Put and Take Sverige
Buzzer
When rainbow trout noses at the surface and refuses everything that is streamers and large nymphs, it is often busy eating buzzers. The fly imitates the pupa of a midge on its way up to hatch, and because that is one of rainbow trout’s most common food sources in still water the Buzzer is one of the most reliable flies you can have when the fish has become selective.
The most important food you forget
Midges (chironomids) hatch in enormous numbers in put-and-take waters, and their pupae rise slowly towards the surface where they are an easy meal. Rainbow trout can stand and graze these for hours, and then becomes almost impossible to fool with anything else. A small, slim Buzzer with thin ribbing catches exactly that silhouette. Precisely because it matches such common food it is often the answer when the fish is rising small and gently.
Size and colour
Keep the fly small and slim: size 10 to 14 covers most situations. Black is the safe first choice, but red and olive are at least as good to have, preferably with a shiny ribbing that hints at the pupa’s segmented body. Match the size to the small pupae you see rising in the water, and rather go too small than too large if the fish is fussy.
How you fish it
The Buzzer needs patience, because it should be fished very slowly, often almost still. The classic way is to hang it under a fly indicator at the depth the fish stands and let it rest there, with only occasional millimetre twitches. An alternative is an extremely slow, even retrieve that barely moves the fly. If you twitch too much it loses its credibility. When the indicator shivers or is drawn down you make a calm strike.
Find the right depth
Just as with other pupae and nymphs a lot is about laying the fly at the right level. If you see rises at the surface, fish shallow. If nothing takes, lower the indicator step by step until you find where the pupae, and the fish, actually are. A Buzzer and a Klinkhammer complement each other well: the pupa under the surface and the emerger in the surface film itself. The basics of presentation we take under nymph fishing, and more choices in flies for rainbow trout.
FAQ
What is a Buzzer?
An imitation of a midge pupa (chironomid) on its way to the surface to hatch. It is one of rainbow trout’s most common food sources in still water, which makes the Buzzer very reliable.
How do I fish a Buzzer?
Very slowly, often almost still. Hang it under a fly indicator at the right depth, or fish it with an extremely slow retrieve. Patience is the key – if you twitch too much it works worse.
Which size and colour?
Size 10 to 14, often in black, red or olive with a thin ribbing. Black is a safe first choice. Match the size to the small pupae you see rising in the water.