Realistic Colorado Potato Beetle Fly

Realistic Colorado Potato Beetle Fly

Our Realistic Colorado Potato Beetle Fly is a great representation of this insect. It features the shape, size, the characteristic orange color with black stripes and three pairs of flexible legs. It is lightweight and floatable, just like the real insect. One of the terrestrial fly patterns that is great to have in your fly box during summer months, especially near the fields with potato crops.

Colorado Potato Beetle

Latin: Leptinotarsa decemlineata
Family: Chrysomelidae

Colorado potato beetle, also known as potato bug is a major pest of potato crops. It is a small size beetle, about 10 mm long. It has orange/brown body with black stripes. They start being active in the spring and can be found on potato, tomato, eggplant and pepper plants.

Fly Fishing Terrestrial Flies

Terrestrial insects are land-bred. Some of the species of terrestrials include: hoppers (grasshoppers), ants, beetles, bees, crickets, etc.

Terrestrials are one of the essential food sources for trout and other game fish during summer months. Hot summer months are when the aquatic insects become sparse, the trout is the most active and grows the fastest. This is when terrestrials become their most important food source as a rich source of protein. A terrestrial falling into the water is a great and nutritious meal for fish as these insects are usually bulkier and heavier than aquatic insects and they provide a large calorie intake when the trout need it most.

Terrestrial fly patterns are effective from May till October, and sometimes even into the November.

As terrestrials are most active and most likely to fall in the river during the day, the best time to fish these fly patterns is anytime from late morning all the way through the evening. Windy days are best as the wind ‘pushes’ them to the water. Optimal locations to present terrestrial patterns is along cut banks, grassy shorelines or under big trees – places where fish wait for them – easy meals just dropping in. As these insects will eventually be pulled further into the river – midstream can also be a good place to present your fly.

On smaller streams fish are depending mostly on terrestrials as their food source. Small waters don’t have the high-energy riffles where the aquatic insects spend much of their lifecycles. For fishing small streams – terrestrials are a must.

Being it mid-summer, early fall, or the midst of spring – fishing terrestrial fly patterns can provide top dry-fly action!