Gary LaFontaine created this simple pattern to represent a small clump of midges. During heavy hatches of these diminutive insects trout will switch from taking individual flies and grab a mating cluster when it floats by. This fly in sizes 12 and 14 can be very effective in that situation. In recent years guides on the Missouri River have been using small sizes with great success during mayfly hatches. One theory being that some ultra selective fish are feeding on drowned flies and the Buzz Ball imitates that. Whatever the reason it seems to work well. When tying, the first hackles are wound on then trimmed short creating a small round compact body. The last hackle is palmered through the body then clipped to form Vs on the top and bottom.

Hook : Dry fly, #12 – #18
Body : Dun and orange hackle – mixed and trimmed
Hackle : Grizzly – palmered and clipped

Alan Bowers

Fly tied by Alan Bowers