Looking for something else?
Try one of these!
Narova Beetle Fly Step-by-Step:
As I’ve plunged further down the rabbit hole of foam terrestrials in recent weeks, I’ve found myself referring back to saved posts from social media. A fly tyer’s best friend, the save feature on these sites has long served as a quick reference for patterns I’d eventually like to tie. With dozens if not hundreds of posts queued up, its simply a matter of scrolling back until you find the pattern you’re looking for.
In this week’s case, that pattern was an inventive extended-body beetle pattern that I had never seen before. Dubbed the Narova Beetle, this fly is the creation of Russian tyer, Dmitri Tseliaritski. And while the internet provides little in regards to the origin of this fly, a number of other patterns credited to Mr. Tseliaritski do pop up in the search results. All fairly innovative, they’re worth a quick look if you like the pattern below.
| Materials: | ||
|---|---|---|
 Caddis/Scud (Size 12-14) |  70 Denier (Black) |  Hare’e Ice Dub (Black) |
 Foam (2-mm; Black) |  CDC (Brown or Black) |  Flat Tinsel (Pearl) |
 Foam (2-mm; Yellow or Orange) |
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. A small commission may be paid for purchases made through these links.
Narova Beetle Fly Step-by-Step Tying Instructions:
(Mobile Viewers: Click images to enlarge or rotate phone to landscape)
Tips and Tricks
- Material Substitutions – While Hare’e Ice Dub has been utilized above, don’t overlook Peacock Herl as an alternative abdomen/underbody. It’s the classic go-to material for beetle patterns for a reason. Just be sure to lay down a thin layer of super glue before wrapping the Herl abdomen. This step will go a long way towards adding to the longevity of your fly.
- More than a Beetle– While scouring the web for more info on this pattern, I stumbled across a variation of this fly meant to represent an adult caddis. Requiring only minor tweaks to go from beetle to caddis, it’s fairly evident that this style of fly could be easily adapted to mimic a variety of down-winged aquatic insects or terrestrials.
Proof of Concept
While I have nothing to report at the moment, this fly will hopefully prove its worth during an upcoming visit to RMNP. With summer in full swing, terrestrials should be prevalent on small mountain streams. Beetles among them. With any luck, I’ll find a few Colorado Cutthroat eager to sample this pattern.
Tight Line!
Chris
Species Caught on the Narova Beetle to Date:
Enjoy our Content?
Subscribe below to be notified anytime a new Step-by-Step is added.
Support our Content
Enjoy our content & want to help support our work? Consider clicking one of the Ads below the article if something catches your attention. Each click brings in a small bit of revenue to help offset the cost of maintaining & hosting this great site!