The Buzzer bung - The technique known as the bung is used by many large still water fly fishermen. When fishing with buzzers they prefer to present their flies static at different depths to help try and locate at what depth the rainbow and brown trout are feeding.

BUZZER MIDGE FLY PATTERNS. Hook size 12 14 16 18 20 24 - $US each

Using the Bung method

The Bung is a very effective technique that uses three flies spaced out at 3 foot intervals along the leader. Some anglers use sight indicators to spot any action that is happening down below. Others use a buoyant dry fly like a Wulff, hopper, foam beetle or a Tup’s indispensable. Having cast out a 12 foot line let the flies sink freely for 10 to 15 seconds. Trout often take these patterns on the drop. If nothing happens make a short pull to keep in touch with the flies, to lift them slightly in the water. Use a slow figure of eight retrieve and give one more pull or a lift of the rod tip. Takes can often happen as the flies drop down in the water again.

Here are a few more tips for fishing with epoxy buzzers. Look for quiet calm water as it allows you more control over your flies and also aids take detection. Look out for water birds feeding on the surface on hatching adults. Think about your presentation. Use a strong straight cast but do not splash the line on the water. Fish your darkest buzzer on the point and use lighter flies as you get nearer the surface. Try an olive epoxy buzzer in the middle and a brown or ginger buzzer near the top.

When the wind is blowing towards the shore, the underflow can push coloured murky water back out. Move your boat further out because the undertow will also push food items out into the open water. Cast towards the edge of the coloured area in clear water as trout will often patrol this area.

What makes a good top dropper buzzer?

Size, shape and how you fish your artificial fly have a greater bearing on your success as a fly fisherman than using exact copies of the natural insect the fish are devouring. The specific qualities a material used to make a fishing fly when wet is also very important.

One of the main food sources for a trout are midge pupa more commonly known as buzzers. These chrironomids come in a bewildering range of colours; from the brightest green through to those as black as coal. Add to this the size variation from those best tied on a size 10 hook to the micro buzzers tied on a size 24 hook, it is easy to end up with hundreds of flies in your fly box to be ready to cope with different situations.

I always spend time to get to know the water I am about to fish before I start casting. Probing about in the depths with a child's fishing net can bring a wealth of knowledge on what the local aquatic insects look like.

You will then get a head-start on other anglers by matching the species that populate the local waters. Generally speaking blacks, browns and olives dominate. Notice how slender and unassuming they are.

There are some features that can only be seen under water. A shuck full of gas emits a silvery overcoat and prior to hatching the wing buds can take on an orange or red tinge.

The slim strong segmented abdomen is attached to the thorax region. Notice it is not a big round blob like you see on some shop bought buzzers. It is more of an elongated egg shape in appearance. A good artificial midge pupae buzzer should have the same silhouette.

Even though they frantically thrash about, chironomid pupae are poor swimmers. Should you fish with a straight hooked buzzer or a curved hook buzzer. Both work. The way they swim is by straightening their body and then curving it again. I personally prefer the curved hooked epoxy buzzers as I believe the pupae spend more time in this position, especially when at rest drifting with the current.

Confidence is key. If you experience success with a particular fly then stick with it. One thing to remember that going small does not always mean that you have to use tiny hooks. You can use larger hooks but just short dress the hook with your artificial fly pattern.

Although a midge pupae fly consisting of just a thorax and abdomen will take fish, more elaborate fly can bring better results. Wing buds, breathers and thorax covers are important details on many patterns.

When a natural buzzer is collapsed in the palm of your hand the breathers are barely visible. In the water these tiny white, filaments radiate from both the head and to a lesser extent to the rear of the pupa.

They can be a feature looked for by the hungry trout as they are so visible. Another such feature is the wing cases or wing buds. Emerging insects pump blood into their encased wings, helping them to expand. On some pupae he start of this process means that the folded and compressed wings start to change colour. On some species these wing buds take on a quite distinctive bright orange to red flush.

Epoxy buzzers are slim and cut through the water quickly to reach their required depth. They are ideal for a point of middle dropper. For the top dropper I prefer a buzzer with a thorax made using soft dubbing. I find the fibres trap minute air bubbles that mimic the gas bubbles produced and used by some insects to help float to the surface.

Remember when fishing buzzers use a very slow retrieve. The natural insects are very poor slow swimmers. Better still let then drift with the current as if they have been ripped from the bottom by some disturbance and are waiting to float back down again. Just add the odd tweak of the line to suggest life.

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