Crowe Beetle
By Elaine Cook
You can't have enough terrestrials in the summer. Try this one at the Bear Valley fishout, says John Steele.
Crowe Beetle
By Elaine Cook
You can't have enough terrestrials in the summer. Try this one at the Bear Valley fishout, says John Steele.
Hook: TMC 100 (standard shank) or TMC 5210 (short shank)
(Standard 1XF dry fly hook) sizes 16-18
Thread: Black 6/0 or Monocord (preferred)
Shell: Black deer hair (must not be brittle)
Body: Tying thread
Legs: Black deer hair
Post spot: White or orange closed cell foam
1. Crimp barb.
2. Tie in thread behind hook eye and wrap in close turns to the rear of the shank (for a short shank hook) or just above the hook point (for a standard shank hook). The thread wraps should have no gaps. Return the thread to the tie-in point.
3. Cut a clump of deer hair, clean out fuzz, stack tips (make them even) and cut the butt ends even.
4. Lay the deer hair clump butts on the shank, about one eye length behind the eye, tips extending to the rear of the hook.
5. Bind the deer hair to the shank with tying thread, working to the end of the thread wraps on the shank. Do not wrap too tightly at the rear, or you could cut the deer hair. Return the thread to the hair butt tie in spot.
6. Bring the tips of the deer hair forward, forming a bulbous body. Tie down carefully behind the hook eye, so you don't cut through any deer hair.
7. Pull three deer hair tips on each side back, so they stick out to the sides of the body. Make several thread wraps tight against them to hold them back. These will be the legs. Trim them to the appropriate length.
8. Cut the remaining deer hair short, forming a small head over the hook eye.
9. Cut a strip of foam 1/8" wide. Tie it in atop the hair tiedown point so it is aligned with the hook shank. Hold both ends upright and cut them together to about 1/8" long.
10. Bring thread under the head (the short ends of the hair), whip finish, cut thread and apply a drop of head cement to the wraps, if desired.