Summer is coming and it’s time to stock up on the trinity of terrestrials; hoppers, beetles and ants. I think beetles are the most underrated of the three. There are all kinds of beetles in the great outdoors but I just tie them in black and tan size #14-18 because that’s all you really need, with June bugs and Japanese beetles being my primary target species in size #14-16. I tie #18’s in black only to represent a wide variety of the smaller beetles. Oh, and lady bugs too using this same simple pattern but with orange foam for the shellback and a Sharpe marker for the spots on a #18 hook.
All you need is some 2mm craft foam and some peacock quills. Use the foam to create the shellback and head and the peacock herl for the underbelly and legs… use some super glue in the process to hold things firmly in place and add a small thin piece of brightly colored foam for an indicator and your good to go.
A simple fly to tie and super effective. I fish these flys a lot with great results. When there’s nothing hatching, try a beetle they are available to the trout throughout the summer so the fish see a lot of them. Funny, most fisherman seem to neglect using them. I’ve had more than one client turn their nose up when I’ve suggested tying on a beetle, that is until the fish rises and takes it.
side view - Notice everything is above the hook shank on this rather small size #18 hook, leaving as much of the hook gape available to the fish…
top view - Shows the proportions of the shellback, head and indicator
bottom view - Notice the large head and bettle footprint that is viewed by the fish.
But for whatever reason, I’ve just never taken to ants and beetles. I can count the times I’ve fished either one of them on one hand. It’s not that I underrate them, because I know that they can be really effective, and were the few times I fished them, it’s just that I haven’t really needed them. That probably says more about the cricks I fish than anything else.
Interestingly, last week on my home water, I ran into a fellow who lives a way downstream who pretty regularly fishes the same stretch of the river ( summer only ) that I do. He mentioned that the only flies he ever uses there are ants and beetles, and he does quite well with them.
Maybe if I can come up with an FEB ant or beetle of my own …
Heck yes! Got to love a nice, simple, fishy fly. I would add a set of rubber legs to each side, personally. Have had good luck with a little beetle like than on numerous occasions.
That patten is exactly what I tie and fish. The beetles here are the first significant hatch, or should I say fall, on our waters. Usually late April we get vast numbers of heather beetles. This year it is late, like everything else. I have no idea if it will happen or if we will miss out this year. The above fly in a dark tan or light brown on a size 16 is about as good an imitation you’ll get. Its not brilliant but it is about the best. Its a hard hatch to crack. We are usually glad to see the back of it as that is when the best of the sport starts.
Cheers,
A.
For the real small beetles, I like Krystal Flash for the legs. There’s one river up in YNP where little beetles (and crickets) have done really well early in the morning before the hordes descend. Gotta fish them tight to the bank; good thing they’re easy and quick to tie because I lose a lot of them to the shrubbery.
Will this suffice? My peacock herl is not the best, so I layed an underbody of “peacock” ice dubbing before wrapping the real peacock. Seems to provide a robust body.
Thanks,
Byron
Byron a good rule of thumb is 1/4 inch on 14’s and 3/16’s on 16-18’s…YMMV. I use a paper cutter to cut my foam since I tie so many, this makes for nice strips of foam that I can get a 1/2 dozen beetles or more out of.
