How to tie the Spanthrax Buzzer

Time Well Spent April 19, 2023

This beautiful, slender and simple fly by Rob Denson captures the essence of a natural buzzer. 

Material list for the Spanthrax Buzzer

Hook: Size 8-14 Hayabusa 387 

Body: Spanflex ribbed in open turns – colour of choice

Wing buds: Spanflex – colour of choice

Thorax: Spanflex (as body) with teardrop of Hard As Nails varnish infused with red ink

Step 1. Take a 6in-8in length of olive Spanflex, stretch it to its limit and catch it in – as you would if adding thread to a hook – with a locking turn.

Step 2. With the initial turn locked tight, wind the Spanflex in open turns to a point at which the thorax and wing buds will start.

Step 3. Keeping tension on the working end, trim the waste end while stretching it. Don’t trim too close (1mm is ideal) or it will “retreat” under the locking turn and unravel.

Step 4. Fold 2in of orange Spanflex around the olive Spanflex and slide it tight to the hook. 

Step 5. Figure-of-eight the olive around the orange, to lock it. Wind the olive to the eye in touching turns.

Step 6. Pull the two ends of the orange Spanflex forward to form the wing buds. Lock them in place with one tight turn of the olive Spanflex.

Step 7. Make a one-turn whip finish (by hand) with the olive Spanflex, keeping it under maximum tension. Move wing buds into correct position.

Step 8. Pull waste ends of orange Spanflex away from eye, stretching them double. Trim 1mm from the eye. Repeat with waste olive Spanflex.

Step 9. Turn the hook upside down in the vice and add a spot of permanent red marker pen to the rear of the wing buds.

Step 10. Add thick Hard As Nails to the underside of the thorax and agitate the ink with a dubbing needle so it bleeds into the varnish. Return the hook to an upright position and dry for 12 hours.

Step 11. Brush on another two or three coats of varnish (at six-hourly intervals), covering the thorax and body. Allow three days to cure before fishing.