Buzz Bait Hook Set

[blackmax135]

Ok guys in the past few weeks ive been fishing a buzz bait.  I had one tied on and wasn't using it I was fishing a texas rigged worm I wasn't catching nothing figured I try out the buzz bait got to a 1ft deep flat/point slung that buzz bait out there and the most violent attack from a bass I have ever had took it. Look like a bomb went off. Scored a 7 pounder my biggest.  So now im stuck on buzz bait.  I went to the river and figured they might want it there to so first cast wack!! got one after that every other cast was a hit but I didn't catch but one more.  They would either hit it once hard and id miss or they would hit it a few times and id still miss. Went back again and the same thing.  That was most likely 10 fish I missed in one trip.  Is it me or am I doing something wrong?

[gardnerjigman]

Fish short strike. Do you have a trailer hook? Try throwing a walking bait.

You can follow up missed strikes with a weightless senko.

[Sam]

Yep.

First, have a Senko tied on and throw to the exact spot where the bass missed the buzzbait.

The bass will think he injured the buzzbait and it is falling towards the bottom.

 

Second, put a trailer hook on all buzzbaits.

A trailer hook will nail the short strikes which are usually out of aggression and not hunger.

 

Set up your baitcaster so you can start the retrieve right before the buzzbait hits the surface.

 

Buzzbait fishing is exciting and the blowups can shake you up if you are not expecting them.

[blongfishing]

I had the same problem until I started using trailer hooks. also have a follow up bait suck as a senko. mostly what people already said

[gardnerjigman]

Yep.

First, have a Senko tied on and throw to the exact spot where the bass missed the buzzbait.

The bass will think he injured the buzzbait and it is falling towards the bottom.

Second, put a trailer hook on all buzzbaits.

A trailer hook will nail the short strikes which are usually out of aggression and not hunger.

Set up your baitcaster so you can start the retrieve right before the buzzbait hits the surface.

Buzzbait fishing is exciting and the blowups can shake you up if you are not expecting them.

Hardest part for me and top water is keeping my self from a premature hook set in the shallows where you can see that middle coming!!! Keeps me coming back time and time again!!!!

[blackmax135]

I do not have any tailer hooks but I will definitely look into getting some.  Ive thrown a weightless zoom out there but It doesn't seem to work but I also think I wait to long to throw it out there because I sit there a second in frustration.

 

Yep.

First, have a Senko tied on and throw to the exact spot where the bass missed the buzzbait.

The bass will think he injured the buzzbait and it is falling towards the bottom.

 

Second, put a trailer hook on all buzzbaits.

A trailer hook will nail the short strikes which are usually out of aggression and not hunger.

 

Set up your baitcaster so you can start the retrieve right before the buzzbait hits the surface.

 

Buzzbait fishing is exciting and the blowups can shake you up if you are not expecting them.

[blackmax135]

Yep.

First, have a Senko tied on and throw to the exact spot where the bass missed the buzzbait.

The bass will think he injured the buzzbait and it is falling towards the bottom.

 

Second, put a trailer hook on all buzzbaits.

A trailer hook will nail the short strikes which are usually out of aggression and not hunger.

 

Set up your baitcaster so you can start the retrieve right before the buzzbait hits the surface.

 

Buzzbait fishing is exciting and the blowups can shake you up if you are not expecting them.

Can I be setting the hook to hard because every time I go to set the hook it comes flying past my head.

[blackmax135]

Also it seems the fish have it and I can feel them pull but yet no fish.

[gardnerjigman]

Can I be setting the hook to hard because every time I go to set the hook it comes flying past my head.

I've yet to set the hook too hard on top water. Get some vmc trailer hooks. Also, as soon as they miss I make a few more cranks to make sure he doesn't follow it and out goes a senko. If I'm throwing top water, a senko is within arms reach and ready to roll.

[kikstand454]

....... its been my experience that if you just continue your retrieve, most buzzbait bites- and topwater bites in general- can be hook ups. Most people see the splash and either jerk the lure away ( what I believe you're doing. ..) or stop their retrieve and wait till they "feel" the fish.

The latter is better than the former, but it still gives the fish chance to not only have time to spit the lure, but it also introduces slack into the equation. .

We don't do these things with crankbaits or spinnerbaits or what have you- why do we do them with topwaters? When a bass comes up and breaks the surface for a lure- it really, really doesnt want to be there . It has spent its entire life avoiding the surface, and its coloration and habits of hiding under and around cover have evolved from avoiding predation from above. Your average bass strike on a topwater is an up and down motion- or a hit and run back to cover motion of some form or another.

So with this in mind. ... if you just keep your retrieve going, the fish and the rod will do most of the work themselves. Much like a crankbait bite. Or.....a single hook bait such as a buzzbait, I treat it like a spinnerbait. ...where I just keep reeling and when the fish loads the rod, THEN I basically sweep set the hook.

I think all the excitement of a topwater bite has led to bad habits. When I get a blow up, I laugh and keep doing what I'm doing. ...and see if the fish hooks up.

Jmho

[gardnerjigman]

....... its been my experience that if you just continue your retrieve, most buzzbait bites- and topwater bites in general- can be hook ups. Most people see the splash and either jerk the lure away ( what I believe you're doing. ..) or stop their retrieve and wait till they "feel" the fish.

The latter is better than the former, but it still gives the fish chance to not only have time to spit the lure, but it also introduces slack into the equation. .

We don't do these things with crankbaits or spinnerbaits or what have you- why do we do them with topwaters? When a bass comes up and breaks the surface for a lure- it really, really doesnt want to be there . It has spent its entire life avoiding the surface, and its coloration and habits of hiding under and around cover have evolved from avoiding predation from above. Your average bass strike on a topwater is an up and down motion- or a hit and run back to cover motion of some form or another.

So with this in mind. ... if you just keep your retrieve going, the fish and the rod will do most of the work themselves. Much like a crankbait bite. Or.....a single hook bait such as a buzzbait, I treat it like a spinnerbait. ...where I just keep reeling and when the fish loads the rod, THEN I basically sweep set the hook.

I think all the excitement of a topwater bite has led to bad habits. When I get a blow up, I laugh and keep doing what I'm doing. ...and see if the fish hooks up.

Jmho

I've seen several people stop a retrieve when the feel a fish swipe at cranks and the fish eat it.

Only difference is you see every miss with a top water, and don't with a crank.

[Catch and Grease]

Trailer hooks really aren't needed 100% of the time when using buzz baits, If the bass is hitting the buzz bait and getting it in his mouth then why throw a trailer hook on? Now short striking is different, if I'm reeling it in and they miss the buzz bait completely a couple times then ill throw a stinger/trailer hook on.

 

Most of the time its just a skirt and grub for me, just get better at top water hook sets and try to fight the urge to instinctively jerk the bait from the bass as soon as he breaks the surface. Buzz baits are an open hook lure so you don't need to have a hero hook set and swing for the fences as hard as you can, You can set the hook solid but don't do it sloppy.

[fishballer06]

Put a 1/0 or 2/0 trailer hook on there. You'll be amazed at how many more hookups you get. 

[MO_LMB]

Trailer hooks are good, but i also think changin up the profile of the bait will help. maybe remove the skirt, or try a different trailer. Missed hits are sometimes just how it goes with topwater.

[Choporoz]

I'm certain this isn't your problem, but I mention it just because I like to laugh at myself sometimes.....

 

On more than one occasion, I've thrown a new buzz bait (and spinnerbait) with the plastic 'hook guard' still in place.  Very hard to get a good hookset that way.

[fishballer06]

I've almost caught myself doing the same, but luckily I noticed as I was tying the lure on. 

[Bobby Uhrig]

DICIPLINE DICIPLINE DICIPLINE--DO NOT SET IT TIL YOU FEEL THE FISH- if they miss it they will come back for it- but if you pull it away from them with a hook set They only come back about 25% of the time -That's when you follow with a soft plastic stick bait.

[Senko lover]

Just ordered my first buzz, should be getting here this weekend.

Thanks for the tips.

[fishballer06]

Just ordered my first buzz, should be getting here this weekend.

Thanks for the tips.

 

Hope its a Cavitron.

[hatrix]

Having the right action rod and line make a world of difference. If your using for example a M/H F with not much tip before it shuts off and braided line your probably going to have a tuff time. Change to a line with some stretch or a different rod. Or pick up a spinning rod if you need to.

[WRB]

You can use the same hook setting technique with top water lures, keep cranking until you feel the rod load up, then sweep set. When bass are hitting a buzzer and not getting hooked it usually indicates the buzzer is too big or traveling too fast. Try slowing down, using a smaller size buzzer or s shorter size trailer, then add a stinger hook. Double buzzers can be fished slower.

Tom

[Catt]

DICIPLINE DICIPLINE DICIPLINE--DO NOT SET IT TIL YOU FEEL THE FISH- if they miss it they will come back for it- but if you pull it away from them with a hook set They only come back about 25% of the time -That's when you follow with a soft plastic stick bait.

Your answer is listed above!

[J Francho]

Sharp hooks, and an x-fast taper that gets into the power section of the rod quickly help.  Like Tom says, keep reeling, and and pull back when the fish pulls.

[Bluebasser86]

I just keep cranking until I feel weight then lean into them, kind of like a crankbait hookset.

[Senko lover]

Just ordered my first buzz, should be getting here this weekend.

Thanks for the tips.

Caught a fish on it too!