BUZZBAITS (part 2)
LIFT
The word "buzz" creates the image of a lure burned over the surface like a panic-stricken coot. I'm sure
we've all experienced days when it was impossible to crank a buzzbait too fast, but those days tend to be
in the minority. With regard to trophy-class bass, the most effective retrieve speeds seem to range between
moderate and very slow. "Lift" is a buzzbait property referring to its ability to stay on the surface at slow speeds.
The greater the 'lift' the slower the buzzbait can be retrieved without sinking out of sight. The lightest buzzbait
isn't necessarily the highest riding buzzbait. 'Lift' is actually the 3-way balance between Lure Weight, Blade Area
& Lure Configuration (blade & body). For this reason, a 1/2oz buzzbait with a large blade may ride just as high
as a 1/4oz buzzbait with a small prop.
BLADE STYLE
If the "noisiest" buzzbait was necessarily the best buzzbait, we'd all be chucking the Booyah Buzz 'clacker'.
Just as too much speed can be hurtful, too much noise can also be hurtful, especially counterfeit noise.
This is particularly true for Florida-strain bass which biologists agree are more discerning and less aggressive
than northern-strain bass. Clacker buzzbaits like the Booyah Buzz are heard from a great distance,
but that also gives bass more time for scrutiny and rejection. Tandem bladed and tri-bladed props make
excellent buzzbaits, and actually produce less noise than a clacker-prop and their sound is arguably more natural.
BLADE SQUEAK
Strange but true, bass exhibit a marked preference for squeaky, creaky propellers. This observation
goes all the way back to the introduction of the Lunker Lure Buzzbait. Back in the 70s, Roland Martin stated
that he owned one creaky Lunker Lure that caught more bass than all his other buzzbaits combined.
In the ensuing decades, anglers went to great lengths to create a buzzbait with squeaky blades.
Among the most humorous practices was to tie a buzzbait to the car antenna or roof carrier,
so it whirled in the wind all the way to the lake. Though I've never resorted to that tactic, it allegedly worked
by enlarging the clevis hole...rapid aging you might say. "Blade squeal" is an unobtrusive sound that's most audible
at close range, but can be clearly heard by spinning the blade near your ear. Anglers are in general agreement
about the advantage of a squeaky buzzbait, but are sharply divided about 'clackers'. Horse sense would tell us
that there's more squealing prey than clacking prey. In any case, this reminds me of the tourney where everyone
was fishing crankbaits with rattles. Instead, KVD used a crankbait without rattles and won the tournament.
Now just suppose that KVD did not win that tournament. The other contestants would still be convinced
that the bass they caught were attracted by the rattles, when in fact they were caught in spite of the rattles.
Megastrike Cavitron vs. Booyah Pip-Squeak
I don't think you'd go very wrong with either one of these fine buzzbaits. Right out of the box, both the
Booyah Pip Squeak and Megastrike Cavitron emit an auduble whining sound. Although they differ in pitch,
they are roughly equivalent in decibels. I've noticed however that some Cavitron's whine less than others,
which can be resolved by a simple modification. Both the Cavitron and PipSqueak have
horizontally flattened bodies that boosts "lift" which lends to slower retrieve rates. Both buzzbaits also feature
perforated props that produce bubbles, but IMO the Cavitron bubble-trail is slightly more defined
and longer lasting than the Pip-Squeak. The Pip-Squeak has greater blade area than the Cavitron buzzbait,
nonetheless the Megastrike Cavitron remains active at lower retrieve speeds, which is a Big Deal in my book.
In spite of its smaller prop the Cavitron produces slightly more audible disturbance than the Pip-Squeak.
Above all perhaps, the Cavitron prop remains balanced and stable at low retrieve speeds. In contrast,
the larger Pip Squeak blade becomes unstable at low speeds, eventually getting floppy like a butterfly.
The Booyah Pip Squeak has an extension-hook mounted on a flexible cable, a concept that causes mixed feelings.
Granted, when a bass gets lodged in weed stalks, the odds of losing that bass are excellent to certain.
For sure, a flexible cable can reduce losses due to bass lodged in stalks and also jumping bass.
On the other hand, a hook that's mounted on a flexible shaft cannot possibly deliver the same hookset force
as a fixed hook. After all, if you never get to HOOK the fish, you will never get to LOSE the fish. All that said,
I personally prefer the Megastrike Cavitron, an opinion I've held long before it became a household name.
BLADE MODIFICATION
Nah, we're not going to tie the buzzbait to the rear bumper then tow it to the lake. Instead, we'll make one
quick adjustment. With a needle-nose pliers, mash the rear end of the rear clevis so it no longer rotates
around the wire shaft (we're merely increasing the friction). You'll notice that this modification has already been made
on a Booyah Pip Squeak.
LURE SIZE
The propeller is largely obscured by the splash and bubbles it creates, so the "skirt" is the largest contributor
to overall bulk. Though I get scolded for fishing lures too large, I always reduce the skirt bulk on a buzzbait.
There are three silhouette options: Frightened Duckling, Toy Airboat or Baitfish...I prefer the latter
SKIRT MODIFICATION
Hold the lure by the head so the skirt strands are hanging down vertically. Shorten the skirt with a right angle cut
about 1/8" behind the bend-of-the-hook. In addition to reducing overall bulk, this may help to reduce short-strikes.
Now remove most of the strands from the top and both sides of the skirt, leaving all the strands on the bottom
of the skirt. This sharply reduces the overall flare and bulk of the lure, and results in a silhouette more closely
resembling a baitfish. Modified in this manner, the buzzbait is also better suited to fishing in clear water
and in lakes dominated by smaller bass.
SKIRT COLOR
We shouldn't forget that as light levels diminish so does the importance of color, when the emphasis shifts to contrast.
On bright sunny days and in crystal water bass can easily see the flaws in delivery. When underwater visibility
is excellent, Light Colors are usually best because they obscure the lure's outline, and help it to blend into
the backdrop of the sky. During heavy overcast, in murky water and at night, the goal is just the opposite.
When underwater visibility is poor, Dark Colors are normally favored because they help define the contrast between
the lure and its backdrop. When we turn to Mother Nature we find that she follows the exact same Master Plan.
Virtually all creatures exhibit a light-colored underside and a darker upperside. This dovetails perfectly into the
natural phenomenon known as "counter-shading", an ingenious system that works in concert with the vantage point
of the predator versus the backdrop of the prey (amazing stuff).
TRAILER HOOK
A high percentage of professional anglers never fish a buzzbait without a trailer-hook. In my opinion,
this should depend on the cover you're dealing with. A buzzbait with a trailer-hook is simply not as weedless
as a buzzbait without a trailer hook. That's not a big deal in sparse cover, but if you're buzzing in heavy cover
(if you're fishing in Florida) a trailer-hook is going to abort many well-placed casts. In addition to
increased hangups, a trailer hook can make hand-landing a tad treacherous. The trailer-hook may get more credit
than it deserves. It occupies a grandstand seat, so every bass that's hooked by the trailer hook was not necessarily
a short-striker. As with any surface lure, most buzzbait misses are likely due to reacting too quickly.
DELIVERY
After the cast, engage the reel and begin the retrieve at the instant of splashdown. In that manner, you won't have
to crank the buzzbait out of the hole to get it on plane. There is no one best retrieve pattern, but it's usually good
to begin with a Slow, Steady, Nonstop retrieve, just fast enough to keep the lure gurgling on top. "Burning" a buzzbait
may fit the iconic perception but is often fruitless, especially with Florida-strain bass. Before quitting a known hotspot,
hit it from different angles because sow bass tend to be spoiled prima donnas that want everything their way.
When a bass blows up on the buzzer, drop the rod so neither you nor the bass feel a thing. Gather most
but not all slack line, then withdraw the rod forcefully (overhead or to the side), She's All Yours
Roger
