Beer Buzzers

Wednesday brought four inches of snow, which in turn brought boredom.  I’m not big on snow.  It’s pretty for about a day, then gets old.  And it’s bright. 

I was thumbing through old magazines, looking for ideas of what to tie, and wound up revisiting the newest issue of Fly Tyer I’ve picked up.  The main article was about “Superhero flies,” attractor nymphs based off comic-book characters.

  I never got into comics, but I thought the concept was pretty interesting.  I’ve been getting into midges and buzzers lately, and instead of using a superhero theme, I figured I’d try something nearer and dearer to my heart- the small handful of microbreweries I’ve visited, enjoy, and have fond memories of.  Hence, the Beer Buzzers.

Left column, top to bottom:  Black Butte Buzzer, RLA Midge, Bayern Buzzer, Black Butte Buzzer.  Right column:  Bitterroot Buzzer, Quarry Midge, Blacksmith Buzzer, Stag Nymph, Left Hand Midge

The Left Hand Midge- Left Hand Brewery, Longmont, Colorado

Hook: Dai-Riki 060 #18

Thread: Red 8/0

Bead:  Glass Crystal Bead

Body: Pearl Midge Braid

Rib: Small Ultra Wire, Hot Orange

Thorax: Red Thread, Built-up to form a distinct thorax.

 

RLA Midge- Red Lodge Ales, Red Lodge, Montana

Hook: Dai-Riki 060 #18

Thread: White 8/0

Bead: Silver Tungsten bead, corresponding to hook size.

Body: Pearl Midge Braid

Rib: Small Ultra Wire, Gunmetal Blue

Thorax: Gunmetal Blue Ultra-wire built up to form a thorax. 

 

 

Quarry Midge- Quarry Brewery, Butte, Montana.

Hook: Dai-Riki 060 #18

Thread: Gray 8/0

Body: Gray 8/0

Rib: Ultra wire, Hot orange

Shuck: Gray aftershaft feather

 

Bitterroot Buzzer- Bitterroot Brewery, Hamilton, Montana

Hook: Dai-Riki 060 #18

Thread: Light Olive 8/0

Bead- Ruby red glass bead

Body: Built-up light olive thread.

Rib: Gold ultra-wire

Counter-rib: gunmetal blue ultra-wire.

 

Stag Nymph- Stag Beer, St. Louis, Missouri

Hook: Dai-Riki 060 #18

Thread: Red 8/0

Bead: Glass crystal bead

Body: Gold ultra wire

Thorax: Red thread

 

Black Butte Buzzer- Deschutes Brewery, Bend, Oregon

Hook: Dai-Riki 060 # 18

Bead: Clear crystal glass bead

Thread: Red 8/0

Body: Red Thread

Rib: Black ultra wire

 

Blacksmith Buzzer- Blacksmith Brewery, Stevensville, Montana

Hook: Dai-Riki 060 #18

Thread: Black 8/0

Shellback: Black flashback sheeting

Rib: Black Thread

Body: Gold ultra wire

Head: Built-up black thread

 

Bayern Buzzer- Bayern Brewery, Missoula Montana

Hook: Dai-Riki 060 #18

Bead: Glass crystal bead

Thread: Red 8/0

Body: Black flashback sheeting, wound around the hook shank.

Rib: Gold ultra wire

Thorax: Red 8/0 thread

 

 

I’ll probably keep toying with them.   It’s more just for fun, toying around, bored when the outside temp is hovering somewhere around eight.  But tomorrow’s supposed to be in the twenties, and I may throw a few at some trout….