The Most Savage Strikes

[Mobasser]

I was first introduced to buzzbaits almost 40yrs ago. I was bank fishing a local lake, when two older guys came in in a small boat. They showed me the rods they were using, both strung with a buzzbait. They explained that they fished for the last hour or so almost every evening, and usually used a buzzbait. It was the first time I'd ever seen one. When they left, they gave me a black Harkins Lunker Lure, and told me how to use it. He said" son, when there's a chop on the water, hang on! Bass will try to kill this lure". Of course, he was right, and I've loved fishing buzzbaits ever since. Over the years, I've used all sorts of buzzers, single and double blade models. Most times in white, chartruese , or solid black. Buzzbaits are probably one of the best lures for a novice to throw, to experience some explosive surface fishing. There's no tricky rod manipulation, as with a Spook, popper, or other surface baits. If someone can cast, and keep a buzzer on the surface slowly, eventually, they will catch bass with one. Now days, buzzbaits are considered old school. Other noisy surface baits have replaced them for many anglers. It's all a matter of opinion, but I think old school is still good. I'll always love fishing a buzzbait. What buzzbaits are you using this season? What's your tackle setup? Colors and weights? In my humble opinion, buzzbaits are one of the all time great bass lures. What's everyone say here? Are you a buzzbait lover?

[NittyGrittyBoy]

I love em. 3/8 cavitron w/ various paddletail trailers. Even horny toad trailers

[DitchPanda]

I also love buzzbaits...haven't even bought a whopper plopper yet...usually throw them on a 7ft medhvy mod fast Berkley shock..pflueger supreme baitcaster...15lb izorline xxx copoly...always a 3/8ths war eagle or cavitron white 10% of the time black 90%

[Catt]

My first experience with a buzzbait was on a New Moon night. Had a 6+ blow up on about 10' from the rod tip, she sprayed me with water & hooked herself.

 

I use various types because each has a unique sound; clackers, squealers, head knockers, etc. 

 

Thrown em on all types of tackle with nothing special.

[scaleface]

MoBasser its so coincidental  that we live in the same part of the world and use the same baits . Purple Jelly worms , CC spinners... I'm a buzzbait fanatic . I use hand poured ones with a stair-step  bend in the wire so the bait  sits a little deeper .After a little experimentation  it came out the way I wanted , then made a jig to bend the wire so they are all the same now . I seem to get a higher percentage of hookups that way .The last couple of years I've been adding a swimbait [ Yum Money Minnow }in lieu of a skirt . It adds weight , lift and  retrieve's slower .The bass hammer it .

[Fishin Dad]

Love buzzbaits!   Have one tied on always.  I like them because I can still fish them with some vegetation present.  Trebles are a no go in many of my bass lakes.   I also like that you can bump them into cover.   I have been throwing the War a Eagle Buzztoad the most lately, but also throw Cavitron, Strike King, etc.   I have them from 1/8 up to 1/2 oz., all depends on conditions.  Nothing better than the sun coming up on a beautiful summer morning and all of a sudden..............you are changing your underwear!!

[Mobasser]

26 minutes ago, scaleface said:

MoBasser its so coincidental  that we live in the same part of the world and use the same baits . Purple Jelly worms , CC spinners... I'm a buzzbait fanatic . I use hand poured ones with a stair-step  bend in the wire so the bait  sits a little deeper .After a little experimentation  it came out the way I wanted , then made a jig to bend the wire so they are all the same now . I seem to get a higher percentage of hookups that way .The last couple of years I've been adding a swimbait [ Yum Money Minnow }in lieu of a skirt . It adds weight , lift and  retrieve's slower .The bass hammer it .

I agree. I think some baits become regional favourites with anglers. I've known a few Missouri anglers who liked purple and grape worms. Buzzbaits, I think are universal. They seem.to work anywhere bass are feeding on the surface. Lots of hot summer mornings a buzzbait and plastic worm are all I use.

[swhit140]

I love me a buzzbait, I always have one tied on in the morning & evening. Last summer I was smashing them on a buzzbait in the middle of the day with a little green slime on the water surface. My buddy smashed a 8lb Channel Cat on a buzzbait a couple years ago.

 

 

 

[jimmyjoe]

?

44 minutes ago, Mobasser said:

. I've known a few Missouri anglers who liked purple and grape worms.

   I wish you two would quit this. You're torturing me! I've sworn off the soft plastic (at least for this upcoming year) and stuff like this gets to me in a weak moment.  ?

   Seriously .... I like buzzbaits. When I was restricted to lighter lines, it was the Strike King Mini Pro Buzz, always black.  Now, it's just the Pro Buzz. I never used a trailer body, but I'd use a trailer hook when they showed a tendency to short strike. That, or speed up the retrieve.       jj

[scaleface]

I will say this about the most savage strikes . Stanley Ribbetts .Last season  I had several fish come out of the water too hit those things .

[Mobasser]

I was bank fishing years ago with a friend. We were probably 25ft apart, and he was throwing a white Bill Norman buzzbait, that I had loaned him. He made several cast with no takers, when he was reeling in the buzzer about 3ft from shore. BOOM!! A good bass smashed it. He missed the fish, and said" did you see that"? I said yes, you gotta be ready. He said "Man, that scared the crap out of me"!?

[Log Catcher]

I haven't used buzzbaits much for a while but I do catch fish with them. I have Cavitrons as well as some other brands. I have my best luck with white, ghost minnow, or chartreuse colors. I just recently bought two black buzzbaits. One made by Greenfish Tackle and the other by War Eagle. I have never caught anything on a black buzzbait but a friend told me  the SMB like them real well in an area we both fish some. I guess I will find out eventually.

[keagbassr]

Buzzbaits are the first bait I'll throw from about he 2nd week of april until Halloween although the bite doesn't usually kick in good til the middle of may. I use both single and double buzzbaits. My singles are mostly 3/8oz.Homemade  (Do.have some1/4 but don't use them much) in black/red flake and chart./wht. My doubles are 1/2oz. Buckeye lures in the same 2 colors listed as well as white. Throwing them on 7' mh/f rod -6 speed reel and 40lb. Braid. And of course always a trailer hook.

[Ppennin986]

I love all topwater bites rather it’s a popper or a frog or buzz baits I’ve even caught bass on a fly rod 

[FryDog62]

I'm actually gravitating back towards buzz baits.  I jumped on the Whopper Plopper bandwagon a few years ago like a lot of people.  I still throw them but a lot of times it can be so "in their face" loud, fast, etc that I think a lot of the smarter fish can get turned off.  Yes, sometimes WP's work better than anything, but more and more I'm downsizing from the 130 to the 110 or 75.... and I even went back to buzzin' last year.  I can get it to go slower than a WP and still cascade the rooster tail just enough.  A lot of times that's what seems to work best.  

 

Still will throw the Ploppers or Choppos... but half the time now its the buzz bait - and yes, still some ferocious blow ups!  

[Goldstar225]

Another buzzbait lover here.  Very early in the morning, late in the evening it's my preferred bait.    

[txchaser]

Cavitron with the clacker in chartreuse with a red blade has outperformed other colors and styles for me regardless of water clarity. Sometimes I'll jam a toad sideways under the skirt for a bigger presentation.

 

[Bluebasser86]

I love buzzbaits, but they hit ploppers way harder for me. A lot of my buzzbait bites I never see or hear, just feel the weight.

[Smells like fish]

I'm not sure if I have ever caught a fish on a buzzbait. I  know, Its never too late to start. 2020 might be my lucky year lol. I remember owning some as a kid and I still have them just never used them much