Photo by Bob Reece

By Bob Reece

Beetles are abundant in the riparian environments that surround many of the waters that trout inhabit.

Though their size range varies drastically, their appeal to trout in those areas is consistent. On water where trout frequently see hopper patterns, a properly presented beetle can often become a difference maker. When I designed my line of Beefcake terrestrials, including my beetle, I focused on creating an underside to the fly that would be anatomically accurate in its imitation and, as a result, more appealing to fish. The application of loco foam on the bottom of this pattern deploys a reflective sheen that is seen in the exoskeleton of large insects. In addition to this, the presence of the foam and segmentation on the underside of the hook shank creates a three dimensional profile that is seen in the natural.

I typically carry this pattern in size 12 and 8. However, it can be tied from a size 14 up to size 4 contingent upon where and what you are fishing for. Depending on the water type and situation, I fish this pattern as a single dry or a trailing dry in its smaller sizes behind a large hopper. I also enjoy using it at the top of a dry dropper rig. It has proven its effectiveness around the globe on numerous water types and fish species that include, but are not limited to, trout, bass, carp and pan fish.

Watch the video and learn to tie Reece’s Beefcake Beetle.

If you buy and don’t tie, purchase your Reece’s Beefcake Beetles at the link below.

http://www.orvis.com/p/beefcake-beetle/18sj

To purchase custom made tying material kits for the Beefcake Beetle and other patterns click on the link below.

https://squareup.com/store/thin_air_angler/

For how-to tying videos, rigging tips and more, check out the link below.

https://www.facebook.com/ThinAirAngle