Break Out The Beetles

As the summer continues, those of you who fish regularly will have noticed that the bank-side foliage just seems to get denser every time you visit the water. These are ideal conditions for all sorts of insects to thrive, from small leaf-eating insects to hoards of beetles and ants. This is prime time for all terrestrial activity on both rivers and stillwaters.

Fly fishing with terrestrial patterns is an exciting and effective technique that involves imitating insects that live primarily on land, such as beetles and ants. When fish are focused on terrestrial insects, presenting these patterns correctly can lead to some exhilarating experiences. Here are some tips to make the most of this approach, especially at this time of year:

1. Observation: Observe the water and surrounding vegetation for signs of terrestrial insects. Look for beetles and ants falling from overhanging branches. Identifying the prevalent insects will help you select the right patterns.
2. Accurate casting: Terrestrial insects often fall onto the water with a splash, attracting fish with the noise. Practice accurate casting to mimic this action and place the fly close to the bank or structure where terrestrial insects are likely to be present.
3. Presentation: Allow the fly to drift naturally with the current, just like a real insect. Try twitching your rod tip gently to imitate movement, creating the illusion of a struggling insect.
4. Size and Colour: Choose patterns that match the size and colour of the insects in the area. Ants and beetles are usually small and dark, so a size 14 or 16 pattern usually works best.
5. Patience: Terrestrial fishing can be sporadic, with bursts of activity when insects are active. Stay patient and keep an eye on the water for any signs of fish feeding on the surface.
6. Light Tippet: Use a lighter tippet to ensure a natural presentation and prevent spooking wary fish. However, be prepared for powerful strikes and potential challenges when landing larger fish.

We have updated our Beetle selection for 2025 - and they've just arrived with us (scroll down to view all of the patterns in detail):

We've updated our most popular beetles and included them all in one selection. These patterns now cover all imitations throughout the summer and autumn months.

The patterns included in our NEW selection are:

• Coch-y-Bonddu Beetle - The classic beetle pattern, also known as the field chafer.
• The Kicking Beetle - A great 'active' pattern which attracts the attention of any nearby fish, due to the rubber legs which pulse when any action is imparted to the fly (either by the angler or the water current).
• Hi-Viz Beetle - A great pattern that is easy to see on those bright sunny days. Tied with a bright pink post.
• Hi-Float Foam Beetle - A beetle designed to float high in the water due to its closed-cell foam body.

• Plus, for today only:
  • The Micro Beetle - Looks a little odd, but catches fish!

Please Note: We only have 40 of these selections available - and when they're gone, they're gone until next year! Grab yours today (and get your free Micro beetles - see further below for our Special Offer).

Why not be ready for any Beetle, with our Barbless Beetle Selection - we love an alliteration! We have created this selection of Beetles that work equally well on both rivers and stillwaters.

Here we have a selection of 20 Beetles, five different patterns (the four above + The Micro Beetle, below) two each of sizes 14 & 16; plus four of the size 18 Micro Beetles - if you buy the Barbless Beetle Selection today.

Our Barbless Beetle Selection includes 20 flies and is now available, priced at only £26, which includes fast, free delivery to anywhere in the UK. Click on any image or button in this email to view each of the patterns in more detail.

We’ll be honest with you — most fishing flies are bought with the angler’s eyes in mind, not the fish’s. If it looks tidy, symmetrical, and Instagram-ready, it sells.

The Micro Beetle is not that fly:

This little oddball is… well… let’s just say if it entered a beauty contest, it wouldn’t even make the photo round. It’s a scruffy, slightly awkward-looking beetle pattern that, to human eyes, appears like it fell out of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down.

But to the fish? It seems to be a floating buffet.

For today only, when you buy our Barbless Beetle Selection, we’ll sneak 4 of these “so-ugly-they're-beautiful” Micro Beetles into your order. They might not win any style awards, but on the water, they’re absolute assassins.

"Think of them like that odd-shaped biscuit in the tin — the one you know tastes the best."

*** Go on, you know you want to! ***

As is usual with all of our fly selections, each of the fly patterns are also available to buy individually. Just click the button below to see them all in one place:

In the warmer summer afternoons, a beetle pattern is an essential searching pattern, when fish are not rising.

To search a river:

1. From the bank, section the river into lanes about 3ft wide.
2. Cast upstream and make 3 or 4 drifts in the nearest lane, repeat for each lane, working away from you.
3. Step upstream and repeat the process.

To search a stillwater:

1. From the bank, imagine a fan with 8 points laid out on the water.
2. Cast to each point of the fan 3 or 4 times, and retrieve using the "Splash & Twitch" technique (see below).
3. Move further along the bank and repeat the process.

"Splash & Twitch" Technique

With each of the searching methods mentioned above, why not give the "Splash & Twitch" technique a go. As Beetles are land-based insects, they are regularly blown (or drop from trees) onto the water, and they are not that elegant when they do! Don't worry about perfect presentation, it is often better for this style of fly to splash down on the water, Keep in touch with the drift as the water brings the fly back to you and give the fly a slight twitch every now and then. You will be amazed how often this inducement will bring up a fish! Don't forget to drift the beetle under any overhanging branches.

"Dry Nymph" Technique

Most natural terrestrials start to sink after hitting the water. If your floating terrestrial pattern sinks midway through a drift, just fish it as you would a nymph. Some of the best fishing to be had on a warm summer's afternoon can be by fishing sunk beetles as you would a nymph on a long leader.

Tight lines & have fun out there.