when is the best time to use buzzbait?

LGBASS20LB · Post by **LGBASS20LB** » Tue Aug 05, 2003 11:19 pm

im thinking when there is none or little wind and water temps from like 75-80??? My main question is like what time of year....thanks

6.54BASS · Post by **6.54BASS** » Wed Aug 06, 2003 2:05 am

Cole, Personally, I prefer anytime the fish are shallow, early morning or late evening. I have caught buzzbait fish at high noon with a full sun in hot water. Really it all boils down to confidence in the bait, I would use it when I feel like it's going to work. When you are out "fun fishing", try different times/conditions and tune it to how you fish and be afraid to try it. Good luck and let me know how it works.

6.54BASS · Post by **6.54BASS** » Wed Aug 06, 2003 2:06 am

Sorry, I meant don't be afraid to try it.

johnnie crain outdoors · Wed Aug 06, 2003 3:08 am

Cole, Bryan is right, there is no wrong time to use a buzzbait. I key on bait fish activety, if bait fish are on the surface a buzz bait will usually draw some action. I do however; prefer to use a buzzbait when there is a little wind or ripple on the water. When the water is calm I feel the fish get too good a look at the bait, the flash, noise and vibration may spook the fish. Don't hesitate to use buzz baits in open-deep water if bait fish are present, a lot of bass suspend beneath the bait fish and attack randomly. Sometimes the buzzer gets them excited and they will move up from fairly deep water to the surface to attack. I'm sure you know this, but I have to remind myself sometimes, do not set the hook until you feel the fish, no matter how big the splash. Good luck, young friend, Johnnie

mofish · Post by **mofish** » Wed Aug 06, 2003 5:03 am

One of my favorites. A black buzz baits are my best producers. Early in the morning. If there is a slight ripple on the water I retreve the bait just fast enough to keep it on top. When its dead calm I retreve it fast so that the fish don't get a good look at it. Once the Black stops producing I switch to a Chart. and white buzz bait, and go back over any water that I caught fish. Sometimes it can last all day long, some times just a short period till the sun hits the water.

I start throwing a buzz bait in the early spring. I use the really big buzzers at that time of year that I can retreve really slow. With the cold water the slower the better. I use the buzz bait all the way up to Nov. here in Texas.

One thing to remember about fishing a buzz bait!! Always and I mean always have you a weightless plastic worm or some type of soft jerk bait on another rod ready to go. If a fish misses the buzzer throw that weightless worm or soft jerk bait right in the swirl of water the fish caused. Most of the time it will attack the worm with out hessitation. OH yes HOLD ON, cause they will knock the fire out of it.

Conley

johnnie crain outdoors · Thu Aug 07, 2003 4:12 am

Conley, good advice on the back-up bait and it does work. I caught two bass today on a white buzzbait, butb they were deformed, eyes too close to their tails. Partner got a keeper though, 4th place.

mofish · Post by **mofish** » Thu Aug 07, 2003 6:47 am

Jonnie if you are still fishing them Wed. Night tournaments right before dark put on one them black buzz baits and giver a whirl around some stumps or weed patches. If theres a keeper in there it will find it for ya.

brendanc · Post by **brendanc** » Thu Aug 07, 2003 2:17 pm

Hey, since you're all talking about buzz baits, how about expanding this into a discussion on tuning a buzz bait?

One thing I like to do is modify my buzz bait into what we call a "Clacker". (I sure some of you already do this)

Take the propeller and bend it down towards the wire-frame body of the bait. I usually start by bending it far enough so that the propeller can not turn. Then I back it off so that it is just barely making light contact with the wire-frame. When you are retrieving a buzz bait, the drag caused by propeller forces it down towards the wire-frame. You may have to play around with the distance away from the wire-frame a bit. The end result should give you and audible "CLACKING" sound when it comes through the water, but should not stop the prop from spinning. When you get it just right, I guarantee you will out fish the other people fishing their buzz bait straight out of the package. The Clacker also seems to attract bigger fish... and that's a good thing, right?

Any other tips out there?

Eric · Post by **Eric** » Thu Aug 07, 2003 2:53 pm

Brendan,

I have made 100's of buzzbaits over the years and I too will bend down the shaft in order for the head to make occsional contact with the head, but I have found that smallmouth for whatever reason do not respond very well to a " clacker " style buzzbait. Has anyone else had the same results?

Another thing I like to do to a buzzbait is bend the wings on the blade in or out to get a different sound or retreive speed., I have also tried drilling holes in the blades to get a bubble trail, but have found that the amount of strikes I get really doesnt change.

One thing I ALWAYS do before putting the blade and rivet on an unfinished bait is take a file and flatten both the top of the rivet and the bottom of the blade where they will make contact. This increases the squeak of a buzzbait, and I know you have all heard of the pros in the old days hanging buzzbaits from there car windows to make them squeak. I'm not sure why but a squeaky buzzbait is definetly more productive.

brendanc · Post by **brendanc** » Thu Aug 07, 2003 3:04 pm

Good stuff Eric...

I haven't used a buzzbiat to target smallies, so I couldn't give you any feedback. Thanks for the heads on the clacker, if I ever try fishing smallies with a buzzbait, I'll be sure to take your advice.