The Good Doc's Beetle

Tied by Ian Cox (February 2009)

Materials

Hook

Grip 12804 #12 to #16

Thread

Black 3/0

Under Body

Sparkle Dubbing

Body

2-3 mm Black High Density Foam

Body Prep

Paint with Heritage Metalic Bronze

Legs

Brown or Furnace Hackle

Tying Instructions

1) Prepare the foam by cutting into strips with a craft knife. The top should be beveled at 45 deg on both sides. (width to suit hook size)

2) Paint the prepared strips on both sides with the bronz metallic craft paint and hang to dry. Before it hardens give an overcoat of Heritage Seal Skin.

3) Hang the strips to dry.

4) Dress the shank of the hook with thread and before the paint hardens tie in a strip of foam behind the hook eye flat side up.

5) Stretch the foam back toward the bend of the hook and tie down the foam in open turns finishing above the barb with an no. of tight wraps.

6) Strip the filoplume off the hackle and tie in at this point with the tip facing back.

7) Form a dubbing noodle and dub over the foam underbody forward to behind the hook eye.

8) Palmer the hackle forward to the same point and tie off.

9)Pull the foam body over the top and tie off just behind the hook eye.

10) Clip the excess foam forming the beetles head.

Winning Fly Tied by Ernie Stevens