I noticed that a couple of mine are laying sideways on the surface during retrieve.  The top propeller wire is aligned w/ the bottom one, so I konw it's not that.  What could cause this?  Is it the knot I'm using? (clinch knot)

You might be running the bait to fast or the bait is out of tune.

Check the alignment of the propeler blade TRIDIMENTIONALY, look at it from the front, from above and from the side, the wire that has the propeller has to be straight and in line on the front and above view to the main wire, on the side view it must be parallel to the main wire. If it 's right then Chris is absolutely right, you are reeling in too fast, buzzbaits should be retrieved only as fast as they are able to stay on top.