Buzzbait Top 10 Mistakes

Although buzzbaits are a year-round bass-catcher in the southern tier
states, here in the nation's midsection we're just coming into prime months
for buzzbait enthusiasts.

I was daydreaming this afternoon about dragging a burbling, sputtering
buzzbait past a stump where a big ol' bass is likely to slurp it down, or
the explosive strike that we're treated to sometimes. Although buzzbaits are
big-bass baits, some of us may have lost confidence in buzzbaits and prefer
to throw other topwater lures instead. I have to admit, with a 50% strike to
hook-up ratio, in a tournament situation I feel more confident using a
higher percentage lure, but by adding a spinner blade behind the buzz prop
I've experienced a marked improvement in my hook-up rate. Now closer to
three quarters strikes result in hook-ups. And for tournament anglers,
that's important.

I tallied a list of other factors that determine success with buzzbaits, and
you might be interested in the list I came up with. So here are my Top 10
Mistakes That Anglers Make Using Buzzbaits, from least (10) to most (1)
important:

10. Selecting a cheap, poorly constructed bait
9. Keeping it on the surface at all times
8. Using the same size and color for all water and light conditions
7. Using lightweight monofilament line
6. Retrieving it too fast
5. Relegating it to the post-spawn period and warmer months
4. Keeping it away from cover and brush to avoid hang-ups
3. Failure to add a trailer hook
2. Jerking the bait away too quickly on the strike
1. Not throwing them at all

Is this your experience as well? Any other mistakes that I left off?

Joe Haubenreich wrote:
Although buzzbaits are a year-round bass-catcher in the southern tier
states, here in the nation's midsection we're just coming into prime months
for buzzbait enthusiasts.

I was daydreaming this afternoon about dragging a burbling, sputtering
buzzbait past a stump where a big ol' bass is likely to slurp it down, or
the explosive strike that we're treated to sometimes. Although buzzbaits are
big-bass baits, some of us may have lost confidence in buzzbaits and prefer
to throw other topwater lures instead. I have to admit, with a 50% strike to
hook-up ratio, in a tournament situation I feel more confident using a
higher percentage lure, but by adding a spinner blade behind the buzz prop
I've experienced a marked improvement in my hook-up rate. Now closer to
three quarters strikes result in hook-ups. And for tournament anglers,
that's important.

I tallied a list of other factors that determine success with buzzbaits, and
you might be interested in the list I came up with. So here are my Top 10
Mistakes That Anglers Make Using Buzzbaits, from least (10) to most (1)
important:

10. Selecting a cheap, poorly constructed bait
9. Keeping it on the surface at all times
8. Using the same size and color for all water and light conditions
7. Using lightweight monofilament line
6. Retrieving it too fast
5. Relegating it to the post-spawn period and warmer months
4. Keeping it away from cover and brush to avoid hang-ups
3. Failure to add a trailer hook
2. Jerking the bait away too quickly on the strike
1. Not throwing them at all

Is this your experience as well? Any other mistakes that I left off?



Tying one to your pickup truck mirror to break-in the blades, and
forgetting about it.

That in a tournament situation, when everybody is tossing buzzbaits,
throw a Pomme Special. (For those that have no idea what a Pomme Special
is, it looks like a large short-arm spinnerbait. Typically fished with
a plastic bait on the hook to add lift. Fished like a buzzbait, it will
"gurgle" when retrieved at a slow speed. The more it's fished, the
better the bait, and you get. Usually found at baitshops scattered
around the Midwest.)

Carlos

I like to flip my skirts around so they are shorter and a bit bulkier.

Trailer hook, Trailer hook, Trailer hook!!!

If fishing open water, use a treble trailer hook.

Dave V

"Joe Haubenreich" swljoe-at-secretweaponlures-dot-com wrote in message
...
Although buzzbaits are a year-round bass-catcher in the southern tier
states, here in the nation's midsection we're just coming into prime
months
for buzzbait enthusiasts.

I was daydreaming this afternoon about dragging a burbling, sputtering
buzzbait past a stump where a big ol' bass is likely to slurp it down, or
the explosive strike that we're treated to sometimes. Although buzzbaits
are
big-bass baits, some of us may have lost confidence in buzzbaits and
prefer
to throw other topwater lures instead. I have to admit, with a 50% strike
to
hook-up ratio, in a tournament situation I feel more confident using a
higher percentage lure, but by adding a spinner blade behind the buzz prop
I've experienced a marked improvement in my hook-up rate. Now closer to
three quarters strikes result in hook-ups. And for tournament anglers,
that's important.

I tallied a list of other factors that determine success with buzzbaits,
and
you might be interested in the list I came up with. So here are my Top 10
Mistakes That Anglers Make Using Buzzbaits, from least (10) to most (1)
important:

10. Selecting a cheap, poorly constructed bait
9. Keeping it on the surface at all times
8. Using the same size and color for all water and light conditions
7. Using lightweight monofilament line
6. Retrieving it too fast
5. Relegating it to the post-spawn period and warmer months
4. Keeping it away from cover and brush to avoid hang-ups
3. Failure to add a trailer hook
2. Jerking the bait away too quickly on the strike
1. Not throwing them at all

Is this your experience as well? Any other mistakes that I left off?

Those are all good observations Joe but I am interested in how the spinner
blade helps the hook-up ratio ? Thanks !
"Joe Haubenreich" swljoe-at-secretweaponlures-dot-com wrote in message
...
Although buzzbaits are a year-round bass-catcher in the southern tier
states, here in the nation's midsection we're just coming into prime
months
for buzzbait enthusiasts.

I was daydreaming this afternoon about dragging a burbling, sputtering
buzzbait past a stump where a big ol' bass is likely to slurp it down, or
the explosive strike that we're treated to sometimes. Although buzzbaits
are
big-bass baits, some of us may have lost confidence in buzzbaits and
prefer
to throw other topwater lures instead. I have to admit, with a 50% strike
to
hook-up ratio, in a tournament situation I feel more confident using a
higher percentage lure, but by adding a spinner blade behind the buzz prop
I've experienced a marked improvement in my hook-up rate. Now closer to
three quarters strikes result in hook-ups. And for tournament anglers,
that's important.

I tallied a list of other factors that determine success with buzzbaits,
and
you might be interested in the list I came up with. So here are my Top 10
Mistakes That Anglers Make Using Buzzbaits, from least (10) to most (1)
important:

10. Selecting a cheap, poorly constructed bait
9. Keeping it on the surface at all times
8. Using the same size and color for all water and light conditions
7. Using lightweight monofilament line
6. Retrieving it too fast
5. Relegating it to the post-spawn period and warmer months
4. Keeping it away from cover and brush to avoid hang-ups
3. Failure to add a trailer hook
2. Jerking the bait away too quickly on the strike
1. Not throwing them at all

Is this your experience as well? Any other mistakes that I left off?

Joe Haubenreich wrote:
Any other mistakes that I left off?


Fishing it too slowly. (You already said too fast)
Fishing it at too steady a speed. Varying the speed too much.

IOW, what's a mistake on Saturday might be just the ticket on Wednesday.
Some days they want it slow and steady, other days, sputtering and
uneven with some really fast burst mixed in.



carlos wrote:

when everybody is tossing buzzbaits,
throw a Pomme Special.

Gurgling a Pomme along the edge of a reed bed. O, SON did I used to
catch 'em that way up at the St. Lawrence! I'll gurgle most any single
that's heavy enough to feel right doing it, but it was with the real
thing -- a Pomme -- that I learned the technique. Thanks Carlos. That
brought back some gooood memories!

Using braided line... I find with topwaters I want a bit of stretch in
the line. For those who use a harder hook set instead of a good wrist
snap, you wind up pulling the lure right from the fish's mouth. At
least I do

Not killing it after a miss

You're welcome!

Carlos

I can't seem to find any reference on Google to the Pomme.

"RichZ" wrote in message
...

Joe Haubenreich wrote:
Any other mistakes that I left off?


Fishing it too slowly. (You already said too fast)
Fishing it at too steady a speed. Varying the speed too much.

IOW, what's a mistake on Saturday might be just the ticket on Wednesday.
Some days they want it slow and steady, other days, sputtering and uneven
with some really fast burst mixed in.



carlos wrote:

when everybody is tossing buzzbaits, throw a Pomme Special.

Gurgling a Pomme along the edge of a reed bed. O, SON did I used to catch
'em that way up at the St. Lawrence! I'll gurgle most any single that's
heavy enough to feel right doing it, but it was with the real thing -- a
Pomme -- that I learned the technique. Thanks Carlos. That brought back
some gooood memories!

I can answer this one! LOL

The blade rides pretty much over the hook. After the bass zero in on the
sound, flash (sight) is the next sense that comes into play. If you move the
blade over the hook, then that's pretty much where the fish is going to
strike. The blade, especially a Colorado, will also create just enough
resistance in the water to allow you to slow the bait down, without it
sinking underneath.

These are just my observations based on side-by-side comparisons of other
baits. Like they say though... your mileage may vary.


"Bass_Mr." wrote in message
k.net...
Those are all good observations Joe but I am interested in how the spinner
blade helps the hook-up ratio ? Thanks !
"Joe Haubenreich" swljoe-at-secretweaponlures-dot-com wrote in message
...
Although buzzbaits are a year-round bass-catcher in the southern tier
states, here in the nation's midsection we're just coming into prime
months
for buzzbait enthusiasts.

I was daydreaming this afternoon about dragging a burbling, sputtering
buzzbait past a stump where a big ol' bass is likely to slurp it down,
or
the explosive strike that we're treated to sometimes. Although buzzbaits
are
big-bass baits, some of us may have lost confidence in buzzbaits and
prefer
to throw other topwater lures instead. I have to admit, with a 50%
strike
to
hook-up ratio, in a tournament situation I feel more confident using a
higher percentage lure, but by adding a spinner blade behind the buzz
prop
I've experienced a marked improvement in my hook-up rate. Now closer to
three quarters strikes result in hook-ups. And for tournament anglers,
that's important.

I tallied a list of other factors that determine success with buzzbaits,
and
you might be interested in the list I came up with. So here are my Top
10
Mistakes That Anglers Make Using Buzzbaits, from least (10) to most (1)
important:

10. Selecting a cheap, poorly constructed bait
9. Keeping it on the surface at all times
8. Using the same size and color for all water and light conditions
7. Using lightweight monofilament line
6. Retrieving it too fast
5. Relegating it to the post-spawn period and warmer months
4. Keeping it away from cover and brush to avoid hang-ups
3. Failure to add a trailer hook
2. Jerking the bait away too quickly on the strike
1. Not throwing them at all

Is this your experience as well? Any other mistakes that I left off?

On 11 May 2006 03:24:37 -0700, "alwaysfishking"
wrote:

Using braided line... I find with topwaters I want a bit of stretch in
the line. For those who use a harder hook set instead of a good wrist
snap, you wind up pulling the lure right from the fish's mouth. At
least I do

Not killing it after a miss

Randy, using PP, I have had the problem of pulling it out of a Basses
mouth in the past. I began holding the rod in a nearly vertical
position and not looking at the bait. This allows the Bass to
virtually hook itself. When the rod is pulled down close to
horizontal, allow this to happen with resistance, I give the rod a
twitch setting the hook deeper. I lose very few Bass with this
method.

This is also a good way to teach newbies to Buzzbaits how to use them.
Wait until they lose the first few fish before you show this method to
them.

Works for me


I've learned that I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy it! (The hell with what my X-wife told me)

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