Beetlemania

[SurfnFish]

Fish were in the mood for beetles today up on the volcano, a dozen or so browns made it to the net, about half that many rainbows, few fish in the 20" range. Watching them smash and grab a beetle in the shallows is my fave lake fishing. Beetle is tied on a jig hook, the body under the cover foam is a twist noodle of McFly foam and peacock herl for float and flash.

 

[Zak]

Fish were in the mood for beetles today up on the volcano, a dozen or so browns made it to the net, about half that many rainbows, few fish in the 20" range. Watching them smash and grab a beetle in the shallows is my fave lake fishing. Beetle is tied on a jig hook, the body under the cover foam is a twist noodle of McFly foam and peacock herl for float and flash.

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That fly should be on MyFlyVise.com!

 

[SurfnFish]

That fly should be on MyFlyVise.com!

based on the Jiggy Beetle by Jeff Perrin who begins tying it at 15.50 on this vid.

 

[Matt B]

based on the Jiggy Beetle by Jeff Perrin who begins tying it at 15.50 on this vid.

What do you think the jig hook does for you vs a standard down eye hook? Just easier to tie the fly on with the extra space from the foam “blob”?

 

[SurfnFish]

What do you think the jig hook does for you vs a standard down eye hook? Just easier to tie the fly on with the extra space from the foam “blob”?

The combo of the wide gap hook point and the eye being angled down in the water seems to create fulcrum leverage when setting the hook, the set lifts the eye which rotates the point into the mouth. Every fish I netted today had the barbless hook embedded in the jaw behind the lip. Have become a big fan of wide gap hooks, plan on tying them on all flies whenever possible.
ALSO=wide gap scud hooks work in a similar fashion with this pattern
A friend who is a local river guide ties a 'normal' 16 PMD or BWO body on a size 14 big gap hook, claims a much better hookup ratio which benefits his clients who are often rudimentary fly fishers at best.

 

[Draketake]

Thanks Lance for that video you posted.

Been meaning to ask Jeff about that Jiggy Beetle.

 

[SurfnFish]

Thanks Lance for that video you posted.

Been meaning to ask Jeff about that Jiggy Beetle.

saw Jeff on the lake yesterday, he parked his boat in the lee of a small point about 20 yards from where I was working the shoreline, got out the rail grill for his clients lunch.
"hey Jeff, Jiggy Beetles working well'
"So are bee patterns"

During my session had a huge brown come up to inspect the beetle and then at the last moment veer off and slowly fin back down...one of these days.

solid terrestrial technique...I find the deepest water closest to shoreline lined with bushes, anchor and cast to the shore first and if no takes park a terrestrial right on the seam where the shallows suddenly drop off...the bigger fish come up from the depths, cruise the shore and then drop back down into the depths, doing laps. If their against the shoreline they will nail it..if the bug is parked on the seam, they will cruise up to check it out. Has proven effective on multiple lakes.