Terrestrial Time: Tying the Thompson Foam Beetle
Took me long enough, but here is the “terrestrial time” beetle-tying post. As with the previous ant post, rather than try to re-type all the info, I have done the digital equivalent of a tying scrapbook. The images below are scanned (and then Photoshopped) straight out of GB’s 1991 book, Designing Trout Flies (there is no link, since the book is difficult to find these days). I hope that the tying crowd here at FF&W finds the instructions useful…
The Thompson-style Foam Beetle has caught a lot of fish for me over the years, including the cutthroat in the Slough Creek post from August 18 (’09). And for those who might be interested in an indicator-style beetle, here is a pic that shows an an additional foam strip incorporated into a similar pattern.
![FF&W [art] - DF52 Grayling](http://fishfliesandwater.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/df52_16-grayling-sidebar.jpg)
Nice, thank you Jason for including a pattern with an indicator bigger than a red circle painted on the foam. I think that for the Thompson Foam Beetle it makes no harm to tie in a litle white indicator such a calf tail or maybe something sinthetic as z-lon or similar.
Regards,
SZ
Simon—A tuft of white Z-lon tied in and extending partly over the back of the fly would not only make a good indicator, it could even double as a wing of sorts (further lending to the visual “impression” of the fly). I often carry flying ant patterns that use Z-lon (or similar material) for the wing. They can work surprisingly well during other insect hatches (mayflies, etc.), as well (as I’m sure you know).
Comment about indicators: Yesterday I caught a nice brown on the Clark Fork using an ant pattern with a puff of red yarn as the indictor. I lost the fly (my fault) and switched to the same pattern except it was tied with a white indicator. The sun was at that bad angle and the white indicator was very difficult to see but the red indicator was very visable. I’m in the process of relacing all my ant and beetle patters with red indicators. By the way that is a very good beetle pattern. Thanks
Jim (and any other indicator-pattern-lovin’ FF&W readers)—Your experience is certainly one that has plagued other anglers over the years. A old trick of Al Troth’s that can work well with indicators is to use black combined with some other color, such as red, orange, yellow, green or white. I often use yarn indicators and the black/color set-up is easy to make or buy and does the trick (a beetle, already being black, takes care of the black part). The black/color combo often allows the indicator to be more visible in a wide range of lighting conditions (from silver overcast to bright sun). As you (Jim) discovered, red was the color that really worked in those sunny conditions. You might consider tying a couple flies in another color, as well, just to see how the two compare to your eye in various conditions (see also that dual-hued indicator on the beetle in the photo above).