Partridge and Hares Ear Flymphs

[William Anderson]

I have been trying to reproduce my favorite Hares Ear blend so I tied a couple sets, and not leaving well enough alone, each set is tied with a slight variation. Basically the dubbing blend is a mix of several different masks, Natural, Dark Brown, Olive, and a touch of Burgandy and a pinch of Orange mixed with a pack of natural colored Haretron. I'm not sure I got it, but it's as close as I could manage. Note to self...write it down next time.

Hook: Daiichi 1530
Tying Thread: Brown 14/0
Hackle: Partridge
Body: Hares Ear blend #3 (on primrose silk for the dubbing block loops)
Rib: Small Dark Copper Uniwire (Drop Loop fly only)


Partridge and Hares Ear 1530 Drop Loop




Partridge and Hares Ear 1530 Block Loop




Partridge and Hares Ear 1530 Block Loop - More Guardhairs




w

[letumgo]

Gorgeous flies. That's a great looking dubbing blend. Do you have specific ratios of each component in the dubbing blend, or were you going for a particular shade/color? I like the idea of a spectrumized blend. Let the fish see whatever color they want.

That reminds me, I keep meaning to pick up a copy of Atherton's book. He is supposed to be an advocate of multicolor dubbing blends.

[William Anderson]

Ray, I don't have a ratio of the blend, just a small bit of what was a large batch to match. The first time I made this blend was several years ago. This fly was from that first batch, again the c.2007 era - the 1270 (200R) phase. Check out the head on this bad boy.



Hans photographed this fly for that swap.

I made another, larger batch of the stuff that was pretty close and I have caught more fish with this fly than any other...so it's kind of important for me. It and my "franken-shirt".

Here was the last incarnation of the blend...a more subdued variation.



I made some other spectral blends that get too complicated (seal, hare, opossum mixes) for my fly naming conventions, best to stick with single critter to keep things simple.

I will get back to this blend with some forward thinking rules, write it down as it works itself out.

Note to self...never include one of Hans' pics in the same post as one of mine.

w

[DUBBN]

I had to tell snoopy old Ray my proportions.... Give up the details Mr. Anderson!

[letumgo]

I think that bottom fly would work wonders on that spring creek I fished last weekend. Looks like a perfect scud imitation.

PS - Yes. Divulge your secrets Mr. Anderson...

[Smuggler]

Don't worry Will, you're not the only one (I'm sure of it) that wishes they wrote a dubbing blend down.

Very nice patterns btw.

[DUBBN]

Oh for heaven sake, just fake it! LMAO

[William Anderson]

Are you kidding me? I wouldn't hold anything back, you guys see everything...the good, the bad and the unresolved. I'll take a stab at it but I have to admit, I would have to include a well worn text on alchemy to be accurate.

First take a natural, a dyed brown and a dyed olive hare's mask and cut a bit (several snips) from the poll and the cheeks of each mask, almost equal parts of poll and cheek, and equal parts from each mask. I may go heavier on the natural mask. Blend that until you get it well mixed. Do the same with a dyed burgandy and dyed orange mask. mix it seperately. You'll only need about 1/4 the amount of the first mix. So technically its probably 6 parts natural, 4 parts brown, 4 parts olive. 1 part burgandy, 1 part orange. Blend that whole pile together. This will be a very spikey blend, similar to that 4th pic on the 1270 hook. Then add the mask mix 2 to 1 with the Hareline Haretron natural. The Haretron has a nice usable texture and blend on its own, but about the right amount of antron to make a subtle difference in this spectral blend and cuts the overall effect a bit. That should do it. The poll from each mask keeps the blend on the dark side, or maybe I use more of the brown mask. I have a lighter version too just using the lighter areas of the masks. Anyway, it's not rocket science, but there is certainly a trace of voodoo. It works...I don't argue.

w

[JohnP]

Your recipe sounds like some of the ones Polly Rosborough came up with for his fuzzy nymphs. He was a trapper and had access to all kinds of odd furs (jackrabbit, African baboon and winter packrat are three of his favorites). I tried to replicate his blend for the Fledermaus and Hare's ear using more conventional furs (mink, muskrat belly, bobcat, nutria and beaver) and it came out looking pretty close to what he had.
All of your patterns look great, by the way.

[DUBBN]

Are you kidding me? I wouldn't hold anything back, you guys see everything...the good, the bad and the unresolved. I'll take a stab at it but I have to admit, I would have to include a well worn text on alchemy to be accurate.

First take a natural, a dyed brown and a dyed olive hare's mask and cut a bit (several snips) from the poll and the cheeks of each mask, almost equal parts of poll and cheek, and equal parts from each mask. I may go heavier on the natural mask. Blend that until you get it well mixed. Do the same with a dyed burgandy and dyed orange mask. mix it seperately. You'll only need about 1/4 the amount of the first mix. So technically its probably 6 parts natural, 4 parts brown, 4 parts olive. 1 part burgandy, 1 part orange. Blend that whole pile together. This will be a very spikey blend, similar to that 4th pic on the 1270 hook. Then add the mask mix 2 to 1 with the Hareline Haretron natural. The Haretron has a nice usable texture and blend on its own, but about the right amount of antron to make a subtle difference in this spectral blend and cuts the overall effect a bit. That should do it. The poll from each mask keeps the blend on the dark side, or maybe I use more of the brown mask. I have a lighter version too just using the lighter areas of the masks. Anyway, it's not rocket science, but there is certainly a trace of voodoo. It works...I don't argue.

w

OK, if you are just gonna make things up, why bother?

Norwegian Kangaroo would have ended all arguements.