FLYMPH FORUM

John,
Ken Cameron wrote an excellent article for The American Fly Fisher in 1979 about archaic fly fishing terms that are little used today. His paragraph on "Buzz":

"Buzz: A fly "tied buzz" was often mentioned in nineteenth-century writing. In fly-fishing, it had one sense of palmer tied, even of palmer-tied with two hackles back-to-back for greater flare. This meaning may have some connection with a fly that "buzzes" on the water, the flared hackle imitating frantic activity; however, the word was seemingly more appropriate to a beetle, as in the Marlow Buzz fly. Whether this meaning derives in turn from the buzzing sound of flying beetles, I am not sure; there are at least two other meanings of "buzz" that pre-date its angling sense, one meaning a burr or teasel (and hence a visual similarity to a heavily palmered fly), the other meaning a bushy or hairy wig (and hence the same visual identification.)"

I happen to favor the bivisible, or buzz style of fly -and I fish them quite frequently. Some I use tinsel for the body, others dubbing. I have found when using tinsel, leaving a small gap between wraps instead of using touching turns will allow the hackle stem to sit between each wrap, and afford it some protection from trout teeth. I then counter wrap with Silk, and it makes for a very strong, durable body. See my attempted sketch, attached.

Dana

Clever, Dana. Gotta try that!

Gutterman has some great products John- great idea, I will have to give that a try.

I'm a little disappointed after reading this whole thread.

I thought we were going to talk streamside scotch.

Good one Carl.