Is It Debatable, or is it a Must Do?

[GAZJB]

I was just trying to answer a question for someone on this site and I came across a question I would like to share with the rest of the fly guys.

Your fishing Buzzer patterns for example and it is going a little bit slow. However, you catch a fish, dispatch it and spoon the stomach content. On examination you identify Hawthorns for example, do you change you pattern and fish a Hawthorn dry or stick with Buzzers as they did work to catch the fish?

[Dubbed Squirrel]

If the fish are rising and you can identify to what, then I`d change to that pattern (nothing beats taking a fish on the surface). If not, I`d stick to buzzers.

[geejayy]

yep, i'd echo what D/S said & match the hatch, definately if fish are seen to be riseing .
even if fish are no longer riseing its worth a shot as the spoon reveiled that that is their current preference & you could always go back to the buzzers if no improvement.

[zonnkers]

If the fisheries rules allow it I would fish a Hawthorn on the Dropper and a Buzzer on the point , that way I cover both options but if the fish are rising I would fish a single Dry on the point.

[courty]

I'm re-reading Brian Clarke's "in pursuit of still water trout."

He suggests sticking with the pattern that has just caught in case the trout have suddenly switched what they are taking, so in this case continue with the buzzer, and if it no longer works, the hawthorns are another option.

The edition I have is dated 1974, so while the patterns available have changed, the thinking still applies.