Not the 1964 Beatles, but trout food beetles!
I happened to be up far later than any normal person a few nights ago when a buzzing insect flew into my ear, then ungracefully crash landed into my coffee. Yum. The humble brown beetle is back.
These little beetle critters are an important trout food from mid November onward right through summer. They come in two forms - the brown (grass grub) beetle, and the green (manuka) beetle . The brown is usually the first to appear on the trout menu. Cool.
The brown beetle is active more so in the warm evenings (bit of a generalization), and is a particularly clumsy flyer (like the one that wanted a drink of my coffee), as are their green brothers. The green beetle is active throughout the day, and is especially effective both in the backcountry and on smaller streams around Otago and Southland . A willow or bush lined stream with a slight breeze to blow them onto the water are perfect combinations at this time of the year.
While the two colours are different, as we know the trout mostly see things from below as a silhouette, so of the "trigger points" I believe colour isn't that important. So what is? Well, size and shape (profile) primarily. I use imitations about a s12-14, dub body, and bulletproof foam back with a couple of legs out the front. A brown or peacock glister dub which covers both the brown and green, but feel free to use whatever you have on hand. I know the trout won't mind - I've checked. The old school classic patterns called for a peacock herl body, which is excellent, although not very long lasting - one or 2 fish and the hurl can break and unwind. Bugger that. Anyway, the trout basically see a dark crunchy bug that has the right body profile. On top of the foam body a wee hi vis post helps to locate the fly in faster water or as nightfall approaches.
Beetles lead onto willow grubs, which lead onto bigger terrestrials. Oh hell yeah, let's go.
Please shoot me an email if you fancy a fly fishing trip , plenty of spaces available over summer!
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Tight lines, Tom
