Potato Bug Beetle

[Fred H]

Here is a beetle I tied on a size 12 hook .

It's construction is monofilament and thread , it is colored with permanent markers and has a top coat of clear fingernail polish for extra durability.


Once you have tied the basic beetle you can color it to fit any species that may be abundent where you fish.

Fred

[Uncle Jesse]

Nice Fred. Interesting construction, I'm guessing it's basically hollow so it float?

[Fred H]

No Jesse it's not hollow. It's different lengths of 40lb mono . It does stay up high in the surface film due to the flexament which floats.
Beetles are fun to tie because there are so many different varrities of colors with the same basic shape. And because you are not using molded parts you can tie some longer , wider , fatter ..etc to fit your needs.

Fred

[FishnDave]

Those are extremely lifelike. And its the LEGS that impress me most! Are those (the legs) all done with mono, marker, and a heated bodkin?

[Fred H]

Those are extremely lifelike. And its the LEGS that impress me most! Are those (the legs) all done with mono, marker, and a heated bodkin?

Yep . Dave the legs are three single pieces of 17lb mono One for each pair of front,middle and back legs). Once they are bent to shape with a heated bodkin I pinch the feet parts with a wire cutter, (hard enough to make a segment but not hard enough to cut through.) What you can't see in the photo but looks good in hand is the thigh or femur part of the leg. This is slightly built up with thread wraps to give the upper leg thickness and a slight taper.

[ronnie_mckee]

Great looking Beetle! Nice work.

[Skip48]

Very nice work and a great looking beetle!

Skip

[Fred H]

Thanks guys. Skip do we know each other? I know Bill Heugal from Hemphill.

[Fred H]

I wanted to add these to show that altering the pattern slightly allows yoy to match any beetle you may find.

[Uncle Jesse]

Fred, you might want to call Terminix, I think you have an infestation. Or is Vexacon the company you guys in LA use.