Midge / EmergersGrey Boy Buzzer (Wyatt)
The Grey Boy Buzzer imitates a midge pupa hanging in the film, built with a slim dark hare's ear (or heron barb) abdomen ribbed with the tying thread for a clean, segmented look. Fluffy base-feather barbs form a wingcase and breathers, mimicking emerging gills, while the dark thorax gives fish a sharp target during long midge hatches.
Spring, Summer, Fall
Intermediate
Trout
Feb 2026
Overview
Bob Wyatt developed this pupa pattern to fish just under the film during chironomid emergences, when trout key on the vertical, motionless posture of hatching midges. Using the working thread as the rib keeps the body sparse and avoids bulk that would work against a natural drift. Tiers can substitute heron barbs for hare's ear on the abdomen without changing the fly's action. It fishes best on a slow retrieve or dead drift during prolonged hatches, on both moving water and stillwater.
Where to Buy This Fly
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Materials
- Hook:
- Sprite Grub #10-14 (or alternative medium wire scud hook)
- Thread:
- Sparton 6/0, white
- Abdomen:
- Hare's ear, dark, or heron barbs, dark grey (or substitute, such as grey goose)
- Rib:
- Tying thread
- Wingcase/breathers:
- fluffy barbs from base of feather
- Thorax:
- Hare's ear, dark
Behavior & Presentation
Natural Behavior: Grey midge pupae drift vertically in the surface film during emergence, suspended with their pupal shucks hanging below while adults slowly extract themselves and dry their wings. Fish cruise just below the surface film to sip these trapped midges because they provide consistent, predictable feeding opportunities during prolonged hatches that can last for hours.
Where Trout Eat It: Trout cruise just below surface film sipping grey buzzers during prolonged stillwater midge hatches.
How to Fish It: Suspend pattern in surface film with minimal retrieve, watching for subtle indicator twitches signaling sipping takes.
Best Water: Fish stillwater shoals 4-10 feet deep with soft bottom, lake bays with weed growth, and calm flats during midge emergence.
Strike Type: Suspended in the surface film with minimal retrieve, strikes appear as subtle indicator twitches or barely visible dimples. Watch for quiet sipping rises as cruising trout methodically work through stillwater shoals during midge hatches.
Fishing Strategy
Rigging Suggestions: Use a 12-15 foot leader with 6X-7X tippet. Fish alone or as a dropper beneath a small dry fly.
Seasonal Timing: Most effective during peak feeding periods at dawn and dusk. Water temperatures between 45-65°F typically produce best results.
Pro Tips: Midge fishing requires patience and subtle strike detection. Watch for slight indicator movement or leader twitches rather than dramatic takes.
Entomology
Midge pupae drift in the surface film during emergence, suspended vertically with their pupal shucks hanging below while the adults slowly extract themselves and dry their wings. Fish cruise just below the surface film to sip these trapped midges because they provide consistent, predictable feeding opportunities during prolonged hatches that can last for hours.
- Order
- Diptera
- Family
- Chironomidae
- Common Name
- Midge
- Organism Type
- insect
- Life Stage
- general
