General nymph
Gold Ribbed Hare's Ear
Trout · Grayling · Barbel · Carp · Char · Brook trout · Marble troutSubsurface
Rough, buggy, trusted everywhere. The prickly hare-mask body suggests legs, gills and wing-cases all at once.
Naturals it imitates
Brown DunAmeletusNymph / larvaAndesiops (Patagonian Olive)Andesiops peruvianusNymph / larvaArctic Cased CaddisApataniaNymph / larvaLadoga CaddisArctopsyche ladogensisNymph / larvaWater SlaterAsellus aquaticusNymph / larvaLake OliveCloeon simileNymph / larvaWestern Green DrakeDrunella grandisNymph / larvaAutumn DunEcdyonurus disparNymph / larvaLarge Green DunEcdyonurus insignisNymph / larvaLarge Brook DunEcdyonurus torrentisNymph / larvaLate March BrownEcdyonurus venosusNymph / larvaDusky YellowstreakElectrogena lateralisNymph / larvaQuill GordonEpeorus pleuralisNymph / larvaHendricksonEphemerella subvariaNymph / larvaFreshwater ShrimpGammarusNymph / larvaBrown SedgeGoera pilosaNymph / larvaYellow May DunHeptagenia sulphureaNymph / larvaMarbled SedgeHydropsyche contubernalisNymph / larvaClaret DunLeptophlebia vespertinaNymph / larvaEastern March BrownMaccaffertium vicariumNymph / larvaMarch BrownRhithrogena germanicaNymph / larvaOlive UprightRhithrogena semicolorataNymph / larvaBlue Winged OliveSerratella ignitaNymph / larvaLarge Summer DunSiphlonurus lacustrisNymph / larva
Variants
GRHE
Beadhead
Flashback
Soft-hackle
Jig
Hot-head
Guide's Choice
Choosing a colour
Starting points, not rules — depth, presentation and size usually matter more.
Natural hare, tan or olive in clear water and when matching nymphs or caddis. Darker brown or black in peaty, cloudy or high water. A flashback or orange-bead version can help in coloured water or when fish aren't actively feeding.
Typical zone & fishable range
usually
Surface
Film
Subsurface
Deep
Setup sensitivity: high
How it's usually fished
- General searching nymphSubsurfaceStandard beaded point fly under a dry or indicator.floating linebeadedtippet straight to fly
- Swung wetFilmUnweighted, fished on the swing through glides as a classic wet.floating lineunweighted
Size by condition
| default range | 12–16 |
| low water | 14–16 |
| high water | 12 |
Quick facts
Heritage
ModernClassicHeritage
Heritage
· England, traditional — no single attributed inventor, centuries old
Buy or tie?
Alternative flies
Included in packs
River nymph starterStillwater team of threeNymph & dry-dropperSight fishingCaddis & nymphsScud & nymphSight nymphingUpstream nymphRiver spiders & searching nymphsStonefly nymphs & perdigonAlpine soft hackles & nymphs