Anything claiming to be able to beat a blank was going to get my attention but be honest we’ve heard such claims in the flyfishing and fly tying industry so many times before. Anyway I was kindly sent some to try out, so that’s what I have been doing on and off for the past couple of seasons. I fish Garnffrwd, which is a smallwater of about 5 acres which has catch and release tickets and very clear water. The fish are at best choosy and at worst exceedingly clued up, when only getting absolutely everything spot on will reap success. The blank buster buzzers are super skinny and come with a little printed sheet in the box advising which colours are best at which time of day. You may well have read the blurb in the magazines about UV light etc and how it plays a part with regards to colours showing up at different light levels etc. I’m not really up on the scientific part but wanted to put the name and the claims to the test. At first I struggled to even get any interest from the Garnffrwd trout, as it is normally a one fly rule fishery. The trout here like their flies to be preferably in the surface film or certainly in the top couple of inches and it very difficult to achieve a virtually static blank buster buzzer in the taking zone with no visible leader showing in the surface. However I soon found out that the one fly rule had been relaxed, provided you fished no more than two flies and they were size 14 or less. A CDC on the top and a blank buster just under it soon got their interest. An indicator with a single fly had just aroused their suspicion too much but this method had them either taking the CDC or the blank buster just underneath. I mentioned these findings to Andy Kitchener at Essential Fly when I bumped into him at the Welsh Fly Fair. Andy told me that they had also developed a CDC range and a spider range to suit this very style and advised lifting the flies vertically to induce a take and using long leaders. He kindly gave me some to try. Over the rest of the season, I found that this method works, as any non committed fish that would have maybe taken a good long look at the flies previously and then turned away are induced into a take by the realistic up and down movement of the buzzer and because they suddenly realise that they may miss an opportunity for a meal as the flies lift towards the surface. Personally I would have liked the CDC versions to have had a little more length and bulk to the CDC, as I have found it difficult to get them to float in the surface for any length of time, whilst ensuring that no leader lying on the surface betrays them to these wise fish.
I wouldn’t say that this range will definitely save you a blank because they are the next wonder fly but if the fish are being very fussy or have been caught a few times before, this anorexic fly could be just the thing to have in your armoury to save that blank. I can’t promise it but it has saved my blank on more than one occasion.

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Location - Ospreylia

This should do the trick for the surface film, sinks that pesky tippet for you, match the colours to the sheet supplied to test the UV theory.
I will be intrigued with your findings.
cheers,
Roy

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http://reversedparachutes.blogspot.com/
Fine flies, precise dubbings,
Clear Cure Goo supplies, UK&I

I like that fly and will tie a few up and give them a go. I do the same reverse job with some of my suspender buzzers although it sometimes only sinks the last six inches of tippet and when they are being finnicky thats not enough and they'll still refuse.

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Location - Ospreylia