Archive for April, 2006

Goeben’s Foam Beetle

Hook: Standard Dry Fly, size 12 or size of preference
Under Body: 3-4 twisted strands of Peacock Herl
Thread: Black (or color to match shell back)
Legs: Silly legs, elastic band legs, or peacock hurl
Shell back body: Black, orange, yellow, or olive closed cell foam
Indicator: Orange or chartreuse poly or yarn

Begin by wrapping your thread from the eye of the hook to the bend. Tie in the shell back body. You can cut your own beetle bodies with a piece of brass tubing or a discarded bullet cartridge. If you make your own, crimp the tubing so that the body shape resembles an egg with a little tab to tie the shell back body onto the hook. The narrow or “egg top” will serve as the beetle head once you make a few wraps across it, or simply buy some precut bodies. Next tie in 3-4 pieces of peacock herl. Twist them together and wind to approximately ¾ of the hook shank. Tie in 3 pairs of legs at the end of your peacock herl wraps. There is a ton of new “leg” material out there. If you so desire you can even use peacock herl. Trim the legs by cutting on a diagonal down to the hook point. Fold over the closed cell foam and take a few wraps. That’s the main body of the beetle. The little ‘tab’ in front is your beetle head. Tie in a piece of poly or yarn as a strike indicator over your newly made wraps.

When the summer gets hotter on the Hous, and the major hatches have ended, its terrestrial time. When you fish your beetle you want it to “plop!” it in the water. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had a strike doing this. Try it along the riverbank and tree overhangs. My favorite beetle colors are orange and yellow. How many times have you seen trout hitting your nymph
indicators!