I don't use the hare's fur, but dubbing. I tie grhe down to
size 22 and do not use the fur. There is a lot of dubbing out there that could
be used. I use Hareline Dubbin and the fish don't seem to mind.

I also tie PTs using just brown thread and the gold wire rib. They have worked
*very* well on my Maine waters.

Dave

"Charlie Choc" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 14 Oct 2004 17:56:06 +0100, "riverman" wrote:

I wonder if there's a link out there with a sketch of a hare's mask, and
sections marked out (like one of those butcher's guides for steaks, yum)
that name the regions and the properties for each, as well as which flies
those particular hairs are good for. Anyone? MC?

Try Google, it found this right away: http://www.flyfield.com/hare2.htm
--
Charlie...

I tip my hat to you. I looked for 20 minutes.

--riverman

"Charlie Choc" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 14 Oct 2004 17:56:06 +0100, "riverman" wrote:

I wonder if there's a link out there with a sketch of a hare's mask, and
sections marked out (like one of those butcher's guides for steaks, yum)
that name the regions and the properties for each, as well as which flies
those particular hairs are good for. Anyone? MC?

Try Google, it found this right away: http://www.flyfield.com/hare2.htm
--
Charlie...

I tip my hat to you. I looked for 20 minutes.

--riverman

riverman wrote:

"Tim J." wrote in message
...
riverman wrote:
And exactly where on the mask should I be harvesting fur for these? I
guess I'm not sure what the different parts of the mask are called.
Even the ear has at least 4 different qualities of fur (inside, on
the rim, the tip and the base).

I was taught to use the soft shorter stuff right at the base of the ear.
For a "spikier" look, I use the coarser hair, especially at the thorax.
--

I wonder if there's a link out there with a sketch of a hare's mask, and
sections marked out (like one of those butcher's guides for steaks, yum)
that name the regions and the properties for each, as well as which flies
those particular hairs are good for. Anyone? MC?

--riverman

check out http://www.flyfield.com/hare2.htm

mike o in knoxville
--
-----------------------------------------------
Mike O'Neil
Statistical Consulting Center
200 Stokely Management Center
University of Tennessee
Knoxville, TN 37916

865-974-8333