The New Generation Beetles

I wanted a barbless hook with a wider gape and Arno Loubser suggested Grip 14723BL that is a Caddis Pupa and emerger hook. Due to the slightly upturned eye of this hook, I decided to modify the pattern somewhat and to incorporate most elements of the different previous patterns. Here goes...

1. Dress a no 6 to 10 Grip 14723BL with silk and end up back at the eye of the hook.

2. Tie in a strip of prepared foam (as in all the previous patterns) at the eye of the hook and with wide loops take your thread as far as you want around the bend of the hook. The first loop will become the thorax of the beetle and I usually make it slightly bigger than the other loops.

3. Now tie in a hackle.

4. Dub the abdomen of the beetle up to the beginning of the thorax and palmer the hackle up to the same point and tie off.

5. Prick the foam twice with a needle to prevent bubbles forming under the skin then tie in some legging material at the thorax.

6. Bend the foam forwards and tie in at the same point between the abdomen and the thorax
 

7. Now cut the foam at about 60 degrees but leave enough to cover the thorax.

8. Take the thread underneath the thorax to the eye and tie in the tip of this triangular bit of foam. Your beetle is now complete except for a little trimming.

9. Trim the hackle flat on the abdomen of the beetle and dress the eye with some head cement or Sally Hansons.

10. Your finished beetle as you will mostly see it.

and as the fish will see it!

Which will bring this result more often than not.