Buzzbait for Bass Fishing – It’s about the Allure

Buzzbait

Buzzbaits are surface contact lures known for erratic churning of the water surface that creates a bubbly wake lure action. Buzzbaits are also known for their noise and are relatively weedless, often used to cover water.

Anatomy: Buzzbait lures are skirted body lures which typically have one blade at the front followed by what is called a J Wire that allows for a skirted jig head to be located behind the blade. Anatomy can include a:

Clacker: [Figure 2 and 3] Buzzbaits with an arm that hits the blade as it spins creating additional noise.
Head Knocker: [Figure 4] A Buzzbait designed or modified to have the blade to hit the jig head. Some call a Buzzbait without a clacker or without modified/purchased head knockers as silent Buzzbait.
Dual Blades: [Figure 5] Less common is a buzzbait with 2 blades which creates more commotion and can be fished slower.
No Skirt: [Figure 6] Common, typically without a jig head or a skirt, often with a toad – soft plastic trailer.
Wire Keeper (Support Wire): [Figure 6] Less common, for there be a wire keeper to help the blade from being bent into the J wire. This design is for buzzbaits that have contact with floating/matted grass.
Holes in Blade: [Figure 7] Some buzzbait blades have holes which creates a bubble trail.
Floating Buzzbait: [Figure 8] Modified blades that float – typically 2 blades.
Inline Buzzbait: [Figure 9] Not common, a blade follows directly with a jig head and a skirt.

Lure Action. Often described as bubbling, waking, thumping, and plopping lure action.

Search Bait: Common

Pro’s Choice: Common

When to Fish Buzzbaits

Targeted Depth is:
- Shallow: Common, and some suggest a buzzbait will attract larger fish.
- Deep(Offshore): Not common.
Fishing Speed is:
- Fast: Common to cover water.F
- Slow: Not Common, as when fishing slowly a buzzbait will sink. Buzzbaits with 2 blades can go slower.
Lure Visibility is:
- High Lure Visibility: Common, in flat water or slight ripples. In high lure visibility some suggest smaller single blade buzzbaits with a black, non-flash blade. Some suggest fishing faster retrieves. Some suggest removing some of the skirt to provide a smaller profile to look more natural.
- Low Lure Visibility: Also Common, and some suggest larger profile plus the flash of the blade provides additional visibility.
  - Engaging Lateral Line: Vibration of the blade.
  - Engaging Hearing: Noise of the blade plus some suggest the more noisy buzzbaits for example the head knocker, clacker, or a dual blade.
  - Engaging Sense of Smell and or Taste: Not a major consideration.
Targeting Cover: Some suggest all lures are good near cover where buzzbait lures are good when contacting:
- Grass: Common over submerged grass and near clump grass
  - .Weedless: Common to target lightly or sparse floating/matted grass cover and thin emergent grass.
- Rock: Not Common
- Wood: Not Common
- Dock: Less Common, some suggest non-skirted buzzbait [Figure 6] which doesn’t have a jig head or a skirt, typically with a toad – soft plastic trailer.
- Off Cover: Common, when focusing on covering water for example working a shore line or some other shallow structure.

Specific Buzzbait Lure Decisions

Selecting the Buzzbait Lure Type, as a skirted lure body type, there are the following key decisions:

Jig Head: Generally with a swim head.
Jig Head Weight:
- Light: 1/8 oz,1/4 oz,
- Common: 1/2 oz, 3/8 oz
- Heavy: 3/4 oz
Blade: Smaller blades provide less noise where larger blades provide more commotion. Two blades providing even more commotion. Blades can be plastic or metal.
Soft Plastic Trailer: Common, with the trailer being the same color as the skirt. The trailer is also the source of much of the lure action. Some suggest when using a soft plastic trailer cutting the skirt back to the hook to further expose the trailer. Soft plastic trailers also keep the lure more buoyant allowing for slower retrieves. Some believe the bass will hold onto the lure longer with a soft plastic trailer allowing for better hook sets. Soft plastic trailers also add weight to the lure allowing for further casting distance.
- Common Soft Plastics: For trailers:
  - Craw: The two legs provide action and vibration while looking natural. If there are additional appendages they are removed. Also, the craw will be cut back to the desired size.
  - Swimbait Soft Plastic: Provide a variety of action depending on the choice with a paddle tail being common.
- Less Common:
  - Toad: Some suggest when using the Toad with or without the skirt. Some suggest the hook should be right at the legs. Buzzbaits can be purchased without the jig head and skirt designed for this purpose. Some suggest these can be skipped.
  - Jerkbait Soft Plastic: Used when a small profile is desired typically with the skirt cut so it is only a couple inches.
  - Grub: Generally, a double tail.

Lure Color: As lure color selection is mostly tied to the lure visibility download the Acute Lure Color Breakdown™ Infographic.
- Forage: Some suggest buzzbait lures mimic an injured baitfish.

Rigging Decisions

Main Line: Braid is common especially when fishing grass with 50lb plus test. Fluorocarbon is also common when there isn’t any nearby heavy cover to help reduce the pulling of the hook out of the fish’s mouth during the hook set.
- Light: 15lb
- Common: Around 20lb
- Heavy: 25lb plus for fluorocarbon, where in heavy cover, braid is common and can be 50lb plus.
Leader: Not Common, as a fast moving top water lure with the lure making a lot of commotion.
Rod:
- Baitcaster Rod: Common with Power = Medium Heavy (some say Medium when with braid) and Action(Taper) = Fast (some say moderate fast with braid)
  - Reel: Some consider 7.0:1 to 8.3:1 – a high speed reel.
- Spinning Rod: Not Common

Buzzbait Presentation

Presentations for buzzbait lures are commonly considered a horizontal presentation and a tight line presentation with the following considerations:

Cast Techniques:
- Common:
  - Overhead: Common, for long distances.
  - Roll Cast: Common, for less entry noise when casting past targeted cover.

- Less Common:
  - Skipping Cast: Typically with a flat soft plastic trailer for example a toad soft bait [See Figure 6]
Initial Lure Action: Engage bail and retrieve immediately not allowing the lure to sink.
Retrieve Techniques:
- Common:
  - Straight Retrieve: Swim retrieve with some varying of the speed which also results in variation of the sound.
Secondary Action: As the lure sinks, only very small pauses are possible, as such most just vary the retrieve speed slightly.
Identifying Fish On: As a top water bait typically will see the fish bite.
Hook Set: After a standard pause, the pull/sweep hook set albeit, more power may need to be applied as buzzbait generally have a thicker wire hook.
Repetition at Spots: Not Common

Additional Considerations

Trailer Hook: Common, as some buzzbaits are prepackaged with trailer hooks or they can be added. Less common is to use a treble trailer hook.
Seasons: Some suggest best in Spring/Spawn and Summer as the water temperature is increasing or warm. If fall, the slower speed buzzbaits.
Sight Fishing: Not common.
- Spawning: Not common.
Suspended Bass: Not common.
Follow Up Bait: Not common.
Current: Not common.
Time of Day: As a surface lure, some suggest shade, early mornings and dusk.
Targeting Wolf Packs: Not common.

Videos by Experts

Exposing ALL of my Buzz Bait Secrets – Jacob Wheeler Wheeler Fishing
4 Buzzbait Tweaks That Catch More Bass | Tournament-Proven Wired2Fish
How to fish a Buzzbait Part 1 – Bass Fishing Flukemaster
How to fish a Buzzbait Part 2 – Bass Fishing Flukemaster
Buzzbaits – Everything You Need To Know TacticalBassin
Buzzbaits Tricks You Didn’t Even Know To Try! Tacticalbassin
Catch More Fish with Buzzbaits | Expert Tips and Tricks Wired2Fish
Buzz Baits for Big Bass! Bill Dance Fishing
How to use a Buzz Bait Roland Martin Fishing
Rig your Buzz Bait like this – Tips and Tricks Scott Martin Scott Martin
Buzz Bait Hack!!! David Dudle Outdoors

Articles by Experts

How to Fish Buzzbaits for Bass MLF
How To Catch Bass Using Buzzbaits In-Fisherman
5 secret buzzbait tricks Bassmaster
Three Buzzbait Hacks to Help You Catch More Bass Mosterbass