Hello, this is only my second post. I'm a bit ashamed owing to the fact that my 1st post received such a lovely response but owing to various factors I was unable to reply to some of the answers I received.
Anyway, I was fishing a nice big pool on our little Chalk Stream yesterday afternoon and there were three really nice Brownies feeding away. The rise forms were of a very gentle and leisurely type and sometimes were like a tiny sip and others were of the head and tail variety, but, very gentle.
From this I deducted that they must have been feeding in or just under the film as I could see nothing actually coming off the water. I tried various Dry patterns and Nymphs but all of them failed to incite a take. Finally, I had the basic good sense to try an F fly. I caught a good fish on my 1st cast and following an examination of its stomach content discovered it to have been eating beetles of mostly a very small 2mm long variety ? Small and blueish, greeny, black ?
I tried to catch the other 2, and still rising fish, with the f fly and missed a take but after that they did not touch it. I tried another 2 types of f fly but they rudely ignored my exquisite and mouth watering offerings. I tried all sorts of cast and presented them in the correct manner with only a 3lb tippet but they did not want the f fly. Anyway, they kept on rising and I did not have a Beetle pattern to share with them plus a very violent family of swans came at me so I got out of the river as fast as I could and went home and had a swim instead ! Ha. Its called giving up with an excuse !
Anyway, I don't know of any beetle patterns (this is only my second season) but I'd like to tie some up to test out tomorrow. Any suggestions or advice would be kindly and gratefully received.
Oh, also, what's the best way of dealing or avoiding a swan attack ? Are they dangerous ?

Kind regards, Olaf

No advice on the beetle as i don't fish rivers.Yes swans are dangerous especially if there's a nest and young about,i think i read somewhere that a male goose ( cobs i think there called ) has been known too or is capable of breaking a mans arm.

Ne

Swans are mostly bravado, if you stand your ground I generally find them to be cowards. As far as beetle patterns are concerned, you could try this one:

http://www.flyforums.co.uk/fly-tying...g-variant.html

Also, any pattern using peacock herl (if you dont have foam) can also be a good imitation.

Beetles are a great pattern to use when your not sure what they are feeding on. I like fishing them static and letting the flow do the work. This is one I've found particularly effective I found it a while back and have since made small variations to suit my style. I fish these in size 16's-22's often finding the smaller ones get more attention from the trout.



Good luck and tight lines.

Gary

something like this





a pattern of a beetle



and another

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Kevin

Good lord! Tying that in a size 22 must take some doing!

Olaf - do you tie your own are are you looking for something commercially available to buy? That might influence the responses you get. The patterns above look just the job but I'm not sure how widely available from shops they will be.

Hello Olaf

On the river maybe try an IBO Humpy.IBO means "it Ought to be outlawed"
They come in a selection of colours and sizes and they work extremely well in some situations.Black ant may also be worth a shot.You can probably source these from Essential Fly unless you tie your own.Many shop bought beetles are in a bigger size.Good luck.

Best JP

Dont worry to much about the swan. As stated all **** and wind. If it gets really close grab it by the neck and I will have the wings. Tasty bit of eating on them too

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It is in truth not glory,nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting,but for freedom - for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with his life.(Declaration of Arbroath, 1320)

On the question of swan attacks there are recorded incidents of swans having broken limbs on adults. Even worse they have killed dogs that attacked them showing the sheer power of the bird.

They are more aggressive when they have young understandably. Rather than confront an angry swan I would recommend backing off a safe distance until it calms down.

I had a similar scenario a number of years ago. I was on the river with my fishing buddy and although had taken a couple of fish each we were struggling a little not being able to generate the interest that we would normally get!
A big furry creature floated downstream with a trout underneath trying to eat it. Now my buddy told me this was a June Bug so the only terrestrial in my box was a small foam beetle tied on a size 16 hook. The words one swallow doesn't make a summer and a wry smile was all I got from my mate! I took three fish with the first three casts which shut him up completely and sent him fumbling for his fly box!
Since then that size sixteen has evolved onto a partridge size twelve sedge hook with black rubber legs which I know is not that imitative but has caught hundreds of trout over the last three years. Trout will even travel across the river for it!

Give it a try and as it is foam will roll cast beautifully under those forbidden branches!!

Mark