Buzzers

[charlie caller 3,654]

Just out of interest guys, aimed at the reservoir/stillwater trout fishermen amongst us, what percentage of the time would you say you spend fishing buzzers? If we accept that around 70- % of the trouts diet consists of buzzers, and they will hatch 365 days a year, then in theory at least, we should fish them a lot, I have fished buzzers more often this year (as a bit of an experiment) and up to now I seem to be catching more fish, just looking for others experiences/opinions.

[Sirius 1,391]

I seem to end up using them pretty much at some point during most sessions on stillwaters.
However i much prefer the satisfaction of catchingon a well placed dryfly.

 

I always try and adapt to suit the way the water is fishing and what is happening, and sometimes that isnt going to be a buzzer.

Edited April 8, 2014 by Sirius

[charlie caller 3,654]

I agree the satisfaction of dry fly fishing is great, and some days, only a lure will work for instance, but forgetting the early season, stood freezing like a heron, when generally only a lure will work, and even then I have spooned the fish or inspected its stomach contents at home, and along with other things like snails,leeches, and all manner of wee beasties, there is nearly always a collection of buzzers, from the tiny to the huge, and as you say Sirius, you end up using buzzers at some point in most sessions, along with the way my catch rate is going this season, leads me to believe I have not exploited them enough.

[Sirius 1,391]

I agree I don't use them enough

[Tiercel 6,986]

Many years ago I read a book that changed the way I fished completely, and improved the amount of fish I was catching. Up until that time I had stuck to the perceived wisdom of if its cold go deep, if it's warm fish high in the water. As you say buzzers in one shape or another make up most of the still waters trout's diet, yet they are not fished for with any consistency with the buzzer.

 

Once I had read Arthur Coves book My Way With Trout it revolutionised and simplified the way I fished and made it more pleasurable, if that is possible. Gone were the days of thrashing the water changing and re-changing flies. With more emphasis on how the flies are fished rather than the fly it's self it really opened my eyes to a whole new world of fly fishing.

 

The style of fishing he prescribes works well with many types of fly not just the cove nymph. I would honestly recommend this type of fishing to anyone.

 

TC

[mart02 5]

I love buzzer fishing and tend to use them alot early season through to june.

 

Until last year though I had never used them with a strike indicator. I was down Rutland and fishing buzzers in the traditional way but catching nothing. The bloke next to me however was taking fish after fish. After a while he came over to me and advised me to try an indicator and static buzzer and even gave me one of his own perfectly tied quill buzzers and indicators.

 

The difference was night and day and I too was getting loads of action. Until that day I thought that indictors were a bit "dirty" but I now accept that when needs be you have to fish your fly static and the indicator is great for this.

[kenj 131]

mart02 has hit the nail on the head. I fished buzzers for years and caught my fair share of trout. My ideal situation being to cast across a slight wave, keeping a bow in the line, allowing the buzzer to work round the bow. Successful takes would be a pull, or the line moving at the leader. I missed plenty of takes. Last year a friend invited me to fish with him and he gave me some indicator yarn and I fished buzzers and bloodworms static. The indicator just kept disappearing with takes. I still missed takes, but the takes per hour went up five fold. Previously I would not have seen these takes.

[charlie caller 3,654]

Very interesting, the general feeling seems to be, the more buzzers, the more fish, I like the idea of yarn rather than the bung, it always seems to slow the cast down a lot, unless of course you on a boat, starting a drift with the wind behind you, then you could cast out with a loaf of bread as an indicator

Edited April 9, 2014 by charlie caller

[Furittus 35]

% of my stillwater fishing is with buzzers, get them at the right depth and your going to have some excellent sport, and the big bonus is they work everywhere .

[neil cooney 10,416]

I only fish buzzers if I have to but they are deadly. I use to fish a reservoir where bite indicators were banned so I'd put a booby on the point and fish 2 or 3 buzzers cloths line style using the booby as an indicator.

[Ideation 8,216]

To be honest, when on a still water. . . . . it's pretty much all I use.

 

Either buzzers, or small scruffy flies, like a furry buzzer.

 

And the odd dry.

 

I have a lot of success with black and red and black and green, skinny buzzers.

 

Sometimes, with a slight 'ruff' just behind the head.

[mart02 5]

Despite what I posted above about indicators I still prefer not to use one if I can as I don't think you can beat that feeling of direct contact with a fish, especially all the little nips and plucks you seem to get with buzzers.

[Furittus 35]

Anyone tie their own buzzers ?, I might be interested in an exchange,

[J Darcy 5,871]

Some of mine. I like to fish a slim buzzer under a foam headed buzzer.

[Tiercel 6,986]

Some of mine. I like to fish a slim buzzer under a foam headed buzzer.

I remember when those foam headed buzzers first became popular, polystyrene ball wrapped in a bit of the wife's tights, then tying them at different angles to the hook to get the hook to lay at different positions in the water. Ooh those were the days, we would try anything.

 

TC