Season is just opening up in about a month, and I'm wondering in what water temps some of you have successfully used a buzz bait. I know it is not an extremely popular early prespawn lure, but curious if anyone has experience with it. Same question for a buzzing frog as well such as a Strike King Rage toad. 

High 40's is about the minimum for buzzbaits. They don't become a very good option around here in the spring until the high 50's though. 

I fish em all night long!

Water is 61 ish here and it still too early.  Probably start throwing them in May.  Cranks will be my first reaction baits. Squarebills.

At least for me, it seems like low to mid 50s in the spring is when they start getting good, but you want to be throwing them into a "warming water" situation. Interestingly in the fall, you can sometimes get them to eat it all the way down to the upper 40s. Your mileage may vary.

-T9

never to early in south alabama 

Never to early anywhere, its just a myth. I throw them up on the ice, and when it comes off, its like coming off a lily pad with a frog.....Explosion! Now, its not optimal in cold water as the fish are less active, but there are always fish shallow and ready to feed, just need the ice to melt a little.

It's really depending on what region and even what conditions your water deals you. Where I fish, I don't break out any topwaters until the surface temps hit upper 60's.

As long as they don't bounce on the cast, you've a Shot ~

A-Jay

 

1 hour ago, A-Jay said:

As long as they don't bounce on the cast, you've a Shot ~

A-Jay

 

^^^ Exactly

7 hours ago, Team9nine said:

At least for me, it seems like low to mid 50s in the spring is when they start getting good, but you want to be throwing them into a "warming water" situation. Interestingly in the fall, you can sometimes get them to eat it all the way down to the upper 40s. Your mileage may vary.

-T9

This is the same thing I've found. The water has to get warmer in the spring before they'll start eating them, while it can be several degrees colder and still be effective in the fall. I'm sure this has to do with them already being active in the fall versus just becoming active in the spring. 

Well, I was throwing one in the first week of February and of course didn't get a lick on it. It was still fun for about the first 15-20 casts though thinking about getting a Buzzbait blow-up in February. Then the reality of executing an exercise in futility set in and out came the Jerkbaits and jigs. Haha...

It's always depended on what the fish are doing for me. I've had some absolutely epic days prespawn right when the waters warmed enough for the bucks to JUST start moving up behind the females. Big fish get really aggressive. I had a 45lb limit in a small lake once and caught alot of big fish in general doing it.

 

 

18 hours ago, jc68 said:

never to early in south alabama 

Where in South AL?

 

I live in baldwin county and a couple others live in NW Florida

west mobile

west mobile

I'm a bass fishing rookie, but here are two experiences for you:

I caught a 7" long bass that aggressively smashed a 5" long 1/2 oz buzzbait in mid-50's water between Christmas and New Years.

Today in N. Georgia it was low-50's, water was 48-50, and I saw schools of shad being attacked surface by bass.

It might not be the best option, but it can't hurt to try.

On February 24, 2016 at 0:12 PM, RB 77 said:

Well, I was throwing one in the first week of February and of course didn't get a lick on it. It was still fun for about the first 15-20 casts though thinking about getting a Buzzbait blow-up in February. Then the reality of executing an exercise in futility set in and out came the Jerkbaits and jigs. Haha...

I'm sure I will have a similar experience. But fishing in manmade channels that warm early, I've heard of crazier things.