How It’s Tied
The buzzer fly is crafted with a simple yet effective combination of materials: a thin hook, thread, wire, and sometimes a small bead. The slender body is created by wrapping thread around the hook shank, often in varying colors to mimic different stages of the chironomid larva. Wire ribbing adds segmentation and durability.
What It Mimics
This fly imitates the chironomid midge pupa, a key food source for trout in stillwater environments. Midges spend a prolonged pupation stage ascending to the surface to hatch, and the buzzer perfectly replicates this phase, making it a highly effective pattern for stillwater trout fishing.
Beyond trout, the buzzer also attracts carp, bream, chub, ide, and roach, as it mimics other midges and worms found in or near the water.
Where It’s Used
The buzzer excels in stillwaters like lakes, ponds, and reservoirs. Fish it near the bottom or suspend it at varying depths using floating, intermediate, or sinking fly lines. Its slow ascent mirrors the natural movement of midge pupae, creating an irresistible presentation. Watching a buzzer drift toward a fish can be as thrilling as seeing a rise to a dry fly!
Watch a Fly-Tying Demo
Check out the video below for a step-by-step guide. For more tutorials, visit Steve’s YouTube channel.
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Adams
A versatile dry fly, perfect for trout fishing in diverse water conditions. It effectively mimics a wide range of aquatic insects, making it a reliable choice for anglers.
How It’s Tied
The Adams fly is hand-tied using grizzly and brown hackle, gray dubbing, and moose hair fibers for the tail. The hackle wraps around the hook to create the illusion of legs, while the dubbing forms the body, and the moose hair adds a realistic tail. This combination produces a lifelike and highly effective fly.
What It Mimics
The Adams fly excels at imitating various aquatic insects, including mayflies, caddisflies, and midges. Its generic yet detailed design ensures versatility, making it indispensable for trout anglers across different seasons and conditions.
Fly Tying Video for the Adams
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How It’s Tied
The Frog Popper is crafted to mimic a frog’s profile using buoyant foam or hard plastic for the body, creating a popping sound when retrieved. Rubber or silicone strands form the legs, while marabou or similar materials add lifelike movement to the tail. Details like eyes are painted or attached with adhesive-backed materials. A short, strong shank hook ensures durability against aggressive strikes. An optional weed guard (see picture) helps prevent snags—especially useful when fishing near vegetation.
What It Mimics
This pattern replicates frogs or similar amphibians, making it ideal for targeting bass, pike, and musky. Its realistic profile, popping action, and lifelike leg and tail movement trigger aggressive strikes from predatory fish.
Where It’s Used
Frog Poppers excel in frog-rich waters like ponds, lakes, rivers, and streams. They’re most effective in shallow areas, near structure, or vegetation where frogs hide or hunt. For best results, use an erratic retrieve to imitate a struggling frog. The sudden splashes and commotion provoke explosive strikes—so keep your drag ready for powerful runs!
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How It’s Tied
The Biscuit Fly is tied on a short or medium shank hook. It uses either spun deer hair (as shown in the picture) or closed-cell foam, shaped into a rounded or oblong form to mimic a piece of biscuit. Simple yet highly effective.
What It Mimics
Unlike traditional flies that imitate insects or aquatic organisms, the Biscuit Fly replicates a piece of biscuit. It works best in warm months when carp feed actively, especially in areas where they are accustomed to human food—like city parks where they eat bread, cookies, or popcorn.
Where It’s Used
This fly excels in carp-rich waters such as lakes, ponds, slow rivers, and canals. During warm weather, carp often cruise near the surface, making the Biscuit Fly an ideal choice. Pro tip: Resist the urge to twitch it. When a carp approaches, let it sit still—wait until they suck it in for the best results.
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