This is a very good early season pattern, not just on small but also larger stillwaters. It is suggestive of numerous little beasts that can be found at this time of the year at your local fishery. The pattern fishes best on the point of a two or three-fly cast. It’s best fished on a floating line, so that any breeze can move the fly rather than any retrieve from the angler – it keeps everything slow. The little bit of lead keeps the pattern where you want it, down in the water column on or near the bottom. The little thorax cover of orange marabou really does make a difference; try substituting the orange for different colours.
Hook: Kamasan B160 size
Thread: Red
Underbody: Three wraps of medium lead wire at the thorax area
Body: Dubbed hare’s ear
Rib: Gold wire
Tail: Pheasant tail fibres
Thorax cover: Orange marabou
How to tie the fly
 1. Clamp the hook in the vice and wrap on three turns of the lead. |
 2. Now run on your tying thread to the bend of the hook and secure in some pheasant tail fibres. Run the thread up to the thorax and back down towards the bend of the hook. |
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 4. Dub some hare’s ear fur onto your tying thread and wind up the dubbing rope in touching turns to a point just behind the lead. |
 5. Wind the wire rib back up through the fur and secure and trim behind the lead wraps. |
 6. Take a general bunch of orange marabou and catch in at the back of the thorax by the tips. |
 7. Form another dubbing rope with the fur and wind in touching turns to a point just behind the eye of the hook and trim the excess. |
 8. Bring the marabou over the thorax area and secure with a couple of wraps of thread. |
 9. Form a nice neat head before whip finishing and adding a drop of varnish. |
