| If you are anything like me, you live for the | | | | said, you must also be extremely careful not to |
| action packed, heavy hitting, bone jarring | | | | set the hook to soon. This action will basically pull |
| topwater explosion produced when you throw a | | | | the bait right out of the mouth of the fish. |
| topwater bait. As far as I am concerned, it is | | | | I view the procedure for an effective hookset |
| incredibly exiting to watch the water splash | | | | with the buzzbait almost the same as a hookset |
| upwards and the opportunity to see that lunker | | | | with a Senko style worm. As with all topwater |
| bass flash and slam into your bait! Getting a bass | | | | baits, you need to try and delay or hold back on |
| to take surface baits requires you to get their | | | | the hookset a bit. I wait until I actually feel the |
| attention. Out of all the topwater baits on the | | | | fish take to bait. A good rule of thumb is to |
| market, few, if any, come close to creating as | | | | always set the hook by feel, not by sight or |
| much surface disturbance as does the buzzbait. | | | | sound. The faster the fish hits the bait, the longer |
| To a prowling hungry bass, this unique sputtering, | | | | I wait. Many times a bass will hit the bait when |
| splashing and gurgling noise that is created by a | | | | they are cruising along at a high rate of speed |
| buzzbait is extremely hard to resist. I would like | | | | and miss the hook entirely. They will often come |
| to educate and provide you with an understanding | | | | back around and take another swipe at the bait if |
| of the buzzbait so you can also enjoy the | | | | you keep your retrieve steady and slow the |
| success of this awesome and versatile lure. | | | | speed down a bit to make them think they |
| The buzzbait is designed specifically for surface | | | | possibly injured the bait. You can really up your |
| fishing and lacks some of the versatility that it's | | | | odds if you have the buzzbait coated with a great |
| cousin, the spinnerbait possesses. Nevertheless I | | | | scent as well. If the bass gets a taste of the |
| have found that many times a buzzbait is often | | | | scent, they are much more likely to come back |
| more effective than a spinnerbait when fishing | | | | for seconds. |
| over grassy, weedy areas, or visible timber. | | | | Buzzbaits come in several sizes, but the most |
| Why? First of all it is less likely to become fouled | | | | popular are the 1/4oz and the 1/2oz. Some |
| in the grass or weeds. Second, in stained water | | | | buzzbaits have a clacker built in to make them |
| or thick vegetation, the sound created by a | | | | louder. Blades come in all different sizes as well as |
| buzzbait not only alerts bass to its presence but it | | | | shapes. One trick I learned several years ago is to |
| allows them to locate, track, and acquire the bait | | | | take a 1/8" drill bit and drill about 4 or 5 holes on |
| much faster. Third, there is something special | | | | all sides of the blades. This will force water |
| about the way a buzzbait will ignite the predatory | | | | through the blade holes and cause the water to |
| instincts of a bass. A buzzbait will work best in | | | | bubble up. This will make the fish, which is looking |
| calmer waters, however I often use one when | | | | at the bait from an underwater perspective, think |
| there is a slight surface chop on the water. | | | | that there is really something big going on near |
| Although, too much wave action will erase the | | | | the surface. Buzzbaits are also available in one, |
| disturbance action caused by the buzzbait, so let | | | | two, three and even four blade models. The more |
| your common sense take over in this situation. | | | | blades a bait possesses, the louder they are. |
| When the surface temperature of the water is in | | | | When it comes to retrieving the bait, I like to |
| the 60-degree range and the aforementioned | | | | retrieve just fast enough to keep the bait up on |
| water conditions are in alignment, I will throw a | | | | the water surface. If I do not get a reaction using |
| buzzbait just about anytime. Buzzbaits are | | | | this presentation, I then increase the speed until I |
| typically thrown when the sky is overcast or | | | | get a reaction. There are times when I am |
| when you are in a low light condition. Most people | | | | "burning" the bait at full reel speed to get a bite. |
| use the bait early in the morning or late in the | | | | You might also try an erratic type of retrieve |
| evening. Keep in mind, this is simply a theory and | | | | such as a fast-slow-fast or a slow-fast-slow |
| you can throw a buzzbait anytime of the day. | | | | system. You will always be a successful fisherman |
| Buzzbaits are very effective when thrown into | | | | if you will just think your presentations out and |
| thick or heavy grass cover during warm or hot | | | | give the fish what they want. Go ahead and |
| weather. You just might be surprised by how | | | | experiment a little, as there really is not a "right" |
| effective a buzzbait is at drawing bass out of the | | | | way to retrieve this lure. As far as colors go, you |
| densest grass or surface matting. This versatile | | | | must experiment. If you have experienced |
| lure is great for locating bass. They will cast far | | | | success on a certain color of spinnerbait, I would |
| and can be retrieved faster than most topwater | | | | try a duplicate that same color on a buzzbait. My |
| baits. This will allow you to cover a lot more | | | | favorite color of buzzbait is junebug or white |
| water in a shorter period of time. Considering that | | | | chartreuse with light blue. |
| a buzzbait has a single hook that is usually offset, | | | | I prefer using a baitcasting outfit when bass |
| this will allow the bait to be fished in all types of | | | | fishing, but when presenting a buzzbait, a spinning |
| cover no matter how dense it might be. This | | | | outfit is easier to use. I use a 7' spinning rod with |
| really adds to the locator ability of the bait as well. | | | | a medium heavy action and a fast tip. If I use a |
| I think that the biggest disadvantage of the | | | | casting rod, I use a 7' fast tip rod as well. My |
| buzzbait is the fact that bass will often completely | | | | favorite rods for buzzin' are the St. Croix Avid |
| miss the bait or strike it short. Some newer | | | | and the Kistler Helium. If you prefer a heavy rod, |
| buzzbait manufacturers have helped to greatly | | | | you might consider the G.Loomis MBR844C GLX. |
| increase the hook-up ratio by off-setting the | | | | The reason it is easier to use a spinning outfit is |
| weighted head and hook from the wire which | | | | because when you cast the buzzbait out, you |
| runs the head and hook a bit deeper in the water | | | | must engage the reel just before the bait hits the |
| than conventional buzzbaits. You can also buy | | | | water. This will help to pull out any slack in the line |
| single trailer hooks that will ad percentages to | | | | and prepare you to begin your retrieve |
| your hook-up rate. For this addition, I would | | | | immediately. This action is much quicker if you |
| recommend the Gamakatsu trailer hook. One | | | | have a bail on a spinning reel to shut quickly. Be |
| other issue with the buzzbait occurs when you | | | | sure to keep your rod tip up, as this will help you |
| fish the bait in very dense cover. Bass sometimes | | | | to keep the bait running on the surface. Be sure |
| have problems catching the bait. You might have | | | | not to lift the rod up too high, as this could cause |
| to slow your retrieve a bit when fishing in these | | | | you to miss a strike as the bait could lift from the |
| conditions. There is almost nothing as disturbing as | | | | surface. Go out and try a little buzzin' and I am |
| when you see that water part and you get that | | | | sure you will fall in love, when that "lunker" |
| huge powerful hit on your bait only to discover | | | | violently strikes your buzzbait! |
| there is not a fish on the hook! With that being | | | | |