ant patterns

Beetles are one of the greatest SNP patterns. They are great because they
are durable, they are unsinkable (foam beetle), they are easy to see with a
little over-wing or parachute, and they catch fish like crazy from early May
until late September. I would say they actually outfish Elk Hair Caddis. A
great thing about foam beetles is you can drop them right into the white
water to disguise the cast and the fish on the edge of the foam will snap
them up as they bob to the surface. White CDC makes a super wing over a
black body and orange works nicely if you need the extra visibility. I use
pre-cut foam bodies and would love to find some smaller (smaller than #12)
bodies or a cutter for cutting smaller bodies. I've trimmed down some of
the larger bodies to tie #14 and 16 beetles. The small bugs are absolute
killers in the SNP in June-July.
--
Wayne
To Fish is Human...To Release Divine!

"Willi" wrote in message
...

gary wrote:

How well do beetle pattern's work?

Beetles are my favorite terrestrial pattern. Ants are good but they're
difficult to see on the water because of their size.

Willi

On Sun, 30 Nov 2003 20:45:23 GMT, "Wayne"
wrote:

I use
pre-cut foam bodies and would love to find some smaller (smaller than #12)
bodies or a cutter for cutting smaller bodies.

Pre-cut beetle bodies? Just get a sheet of foam and use scissors or an
x-acto knife.
--
Charlie...

I usually end up doing that Charlie but I would like to find a punch that
would cookie-cutter the things out so I could save some time during the
get-ready-for-spring fly tieing rampage that seems to set in each year. In
fact, using the Xacto knife method I got tired one evening making beetles
and ended up tying up some rectangular strips of tan foam to some #6 hooks
and ended up with a killer smallmouth fly. Leaving the squared-off front
end sticking out beyond the eye and turned up it acts like a gurggler
pattern and the smallies can't resist it. Don't let Fank C. know, there
won't be a darn smallmouth left in Virginia waters once they go down enough
to wade (may take a couple of years).
--
Wayne
To Fish is Human...To Release Divine!

"Charlie Choc" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 30 Nov 2003 20:45:23 GMT, "Wayne"
wrote:

I use
pre-cut foam bodies and would love to find some smaller (smaller than
#12)
bodies or a cutter for cutting smaller bodies.

Pre-cut beetle bodies? Just get a sheet of foam and use scissors or an
x-acto knife.
--
Charlie...

Wayne, check out this link to a great cutter.

http://www.riverroadcreations.com/beetlefoam.htm

The beetle comes in sizes 12-18. They are the best made cutters I have
found. I saw them in Missoula last year, and then ordered some from the
company directly. Each cutter comes with a piece of plastic to save the
desktop and preserve the cutting blade.

Nice folks to deal with, just wish some local shops would stock these.

RK


"Wayne" wrote in message
...
I usually end up doing that Charlie but I would like to find a punch that
would cookie-cutter the things out so I could save some time during the
get-ready-for-spring fly tieing rampage that seems to set in each year.
In
fact, using the Xacto knife method I got tired one evening making beetles
and ended up tying up some rectangular strips of tan foam to some #6 hooks
and ended up with a killer smallmouth fly. Leaving the squared-off front
end sticking out beyond the eye and turned up it acts like a gurggler
pattern and the smallies can't resist it. Don't let Fank C. know, there
won't be a darn smallmouth left in Virginia waters once they go down
enough
to wade (may take a couple of years).
--
Wayne
To Fish is Human...To Release Divine!

"Charlie Choc" wrote in
message
...
On Sun, 30 Nov 2003 20:45:23 GMT, "Wayne"
wrote:

I use
pre-cut foam bodies and would love to find some smaller (smaller than
#12)
bodies or a cutter for cutting smaller bodies.

Pre-cut beetle bodies? Just get a sheet of foam and use scissors or an
x-acto knife.
--
Charlie...

Thanks, exactly what I'm looking for! Looks like a stocking stuffer to me!
--
Wayne
To Fish is Human...To Release Divine!

"rakane at verizon dot net" wrote in
message ...
Wayne, check out this link to a great cutter.

http://www.riverroadcreations.com/beetlefoam.htm

The beetle comes in sizes 12-18. They are the best made cutters I have
found. I saw them in Missoula last year, and then ordered some from the
company directly. Each cutter comes with a piece of plastic to save the
desktop and preserve the cutting blade.

Nice folks to deal with, just wish some local shops would stock these.

RK


"Wayne" wrote in message
...
I usually end up doing that Charlie but I would like to find a punch
that
would cookie-cutter the things out so I could save some time during the
get-ready-for-spring fly tieing rampage that seems to set in each year.
In
fact, using the Xacto knife method I got tired one evening making
beetles
and ended up tying up some rectangular strips of tan foam to some #6
hooks
and ended up with a killer smallmouth fly. Leaving the squared-off
front
end sticking out beyond the eye and turned up it acts like a gurggler
pattern and the smallies can't resist it. Don't let Fank C. know, there
won't be a darn smallmouth left in Virginia waters once they go down
enough
to wade (may take a couple of years).
--
Wayne
To Fish is Human...To Release Divine!

"Charlie Choc" wrote in
message
...
On Sun, 30 Nov 2003 20:45:23 GMT, "Wayne"
wrote:

I use
pre-cut foam bodies and would love to find some smaller (smaller than
#12)
bodies or a cutter for cutting smaller bodies.

Pre-cut beetle bodies? Just get a sheet of foam and use scissors or an
x-acto knife.
--
Charlie...

I use a fiskers roller cutter to cut foam and a June Taylor Shape Cut Too
cutting guide for cutting foam I got the cutter from wall Mart and the Guide
from a fabric store It has a guide with slits for the cutting wheel to go
in.
It does a beautiful job for cutting foam as narrow as 1/8 wide. Probably
narrower but I never tried.
For foam ants use a sweeper nylon bristles for the legs. I looked at several
before I found the right one. I have a pattern if I can find it. It does a
beautiful job. The things look so real I wanted to kill them after I got
them tied. Check with me later