Buzzbaits during these months? Yes or No?

[BassFishingMachine]

Hey, im just wondering whether a white buzzbait would be a good choice during these cold months. Ive been trying to find a general list of baits that will produce fish in this cold weather other then rapalas, and spinnerbaits. Will a buzzbait produce strikes in the cold weather, maybe if retrieved slow enough? Or is a buzz another bait you packed away for the winter?

[bow3022]

If its sunny then yes. I got 3 hits on a buzz last saturday but, i don't think it was my fault that i missed it. It seemed like the bass wasn't on target. I had a jerkbait, a spook, and they missed that 3 times to  :-/. DOn't know if it was me or te fish.

[jomatty]

in general i would say no.  there are always exceptions but generally topwaters are not very productive for me in the winter.  winter time is jig and c-rig time for me, both fished as slow as i can force myself.

[Troutfisher]

I added a poll for you, BassFishingMachine.  

[senile1]

I agree with jomatty.  For late fall, in general the answer is no, but on any given day, under the right conditions (say you've had a few above average temperature days in a row) a buzzbait might catch fish.  How cold is it in New Jersey at this time?  

[Guest avid]

Living ing Florida means I have 12 months of bass fishing.

But I think it is a mistake to automatically rule out any lure, because of water temp or any other factor for that matter.  

Granted, it may not be the best choice to start with.  But bass have a funny way of defying what we expect them to do.

A loud annoying buzzbait passing directly over the head of a bass in the sunny shallows may be the ticket on any given day.

I wouldn't recommend it.  But I would never say never about throwing any lure.

[senko_77]

It might, but I had to say no on this one.  Winter is a time to scale down and finesse fish in my eyes.  I like taking tiny baits, putting them on tiny weights, and just throw them out and shake it the whole time.  Once that water hits the 40's those fish are really sluggish and I just dont think a buzzbait would work as much as I would want it to.  That would be so sick.  Topwater hits while it was snowing.

[GAMEOVER]

Yes, topwater in fall is excellent for me. Better when warm fronts come in.. pulls them out the deeper water.

[Gr8wall]

realy quick, but coudl someone define the months that are in the certain season.  i feel dumb for askin this, but november still feels a bit warm.

[Deuceu72]

Throwing a buzzbait here in Colorado this time of year? Might be interesting to see how far it would slide on the ice.  ;D

[senile1]

realy quick, but coudl someone define the months that are in the certain season.  i feel dumb for askin this, but november still feels a bit warm.

That's a good point, GR8wall.  When I speak of late fall I'm talking about water temperatures generally in the 40s.  In the early to mid-fall a buzzbait would definitely be more commonly used than in the late fall.  The person who started this thread is from New Jersey so I assumed his water temperatures would be fairly cool at this time of the year.  However, as Avid said, you can never rule out a particular bait 100 percent.  And I see you're from Florida, so it's probably much warmer where you are than where I am, in Northwest Missouri.  

[Catt]

I read an article in Bassmaster by Rick Clunn where he won a tournament throwing a buzz bait while it was snowing.

[lubina]

How cold is it in New Jersey at this time?

Water temp. 50-55 last Sat. and Sunday and the buzz bite is " ON "

[RoLo]

Can bass be taken during fall and winter with buzzbaits? Of course.

Is it my favorite lure during coldwater periods? Of course not.

Roger

[HPBB]

I also read that article by Rick Clunn, and I remembered it a few years ago while fishing a late winter tournament. Fishing an early march "ice out tournament" up here in Pa. water was hight 30's low 40's. A "white out" hit and while I was reeling in a Spinner bait I caught a nice LM by accident. I was trying to get out of the wind and snow, so I reeled that bait in fast, just ripping it under the surface makeing the blade boil the surface, just to get away, when a SM smashed it. My partner and I both kept doing the same with no bites . then I remebered the article about a snow storm and tied a buzz bait on and caught a LM in  a few cast. I stayed with the buzz and he stay with the spinner and we caught 3 more Bass during that storm. After the snow stopped we did not get another hit.  

Don't rule out any lure at any time of year.

remember the fish don't play by the "rules"

I would not throw it all day, but It was just the right place and time and we were luky

[Brad_Coovert]

realy quick, but coudl someone define the months that are in the certain season. i feel dumb for askin this, but november still feels a bit warm.

The bass fishing season is all about water temps. Forget the calendar.

As far as buzzbaits in cold water, I got my butt kicked by a buzzbait in cold water in a tournament once.

If there are some shallow bass, they may react to it.

Brad

[Guest avid]

realy quick, but coudl someone define the months that are in the certain season. i feel dumb for askin this, but november still feels a bit warm.

I can't wait for BassResource.com to reach "down under"  November is the begining of summer for our Aussie bros.

[llPa1nll]

I would have to say it has to depends on the conditions of that day, that you are out on the water. I think it has allot more to do with the water temperature than what month it says on a calender. In New Hampshire I am dealing with water temps under 45°F, possibly under 40°F. So I would have to say my topwater fishing days have long since past. I got some top water action first thing in the morning on a Spook, when the water temps were in the 50°F -55°F range, about a month ago. The way they were hitting it 2 misses right in a row and I finally got him on the 3rd strike in the same cast told me that they wanted a moving top water. I switched to a buzzbait and no bites. I then switched to a prop bait and scored 4-5 fish on that one flat. Hope this helps.

[bow3022]

Yea like lubina said its around 55ish. I don't think i would fish under 45 degrees anyways, the water temp would be freezing. Today for some reason is really warm for the fall season, 70 degrees. But when it was around 55-60 the fish were really active. There were bass jumping all over the place. Some were jumping bout 6-12 inches above the water, don't know if they were going for a bait or getting attacked. That day i threw out some topwaters and got some hits:).

[flippin4it.]

     A buzzbait is a reaction lure, if there is a bass near by and is able to "lash out" at the buzzbait. You'll catch fish with it. Try slowing the buzzbait way-way down. Try a double buzzer. The "duece" by Strike King would be a good choice. Add a nice big trailer hook to it, you will increase your chances of hooking up with a sluggish bass. This time a year, I would run it tight to cover.

[RoLo]

In my opinion, the slowing down approach that Flippin4it described provides your best chances with a buzzbait

during coldwater periods. When I lived in New Jersey, we've seen days in mid-winter when bass could be found in 3 feet of water!

Yes, but in every case it was in the afternoon during a warm-front and the shallow water was adjacent to a sharp drop-off.

Although these bonanzas are typically short-lived, we all tend to talk about them for years on end.

Roger

[Syfer420]

But I think it is a mistake to automatically rule out any lure, because of water temp or any other factor for that matter.

Granted, it may not be the best choice to start with. But bass have a funny way of defying what we expect them to do.

I wouldn't recommend it. But I would never say never about throwing any lure.

I voted no but I coundt agree more with avid. I went out today with classic cold water baits like jigs and coudlnt but a bite but switched to a gulp earthworm and and cought a nice little fish. Go figure since most people stop fishing plastic worms in late fall early winter