Following on from the Blog about the different types of Bungs and their advantages and disadvantages. This week I will look at the buzzers and the best way to fish them.
A buzzer is the angler’s terminology for the aquatic non-biting Chironomidae or midge larvae, they come in a wide range of colours and sizes and depending on the time or year and water temperature will depend on the type that will hatch. They spend the first section of their life as Bloodworm living in the silt, after around a year they pupate. This is when they start their ascent to the surface in order to hatch into the adult buzzer we see by the millions along the waters edge in the warm days of May.
It’s at this pupa stage the trout gorge themselves on them as start their very slow swim to the surface. They become an easy protein rich meal for the hungry trout.
When it comes to fishing buzzers static is often the best. As the naturals swim very slow to static, they in fact do short burst kicking up a couple of times form a small bend, and then falling back straight as they tire. Therefore, buzzers come in straight and curved patterns to imitate the different points of their swimming action.
One of the most popular ways to fish buzzers is to straight line them, this means having a team of 3 or 4 on a cast with no buoyant fly to hold them in the water. As they sink in the water you get a straight leader with them sinking towards the bottom. This method can be fished on a floater all the way down to fast sinkers depending on how deep the fish are sitting. On a floater it allows you to cover depths from 18-5 feet as you evenly space out the buzzers. My leader set up is to have 8ft from fly line to first fly and then 5ft to middle and 5ft to the point. However, if 18ft of leader is a worrying prospect this can easily become 5/5/5ft or even 5/4/4ft. When fishing buzzers as previously mentioned static is best hence why anchoring can be great. As its just a case of cast out and allow to sit there as a trap for the fish. However, static buzzers can be easily achieved from a drifting boat. The key is if you hold the line slightly above the water you will get a loop as picture. 
If this loop is just holding as pictured then you are fishing dead static, if its lifting on the retrieve or bowing under the rod tip then you are either moving it or not keeping up with the speed of the retrieve. This technique is also perfect for detecting takes, as if the line lifts and holds there is a fish who has taken the flies but not moved enough for you to feel it down the line and in your hand While static is great some days giving the line, a long slow draw will be the key to great sport.
Not only does this allow the flies to be draw up from the bottom so not get snagged. It presents them in a very natural manner, as a natural buzzer will give sudden burst of movement and then fall back.
However, for the technique of fishing the buzzers static and watching the loop to work, a straight line to the flies is key. If the boat is crabbing and causes the line to become bowed as pictured.
Then the method, won’t work as there is to much slack in the line and takes won’t register on the loop. It’s therefore the use of a small mend it crucial to keep the line straight. The small mend can also induce a take as it gives a sudden small movement on the buzzers like the natural. Once this small mend has been achieved the line should look this this.
The final key section to the static buzzer is at the end of the retrieve the hang, with a team of buzzers on either a midge tip or a floater is the hang. After working down the line on the drift keeping them static a small section of the floater or the midge tip will have been pulled under with the weight of the buzzers as pictured.
When this angle of the line occurs, on the hang the results can be deadly. The key is to figure of eight the line, keeping everything static right down to where the line goes into the water. Then once the tip is nearly touching the water slowly raise the line vertically hold and wait for the rod to buckle over as the trout grabs the buzzers before they leave the water.
Some days though static is the absolute order of the day at a very specific depth this is then the Bung comes into its own as mentioned the last blog LINK TO LAST BLOG is the Bung and its lethal for buzzers at this time of year.
While a variety of buzzers do work its important to keep on eye of what colour and size is hatching around you to make sure you imitate match the conditions of the day. Although this week we have done a special offer on the 10 best buzzers the Guiding & Tuition Team have found across the waters. Pictures below please follow the link to our online store to purchase your set today www.flyfishstore.co.uk/offers
Tightlines
Tom Bird
Guiding & Tuition Manager
