Been trying fishing buzzers for the first time recently. First time out got 2 on a small black buzzer on the point slightly bigger black and green on the dropper and a shuttlecock red & black on the top dropper. (Both took the point fly) I was using a floating line and a straight leader of about 12 to 14'. Since then I've blanked on the 3 subsequent occasions.

Bought a couple of okey dokeys with bead heads at the weekend and tried them on floating and intermediate lines but still no joy. On the intermediate I kept catching weed and nothing else.

First time must have been a fluke but they both took just after I straightened things out and then moved the line very slightly.

How long should the leader be, should it be tapered and how far apart should the buzzers be placed?

The waters getting cold at this time of year so I assume the fish may be deeper but the main places I use are only about 9 to 12' deep. Is the inter any use or should I stick to the floating line??

Any advice welcome!!!

Somebody with more experience will be along soon, but for now I fish them on shortish droppers (approx 4 inch) about 3 foot apart (heaviest buzzer at the bottom). I just use a floating line, casting slightly across the wind so the wind and wave action is the only movement imparted. Keep just in contact with them, so no retrieve really, beyond an occasional twitch.

A

One or two different posts started on fishing buzzers. First thing is to search this forum there have been lots of good links in the past. It's a massive subject.

There are some good books on the basics. My Way With Trout by Arthur Cove and Mastering the Nymph by Gordon Fraser.

Most of the magazines regularly run articles on buzzer fishing look out for them and by a couple.

If you are fishing 9 to 12 feet of water and just starting out I see no need to fish and inter and till you know more you will most likely fish them too fast. On occasion trout will chase a buzzer but not often.

Floating line and you will need to adjust the leader depending on the depth you want to fish.

The first two fish you had sound like the took just after casting out and just settling the line so may have not been that deep. Difficult not knowing on what type of tippet you were using or weight of flies. All the factors can be confusing. It was not a fluke. You got the fly at the right depth when the fish were feeding.

Fish them static or round on the breeze. Right hander prefers a left to right breeze of a couple of miles an hour. The odd little draw or pull will imitate the rise in the water of the natural and can induce interest like you found out.
More wind and you need to find ways of slowing the presentation and on still days you will need to impart a retrieve.

Don't let people put you off using indicators. There are several from a bung to pimps right through to the subtle ones like watching the tip of the fly line or the loop from rod tip to the water.

Last to me the best thing it to meet up with someone who is practiced in the art and watch them fish for a bit.

So a start but there will be more questions. I find it the most absorbing fishing and if there is no dry fly action it is the best thing.

Cheers,
Mark

Thanks for the info guys. How long would you make a leader at 9 to 12 feet deep fishing say a size 12 on point and 14 on the dropper? I've been using 10lb flouro carbon for fear of being broken off again! Maybe too heavy? 4lb got snapped pretty sharpish!

If your using the inter and catching weed,then i would change back to the floater.

I wouldn't bother with a tapered leader stick to 1 9' length of your choice and just use 1 fly the one youv'e had success with.
Or, if you wanted to fish a team then i would tie them at 4' intervals with the shutlecock on closest to hand.

You could use some sort of line floater or mucelin so that the leader hangs that little bit more so the flies fall slower, but iv'e found that they take when their on the drop and as you say when i start to retrieve.

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Fluorocarbon will cut through the water fairly quick. 10lb is ok if you are catching real lumps but I would go for 6lb or 8lb before jumping to 10. (A co-polymer will sink less quickly).

If you are sure the fish are deep and want to fish the 9 to 12 feet depth you will need around 15 feet of leader. This should see you hit the lake bed if you manage the drift/retrieve well.

Cheers,
Mark

Thanks folks. Will give it another go at the weekend with the floating line. Have just ordered some 8lb copolymer leader so if it turns up in time I'll stick that on as well.

I've had a search through some previous threads on buzzers and there's some good stuff in here! What a cracking facility!

Re the okey dokeys have any of you tried them? The ones I got have beaded heads so will go fairly deep.

This will be my first winter fishing on stillwaters. Are buzzers and okey dokeys the right type of things to be using through the dark days or will wets and lures still have a part to play?

Buzzers will always catch fish, Lures are good in the winter, fish them slow, the trout will not be expending a lot of energy and remember depth is key. An Apps bloodworm is another good pattern for the winter.

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Eddie
"We look to Scotland for all our ideas of civilisation."
Voltaire

Natural buzzers are in the water through winter so are always worth a try. The key is fishing them at the correct depth, which for the majority of the time will be deep so, for me anyway, a goldhead red pattern on the point with one or two small black buzzers (size 14/16) on droppers fished as slowly as you can, can work very well. Keep an eye out for buzzer hatches during the warmest part of the day (11am - 2pm) as the fish will feed higher in the water as the buzzers hatch. These flies will be more often than not, very small so in this instance i'd swap the goldhead on the point for another small black buzzer or even a suspender type if fish can be seen near the surface.

Don't discount lures though during cold weather, lures fished slowly on intermediate/slow sink lines (depending on water depth) catch lots of fish.

Mat

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Had to redo this reply as Mat and Eddie have just said a lot of it and I would agree with them, although I don't fish stillwaters in Scotland - much to my regret and to be rectified asap

I would reemphasise what Mat said about buzzer hatches in winter. Last winter I took a fair few fish on a B&P spider, size 18 fished just under the surface film - even when ice was forming at the edges and even when there was no obvious hatch. So don't discount the possibility of fish being high in the water, even in midwinter.

As for 10lb fluoro, I think it is a bit thick and heavy for small buzzers. Your problem with breakages using 4lb, may be down to using a heavy rod and line with a 4lb leader, or with the knots you use. Not everybody agrees but I think that there are some knots that fluoro doesn't like eg the half blood knot.
Also don't persist with a fluoro leader if you can see damage on it.

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