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Buzzers - what are they and how do we fish them?

Our August 2000 contribution from Terry Lawton

Terry Lawton writes about the buzzer, probably the most important family of flies for trout and the stillwater angler, and how to fish for trout feeding on them.

Conrad Voss Bark in his book The Encyclopaedia of Fly Fishing, defines a buzzer as "Another name for a Chironomid, a long-legged gnat-like insect with a humped thorax, a long abdomen, and wings that are often slightly shorter than the body. The angler's name for them is derived either from their habit of buzzing around over the water surface or possibly because in a large swarm they do make a faint buzzing sound.". Midges are members of the Diptera Order of flies. Flies in this Order have two flat wings. Dave Whitlock in A Guide To Aquatic Trout Food describes the midge or buzzer as ".. typically very small, unglamorous, misunderstood insects."

Buzzers are probably the most important family of flies for stillwater anglers. There are more than 430 different species but not all are relevant to trout and fishing as many of them do not have aquatic life-cycles. With this number of different species, it is most likely that there will be hatch of buzzers almost every day. Although they are of most interest to stillwater anglers, river anglers are taking more notice of and interest in buzzers as on many rivers they will out-number Ephemeroptera by up to four to one.

Buzzers are at their most vulnerable during the last stage of life as a pupa as they swim to or hang just below the surface where they transform into winged adults. As a hatch begins, the trout will feed on the swimming pupae. As the hatch builds up the fish will start taking the pupae just under the surface as they are easier for a fish to take because the pupae cannot escape easily from the surface film. In calm conditions fish will rise in a head-and-tail form: when you see fish rising like this, start fishing buzzers. In breezy conditions the trout may well swim upwind sipping-in the buzzer pupae as they go. Wind, or lack of, dictates how best to fish buzzers.

At rest a pupa is strongly curved with a slim body that is often well ribbed with the colour of the adult fly showing through. The head will be bulbous where the wings and legs have developed. There are prominent white tufts on top of the head which are the breathing filaments and at the end of its tapered body, there are whitish caudal fins which help it to swim. According to John Goddard's Waterside Guide, some smaller species will hatch during the day but the bigger buzzers will hatch in the evening or early morning.

Fishing styles

There are two styles for fishing buzzers on stillwaters, according to the strength of the wind. On still days use a floating line, a long leader, 20 feet, and a single epoxy buzzer. Cast out and, before allowing the fly to sink, give a long pull on the line, to straighten out the flyline and leader. Then wait. The buzzer will drop and takes will come on the drop. You will find that most takes are seen and not felt.

If the buzzer reaches the bottom, a couple of long pulls will bring it back to the surface, so that you can repeat the drop again. Sometimes you can get a take on the way up. The retrieve is static apart from lifting the fly back to the surface. This type of action mimics the path of the buzzer: vertical up and down movements.

You can also fish static CDC or foam suspender buzzers. But, watch out, the takes can be vicious !

An alternative aporoach is to use a long leader with two droppers, the first 10 feet from the tip and the second a further five feet up the leader. Grease the leader up to the top dropper so that it will float and then tie-on a team of three different buzzers. Good buzzer imitations will be dressed sparsely so that they are delicate. Cast out and fish the team completely static or just across the wind if there is any. Do not retrieve your line as this will make the flies ineffective.

Windy days

On windy days use a floating line again but a shorter leader, about 15 feet. Find a spot where the wind is side on. From a safety point of view, if you are right handed, you want the wind to blow from the left to the right. Cast out a single or team of buzzers and allow the cast to drift with the wind. No retrieve is needed. If a take is seen, you must strike in the opposite direction to the drift to maximise the pull on the line.

At the end of each cast, as with nymph fishing, give a long slow lift. It's amazing how many fish follow buzzers right up to your feet.

In all buzzer fishing, the retrieve is critical. IT MUST BE STATIC. Concentration is the key as most takes are gentle and will be seen only. So don't cast too far if your eyesight is not so good.

• We would like to thank Crowood Press for allowung us to feature the illustrations above. These are taken from FLY FISHERMAN'S ENTOMOLOGICAL PATTERN BOOK.

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