This is my own variation of the popular stillwater pattern. Designed to imitate a
buzzer in the final stages of hatching the shipmans buzzer is an excellent choice when
chironomids are coming off the water. Fish it ginked up and static on a long degreased
leader but make sure you keep in touch with your line. Fish will often take this fly with
complete confidence and expect the line to be pulled out of your hand or to see a
fish ‘head and tail’ where the fly is.

As always the materials listed below are just a guide for you but make sure that the hook
is lightwire otherwise no amount of Gink will save you!

Materials used:

Hook: Drennan emerger Size 14
Thread: Brown
Breathing filaments: Antron yarn
Rib: Pearl Tinsel
Body (rear-half): Fine brown dubbing
Body (front half): Dark brown seal’s fur
Please note, the material list above is just a guideline.

1. Begin by laying down a few turns of thread to form a base.

2. Catch in a length of antron yarn. If you are having problems with keeping the fly afloat use
two lengths together. Don’t trim it to the desired size yet.

3. Lash down the yarn with close touching turns to a point just before the bend……

4. ……then catch in a length of pearl tinsel for the rib.

5. Next, dub the fine brown fur onto your thread……

….and create a fairly tight body to a point just over half way along the hook. Rib the body you’ve
just created with three or four turns of the pearl tinsel and lash down then trim the waste.

Form a nice scruffy thorax with the seal’s fur – aim to get a nice ‘buggy’ look but as
mentioned earlier try not to go crazy with the stuff.

6. All that’s left now is to trim the antron yarn filaments, form a nice head and
whip finish.