Beetlemania

Beetlemania officially begins April 5

Unfortunately, no rock and roll is in the offing. I just get to sit down to tie about 65 dozen foam beetles. We don't like how most commercial beetles look (they're too narrow and don't float right), so we tie our own. Beetles are the only class of fly we produce completely in-house. The somebody that does the producing is me.

One can get bored after a winter of commercial fly tying, and of course I save the stuff we don't need until midsummer until last. Earlier in the winter I was doing three dozen of this and five dozen of that, with only a few flies (some caddis for the Firehole, Glasshead PT Soft Hackles) breaking the 12 dozen barrier. I have to do at least ten dozen of everything I have left to do, with the exception of some streamers. Sigh.

1. Secure hook in vise.
2. Spiral thread to rear.
3. Secure foam strip 1.5X the gape to hook. Glue to shank.
4. Secure peacock or dub thread.
5. Wind body.
6. Secure foam strip at eye. Trim excess.
7. Add a narrow slip of foam as an indicator.
8. Whip finish and cement.
9. Repeat.
10. Repeat
11. Repeat
12. Repeat
13. Repeat.
.
..
...
645. Repeat