Chironomid pupa
Shuttlecock Buzzer
TroutFilm
A CDC-winged buzzer that hangs vertically in the film, wing up and body below — the exact attitude of a midge pupa stuck in the surface tension and going nowhere fast. The fly just sits there. So does the angler. This is reservoir fishing at its most stripped-back.
Fish this when
A glass calm at Grafham or Rutland, trout head-and-tailing in every direction. Long leader, greased to within a foot of the fly, cast once and left. The take is a gentle pull when you've stopped expecting it.
Naturals it imitates
Chironomid pupa — stuck in the film
Typical zone & fishable range
usually
Surface
Film
Subsurface
Deep
Setup sensitivity: medium
Included in packs
Shuttlecocks & static