This hair/dubbed version rides lower in the surface than the foam/hackle versions. I use
it with a slightly weighted leader to make it sink when imitating aquatic beetles.
Although they spend much of their time in bottom debris they occasionally surface for
air. They also enter the water from rocks or other objects to
lay eggs so I fish wet by bouncing off rocks or landing near other objects
extending through the surface.
 Anglers should
not ignore the potential for imitating beetles, aquatic or terrestrial.
There is little difference in appearance between the two so anglers only need a
few variations in their box. For terrestrial beetles, which are
usually more common than aquatic, I use foam instead of hair or
synthetics. The basic black beetle in sizes 10 to 16 seems to work best
for me.
 For lady beetles
(ladybugs), I use size 12 and 14 short shank hooks. I have used paint for
colors but permanent markers are ideal to obtain the colors you want. I
also use a lighter colored hackle for the legs but it doesn't matter much.
Although,
somewhat of a traditionalist, I've never been a fan of foam but started using it
for beetles many years ago. I used moose and deer hair for several
years before giving way to the ease and floatability of foam. I've even
used styrofoam but quickly converted to closed cell when I discovered it.
Only recently, as a result of popularity, have I used it for other
terrestrials.
 Fished on
windy but fishable days, near overhanging vegetation along the shores of lakes
and rivers in mid to late summer, beetles can provide action when other patterns
fail. They are more plentiful than most anglers realize and frequently fall or fly into the water.
Fishing coldwater
lakes and rivers of the north can be especially productive with beetles.
Look for warm
pockets of water, caused by thermal circulation and springs, because fish seem
to like these areas. I usually
skimmed a beetle, with 6 to 12 inch strips and short pauses, across the surface to cover a large area in hopes to
find the warm pockets. I would strip a little slower than I would imitate a caddis
taking off the surface. This was not as easy with hair beetles and is the main reason I
converted to foam for terrestrial.
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