Buzzers

Fly Fishing with a Buzzer Pattern

Fly fishing with a buzzer pattern is a highly effective technique, especially on stillwaters like lakes and dams where midges (chironomids) make up a large portion of a trout’s diet. Buzzers represent the pupal stage of the midge as it ascends from the lakebed to the surface to hatch.

Fly anglers usually fish buzzers on a floating line with a long, fine leader to allow the fly to sink slowly and behave naturally in the water column. They can be fished singularly or as part of a team of two or three flies at varying depths. A common and effective method is to use a “washing line” setup, with a buoyant fly (such as a booby or hopper) on the point and one or two buzzers on the droppers, suspending them in the feeding zone.

The key to success with buzzers is a slow, subtle presentation—often just letting the flies hang or drift with the breeze or using a very slow figure-of-eight retrieve. Takes are usually gentle, so keeping a close eye on the line or using a strike indicator can help detect subtle bites. This method is particularly productive during midge hatches when trout are actively feeding just beneath the surface.

A great way to fish pressured still waters in Dullstroom and surrounds.