Buzzbaits

[lunker-lander]

Well, this is the new "art" of fishing I am really excited about this year. I don't have the rod yet, and probably wont get it until June/July for that matter, but I really want to master this bait. I have a few ideas of what I want/need, but I'll still gladly except your thoughts. Here is my criteria:

Rod - 6'8''-7', Medium, Moderate Action

Reel - 7.1:1 Gear Ratio

Line - 17-20 lb. mono or 30-40 lb. braided line

What do ya'll use?

-Lunk-

[Patrick Krueger, Jr.]

I use about the same. The gear ratio, to me, doesn't need to be that fast, and maybe a faster action rod. Everything else sound about right.

[Fish2win]

Some times slower is better for a buzz bait. The fish are moody. Fish2win

[BigBassin144]

As for rod, I'll be using a 6'3" MH Daiwa L&T topwater rod. For the reel, I think you can reel plenty fast with a 6.3:1 and you can also go slow enough to just creep the buzzbait across the surface. As for line, mono is a must. Braid will not give you the shock absorbing abilities of mono. I use 17 lb Stren Orig. in green or clear.

BB

[fishin' fool]

I use a higher speed reel like a 6:3:1, a shorter rod cause I'll be casting at targets, and line depends on the cover, but I don't go lower than 14 lb. Big Bassin is right about the shock absorbing of mono, you mush use it!
I ALWAYS use a trailer hook when I throw buzz or spinner baits. To many times I've had fish just on the trailer hook.

[jooleyen]

Me -

-6'10" MH Fast tip
-7.1:1 reel
-17-20 mono - braid if you're by heavy cover.

[lunker-lander]

Close enough....

-Lunk-

[Jigger]

Ditto on the trailer hook. Always. Reel a buzzer slowly then all of a sudden speed it up for a few cranks and make it throw the water and chatter. Sometimes that'll trigger a strike. Medium action rod and mono---15 lb. is about right for my stained water around here.

[BigBassin144]

I'm going to add trailers to all my buzzbaits and spinnerbaits this spring. What trailer hooks do you guys use? I'm lloking for one with more than like 5 in a pack and not too expensive. the VMC trailer hook is probably what I'm gonna get.

BB

[zooker]

Originally Posted by BigBassin144

I'm going to add trailers to all my buzzbaits and spinnerbaits this spring.

BB

i use owner trailer hooks on the buzzbait. but almost never use a trailer hook on a spinnerbait..

zooker

[keithdog]

Zook took the words right out of my mouth.

[Rebbasser]

Originally Posted by keithdog

Zook took the words right out of my mouth.

Mine too. NEVER throw a buzzbait without a trailer hook. 'Nuff said.

[lunker-lander]

What do you guys think of the Gamakatsu Trailer Hooks with the plastic molded onto the eye of the hook?

-Lunk-

[Rebbasser]

I prefer the trailer hook to be free swinging. I use a hole punch on a plastic milk jug and use the disks as a keeper. Put the trailer hook on then punch the point of the main hook through one of the plastic disks and slide it down the main hook to hold the trailer on but allows the trailer hook to swing free.

The problem with the moulded plastic kind or covering the eye with aquarium tubing is it can cause the trailer hook to point at an angle rather than running behind the buzzbait like a free swinging hook does leading to more hangups.

[lunker-lander]

Thanks, Reb!

-Lunk-

[BigBassin144]

I also prefer the trailer free swinging. I put the trailer hook on the main hook then just put a littl epiece of the tubing over the main hook to keep the trailer on. You can also put a grub or osmething on the trailer hook.

BB

[flippin4it]

7ft Kistler Helium med action, matched with a 6.3:1 Johnny Morris reel spooled with 14 pound mono. I perfer a softer tip, it seems to allow the fish to "take" the bait on a agressive strike.

[Texas_Justice85]

7' TWS All Star Classic
6.3:1 Abu Garcia 5500C3
15# Yo Zuri Hybrid in camo green

for my buzz baits I will use all different kinds but the ones I have had the most luck on were the $1 specials at Academy in white shad.

[Texas_Justice85]

always always ALWAYS use a trailer hook

[bcklash]

Rebasser, what a great idea, and a money saver. THANKS

[Fish2win]

I do use trailer hooks on a buzzbait but i do it a little different. I dont remember where I picked this up but I have done it for years. Instead of useing a normal hook use a treble as your trailer on a buzzbait. You will be surprised at the hook ups you get. Fish seem to come at many different agles when they blow up on a buzzbait and the treble hook gives you a little advantage. Fish2win

[Bob Smith]

I guess I am little different than most folks. I generally do not use trailer hooks on the buzzbaits or the spinnerbaits. I grew up fishing spinner baits and adopted the buzzbaits as part of my arsenal right after they came out. I remember my dad admonishing me when a fish short struck my baits, "Son, you're fishing too fast!". More often than not, I would slow down and start catching fish! My experience has increased over the years and what I've learned is that if a fish wants the bait fast, you can't reel it fast enough to take it away from them, even without a trailer hook. The only exception I have to the trailer hook is when I attached a mylar/feather dressed hook to a bait.
The other thing I will always do is put on some form of trailer, usually a 4" curl tail grub (most of the time in white). The grub helps the bass target the main hook a lot easier.
I've read the other posts "for" the trailer and mean no disrespect to those guys, more people use trailer hooks than not and that is fine. The above is just my personal preference.

[JB]

I was in a tourney once where a guy was using 6 trailer hooks behind the buzzbait
I use them if i see a short strike, but more often than not, i dont start out with any on a spinnerbait, and sometimes will start with one on a buzzbait.
BUt, have some ready in the tacklebox in case i neen 'em.

[Fish2win]

Bob there is a lot of wisdom in what you say. I usually dont use a trailer hook on a spinnerbait and I also use a 4 inch ring worm as a trailor on a spinnerbait. If you are fishing heavy cover even with a buzzbait the trailor will hang you up. This is especially true if the fish want the bait slow. Part of this thread was about speed reels for buzzbaits. There used to be a guy down in middle Tennessee that made a buzzbait called a buzz jewel. His name was Billy Phillips. He made a different blade design and a different head design that was strickly for fishing the buzzbait slow over millfoil. It was a high demand bait in these parts. You had to keep the buzz jewel on a slow retrieve in order for it to stay in the water at all. Those baits were all hand made to the best of my knowledge and there production died with him. They were deadly and you never placed a extra hook on them. Fish2win

[Bob Smith]

Wasn't the Buzz Jewel like an in-line Buzz bait? I remember using a few baits like that when Lake Conroe was a huge grass mat. Worked really well as long as you managed to put the bait in clear enough water to start the retrieve before you got to the mat!

I usually use my old standby Abu Garcia reels with a 3.8:1 retrieve on the buzz baits because I like the slow gurgling sound over the rooster tail. My spinnerbaits are usually on a 6.3:1 reel when the fish want it fast, otherwise I will slow roll it ona 3.8:1 retrieve. My rods are typically 6'6" medium action, I like a softer tip because I barrell roll my casts (modified pitch cast) so that my presentations are low, accurate and soft landing.