zero success thusfar.   i see blowups right next to me, with friends.    i want that for myself.  seems like it might be my imagination, but the Buzz-B seems to get a better class of fish.  (true?)

 

so i did a thing.  i ordered some Teckel products.  the maxsqueaker, and a double blade buzzbait that looks kinda crazy, and fun...like that wild uncle mom wont leave you at as a kid.  

 

line?  braid for sure right?  i'll probably run a short stiff leader.  in the past i had some troubles getting it to come to the surface immediately.  and finally, trailers?  even needed?

I assume you've read this thread already.

 

I have strong buzz bait opinions, but at the same time there are lots of ways to skin a cat.  I have fished heavy mono for the longest time.  I swapped that rod to fluoro for other reasons, but fished a buzzbait with it just fine.  The last trip out I was trying something a little different yet and threw one on braid on a rod slightly lighter than the norm for me.  The line shouldn't be touching the water so sink/float doesn't matter.  Strength and abrasion resistance do if you're throwing it into stuff and you should be throwing it into stuff.  The trial last trip was a new buzzbait on a familiar (but new to me) reel dialed in to a buzzbait and skipping it back up under things.  The setup and skipping works great, just not the right time and place for throwing a buzzbait.  I wouldn't bother with a leader.  If you're throwing braid then you're throwing 50 or 65lb and tangles aren't a big deal.  And your line isn't in the water so visual isn't a thing.

 

If you've having trouble getting it on the surface you aren't reeling soon enough.  I'm usually reeling before the lure hits the water.  Sidearm/roll casting almost exclusively, never overhead bombing unless it's for distance on a big flat and then accuracy/on top immediately doesn't matter as much.  I cast right handed and reel right, so I cast and as the lure is still in the air I am swapping hands.  Right before touchdown (with a high rod tip) I am thumbing the spool with my right thumb and grabbing the reel with my left hand.  Then my left hand/arm let's the tip of the rod down on a tight line so that I'm controlling when it hits the water and when I'm reeling.  It takes a few casts to get the motion down and it would be better if you reel left and cast right (leftie casting and right reeling would work too but leftie casters are just weird people).  

 

I like a short, stubby trailer like I detailed in my post on the first page.  Something that has mass and volume so when a bass uses its mouth like a vacuum there is something solid to suck in and not just the air inside the skirt.

 

Yes, a buzzbait seems to draw a bigger class of fish at times.  

 

 

i hope i get them by friday.

I think I've caught one bass off of a buzzbait.

 

To be fair, it's because I rarely use them.

 

The one I was using it seemed like I had to reel it 20 mph to keep it from sinking. Even had braid on it.

 

I'm sure it's a ME issue.

 

I need to try it again maybe at night.

It's probably my most productive topwater technique every year on very small super pressured fisheries that see tons of top water lures every year. In my opinion, the key is identifying conditions and areas that can produce a good buzz bait bite and then throwing it. 

 

I like to throw it around cover like lily pads or stumps or lay downs or brush or rip-rap or under docks or overhanging trees or around bluegill beds and I like the water to be a little more off colored and I really like a good ripple on the water.

 

Beyond that, I've never thrown a buzz bait that didn't catch me fish and they catch giants all the time for me. 

 

They also catch lots of littler fish. 

 

The key is learning to modify them etc. But basically once you start to dial in the nuance of the technique, it's like anything, they work really well.

11 minutes ago, Pat Brown said:

It's probably my most productive topwater technique every year on very small super pressured fisheries that see tons of top water lures every year. In my opinion, the key is identifying conditions and areas that can produce a good buzz bait bite and then throwing it. 

 

I like to throw it around cover like lily pads or stumps or lay downs or brush or rip-rap or under docks or overhanging trees or around bluegill beds and I like the water to be a little more off colored and I really like a good ripple on the water.

 

Beyond that, I've never thrown a buzz bait that didn't catch me fish and they catch giants all the time for me. 

 

They also catch lots of littler fish. 

 

The key is learning to modify them etc. But basically once you start to dial in the nuance of the technique, it's like anything, they work really well.

 

dang it, why didn't I type it out like that.  This is exactly my situation as well.  

 

25 minutes ago, HawkeyeSmallie said:

I think I've caught one bass off of a buzzbait.

 

To be fair, it's because I rarely use them.

 

The one I was using it seemed like I had to reel it 20 mph to keep it from sinking. Even had braid on it.

 

I'm sure it's a ME issue.

 

I need to try it again maybe at night.

 

A high rod tip is a start.  The lightest head weight and the biggest blade you can get is the other ticket for crawling one.  And I find that crawling one across the shallows in the dark is probably my favorite way of catching bass.  

OK y'all have convinced me to give it another try.

 

Do you put like a soft plastic trailer on it to keep it up easier?

 

Oh sorry, I should just read the posts above. LOL

If you want a heaver slow surface crawling buzzer get a double buzz bait!

Tom

Buzzbaits are my most confident top-water. I've experimented with quite a few baits and setups over the last few years.

 

I used to throw the KVD Toad Buzz almost exclusively and it catches a lot of fish. I didn't like the lack of variety in blade selection so now I use a few others. 3 or 4 different baits will cover almost any situation I'm in. My go to baits these day are the Buckeye G Buzz, Brazolo's Mag Whacker, or the Brazalo's Wee Whacker. I've got a few Jamaican boas and no clacker versions of the Brazalo's but they don't see a ton of action. 

 

I use a zoom horny toad trailer in bone or black 99% of the time on the full size buzz baits and a Z Craw Jr on the Wee Whacker. Sometimes in the fall, I've found a minnow profile to work better. The smaller buzz also tends to work better for me in the fall.

 

I like a 7' rod in MH F for full size buzzers and a 7' MH MF or M F for the smaller buzzers. A high gear ratio reel is a must for me as I often have the trolling motor on high when I'm throwing a buzz- 8:1 seems to be the sweet spot. I've tried mono, braid, and fluoro. Fluoro is hands down my favorite. The lack of stretch is critical on long casts and the fluoro doesn't bite into wood like braid does. 

 

Speaking of wood, my absolute favorite way to fish is slinging a buzz back into cypress and winding it through the knees. I'll fish them anywhere somewhat shallow, though. 

 

I would agree that generally speaking buzz baits produce better-than-average fish, but I've also caught plenty of rats on them. 

 

@casts_by_fly is right about having to start your retrieve before the bait hits the water. I cast right and reel left, so I think it's probably easier for me than someone who has to switch hands. 

 

There's a lot of talk about slowing down a buzz, but I find that speeding it up works more often than slowing it down. Especially on highly pressured waters. I think not having a chance to really study the bait goes a long way. 

a bone colored Zoom Toad sounds legit!!

8 hours ago, JHoss said:

Buzzbaits are my most confident top-water. I've experimented with quite a few baits and setups over the last few years.

 

I used to throw the KVD Toad Buzz almost exclusively and it catches a lot of fish. I didn't like the lack of variety in blade selection so now I use a few others. 3 or 4 different baits will cover almost any situation I'm in. My go to baits these day are the Buckeye G Buzz, Brazolo's Mag Whacker, or the Brazalo's Wee Whacker. I've got a few Jamaican boas and no clacker versions of the Brazalo's but they don't see a ton of action. 

 

I use a zoom horny toad trailer in bone or black 99% of the time on the full size buzz baits and a Z Craw Jr on the Wee Whacker. Sometimes in the fall, I've found a minnow profile to work better. The smaller buzz also tends to work better for me in the fall.

 

I like a 7' rod in MH F for full size buzzers and a 7' MH MF or M F for the smaller buzzers. A high gear ratio reel is a must for me as I often have the trolling motor on high when I'm throwing a buzz- 8:1 seems to be the sweet spot. I've tried mono, braid, and fluoro. Fluoro is hands down my favorite. The lack of stretch is critical on long casts and the fluoro doesn't bite into wood like braid does. 

 

Speaking of wood, my absolute favorite way to fish is slinging a buzz back into cypress and winding it through the knees. I'll fish them anywhere somewhat shallow, though. 

 

I would agree that generally speaking buzz baits produce better-than-average fish, but I've also caught plenty of rats on them. 

 

@casts_by_fly is right about having to start your retrieve before the bait hits the water. I cast right and reel left, so I think it's probably easier for me than someone who has to switch hands. 

 

There's a lot of talk about slowing down a buzz, but I find that speeding it up works more often than slowing it down. Especially on highly pressured waters. I think not having a chance to really study the bait goes a long way. 

 

Funny, yesterday at the dock there was a yound kid who just got a new baitcasting reel and needed some help.  I was helping him as best his gear would allow but he had a left retrieve reel.  I've considered picking one up just for a couple specific scenarios where I don't want to swap hands.  Surely it can't be hard to swap back and forth.  I do it with a spinning rod all the time.  NO CHANCE!  It was so awkard for me to hold the rod/reel in my right hand in the first place and reeling was halfway to impossible.

 

I've also been fishing a different setup the past couple trips to try it out.  I picked up a used zillion here and didn't have a rod for it so I grabbed my 7' Bucoo 3/8-1 medium fast to fast action out of the basement.  The reel came with 50lb 4 strand powerpro on it.  First impressions in the pool were good.  I tied on a dirty jigs pro-buzz with a billy goat on the back.  It skips like none other and I can get it way back under the trees.  The zillion keeps everything in check.  The billy goat floats so the whole thing comes up to the surface fast, though I think the floatiness is making the bait roll on its side at times which is a no no for me.  However, I can't get over the braid.  It doesn't cast as smoothly or as far as mono/fluoro.  The constant whine through the guides drives me nuts on a buzzbait.  I'm going to have to swap it out for big elite.  The rod is fine, but i maintain that the 7'4" heavy cover jig is the ultimate buzzbait rod for me. 

Haha funny you say that. I recently was given a Calcutta 400B, which only comes in RH retrieve. I rigged it up for throwing big bucktails and stuff to cobia, but absolutely hate the feel. I think I may try to sell or trade it instead of trying to get used to it. 

 

I used the Goat Toadz as a trailer for a while. They worked and the fish ate em, but the legs are too flexible and kept hanging the hook. Got sick of making a perfect cast only to hang a leg and wonk up the retrieve, so I went back to ol trusty zooms.

 

I'm with you on braid. I'll use copolymer or mono in a pinch, but braid would be a last resort. 

 

 

I'm also having the same issue with the legs.  It is fine on a normal cast but if I skip it under something a leg will grab 1 in 5 times or so.  Maybe a little less, maybe a little more.  I'll keep throwing it but I don't think it is going to be a replacement for my standard buzzbaits.

Check out the Brazalo bushwhacker. I'm usually a buzz bait is a buzz bait kinda guy but I've had one for a couple weeks and with horny toad or a Stanley ribbit frog that rascal casts and planes like a champ and sounds great. 

I have the Max Sqeaker.  or something.  

 

I impressed myself this morning.  I didnt impress a single bass tho.  but they hit zero topwater.  none.  

2 hours ago, Darth-Baiter said:

I have the Max Sqeaker.  or something.  

 

I impressed myself this morning.  I didnt impress a single bass tho.  but they hit zero topwater.  none.  

 

What conditions were you fishing in? Slick calm water and bright over head sun can make it tough to get a bite on buzzbait.  

 

The Zoom Frog (Horny Toad?) you mentioned can be a great trailer but I usually fish one without it. I also like to fish the Horny Toad with a 5/0 hook weightless just below the surface. If you fish it like a glide or a walk the dog style bait. It will back glide under the water. When this works the bites are angry. 

2 minutes ago, FishTank said:

 

What conditions were you fishing in? Slick calm water and bright over head sun can make it tough to get a bite on buzzbait.  

 

The Zoom Frog (Horny Toad?) you mentioned can be a great trailer but I usually fish one without it. I also like to fish the Horny Toad with a 5/0 hook weightless just below the surface. If you fish it like a glide or a walk the dog style bait. It will back glide under the water. When this works the bites are angry. 

I was out as the sun was coming up.  it was darkish 5:30am.    my lure looked dumb.  black buzz bait.  yellow toad.  (all I had).  I think the fish laughed as it went by.    I switched to my old standby..a walking bait and got the same cold shoulder.  

 

I did remember your collective advice. start cranking early.  I would cast, switch hands while bait was in flight, thumb with left and crank..  it was kinda awesome I could do it like that. 

49 minutes ago, Darth-Baiter said:

I was out as the sun was coming up.  it was darkish 5:30am.    my lure looked dumb.  black buzz bait.  yellow toad.  (all I had).  I think the fish laughed as it went by.    I switched to my old standby..a walking bait and got the same cold shoulder.  

 

I did remember your collective advice. start cranking early.  I would cast, switch hands while bait was in flight, thumb with left and crank..  it was kinda awesome I could do it like that. 

glad you got the motion down. Shame they weren’t eating it. That happens some days. I find that if they aren’t hitting a buzz bait at dark/sunup that it is going to be a bottom say at best, finesse day possibly. Even if they don’t eat it you now have the day diagnosed pretty well. On my lakes if they aren’t eating a BB in the dark they aren’t eating a spinnerbait or bladed jig then either. I’m throwing a rage bug by 630 am at that point as my first pass lure.