01-01-13, 12:02 PM | #1 |
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Buzzbaits Fishing Help?
To Clacker or Not To Clacker? -
I've always wondered if everyone uses a clacker or not. I guess it makes sense to have a clacker when conditions are really murky or muddy water to help attract fish. I just would figure that the commotion of the actual buzz prop would be enough. Proper Props Also, when do you use a single vs. double prop vs. an inline prop? Some props have holes. Are the holes for different water displacement, sound ??? Do people like the holes> Color What colors do people generally use? Do you follow standard colors? Black @ night, chart/white during day? When & Where Interested in when & where people fish a buzz bait? Open water or over cover, rip through weeds, pads, reeds etc? |
01-01-13, 01:07 PM | #2 |
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I fish a buzzbait a lot, in fact there are very few tournaments from April on through the end of the season that I don't at least try to get them to eat a buzzbait the first few hours of the morning. I am blessed that I fish Grand Lake in Oklahoma a lot and it's an excellent buzzbait lake. Here is my take on buzzbaits.
Clacker or not? I like clackers when there is a little chop on the water. I don't like fishing buzzbaits when the water is really rough, but if there is a moderate chop down to a big ripple I will use clackers. If the water is really calm then I will use a buzzbait without clackers. Another situation I will use clackers in is when I am trying to pull fish out of cover or if I am fishing water that is fairly deep for a buzzbait. Fish seem to be less spooky if they are burried in cover, and they also are more comfortable in cover so they are less likely to come out into open water to eat a buzzbait. If you are fishing a buzzbait with a clacker in calm water that is shallow and open with no cover, I believe the louder buzzbait can spook fish that a subtle presentation with a buzzbait with no clacker might catch. Also to explain what I mean about deep water........to me a buzzbait is at its best in water from a foot deep to water 6 or 7 feet deep. Much deeper than that and it seems like fish don't want to come up and eat a buzzbait as well as they will other topwater baits like a spook or Gunfish. If I am fishing a buzzbait in water that is a little deeper than ideal for a buzzbait I prefer a clacker because it seems like the extra noise will help get those fish to come up after it. Water clarity doesn't really play a role in whether or not I use a clacker, in my opinion a fish can locate a buzzbait without a clacker just fine in muddy water so that isn't really a reason to use one. To me a clacker is more about making enough noise in certain conditions to get a fish to commit to it once they locate it. I think that double blade buzzbaits are at their best on waters that get very little pressure. I don't use them much because most of the lakes I fish get a huge amount of fishing pressure. As for holes in blades, I have heard companies say it's to give the bait a different sound. I have also heard some say it's to create a bubble trail for the fish to follow to the bait. I don't know if it changes the sound, and I do know it will create a bubble trail. However I don't believe this really makes much difference. The fish can locate the buzzbait just fine without a bubble trail pointing the way. As for colors, I keep it really simple. Most of the time I use black. The only time I use a buzzbait that is anything but black is if I am fishing clear water on a sunny day, then I will use white. I like fishing buzzbaits on shallow banks and points. I will pick apart any laydowns, brushpiles, docks, ect I come to. Don't be affraid to make several presentations to the same piece of cover or structure because sometimes you have to annoy the fish into biting, and sometimes it's all about coming through the cover at the right angle.
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01-01-13, 03:33 PM | #3 |
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kory covered this very well in my opion. although i use mostly white buzzes, i have also started to use black some. it looks like a shadow.
as for clackers..i don't have one with that on it. nor do i have a double. but that is going to change i hope. lol.
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01-01-13, 04:22 PM | #4 |
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Looks like C-rig covered it pretty well. I think if you took a bunch of new fisherman, placed them in some kind of isolation where they had zero outside influences and gave them a handful of buzzbaits- told them to fish with them for a year or two- you'd probably find all of them arriving at basically the same conclusions. Of course we all develop our own little twists. I usually only throw 3 colors...white/chartreuse-black-bluegill. I prefer the clear tri-wing blades in clear calm or pressured water and if it's much deeper than the above mentioned 6-7 ft I just throw something else at them. Don't care for tandem blades and really like holes and clackers. Extremely rare for a buzzbait not to be the first thing wet on a summer morning.
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01-01-13, 04:29 PM | #5 |
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Another thing worth mentioning. If your fishing a buzzbait and are having a lot of fish slap at it like they kinda want to eat it but won't blow up on it, try fishing the same areas with a swim jig. So many times over the last few years I have fished buzzbaits around laydowns, docks, or shallow bushes and knew that it was the perfect situation for catching some buzzbait fish, but for some reason I couldn't get the fish to eat a buzzbait. I have found that a lot of the time you can present a swim jig in the same places and these fish will choke it.
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01-01-13, 04:43 PM | #6 |
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thanks kory...ain't thought of that either!!! makes sense though.
would a fluke work the same?
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01-01-13, 04:53 PM | #7 |
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A fluke might work ok, but I really prefer the swim jig in this situation because you can cover water quickly with it and it's easier to pick apart cover with a swim jig. Think of it like this, the swim jig is a very similiar presentation to the buzzbait. It's just a little more subtle but it's presented in pretty much the same way as the buzzbait.
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01-01-13, 05:41 PM | #8 |
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Thanks for all the great info.
What are your favorite brand buzzbaits? |
01-01-13, 05:55 PM | #9 |
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There are lots of good brands out there. Booyah, Terminator, Strike King, and Omega are one that come to mind first. I would say of those brands, Booyah and Omega are probably my favorites.
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01-01-13, 06:28 PM | #10 |
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Do any of you use the War Eagle buzzbaits with the round holographic tape on the blade? I love their spinnerbaits but always thought the buzzbaits looked a little cheesy.
I like the Strike King Tour Grade buzzbaits for non-clackers and Booyah for clackers. Also, google or look up on youtube, 'KVD buzzbait tips' for some good tips on how to set up your buzzbaits to get the maximum noise out of them. There are things you can do to new baits to make them run like well used baits.
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01-01-13, 08:10 PM | #11 | |
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Quote:
I haven't seen the KVD videos on buzzbait tips but I will check it out because I am always messing with buzzbaits. I always drill the hole on the blade to where it's one size bigger than what it was out of the package. I also take some sandpaper and scuff up the rivet below the blade and then crimp it to the shaft so it won't move, this makes it really squeeky. Then I clamp them in front of a box fan and let the fan make the blades spin for 24 hours before I put them in the boat.
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01-01-13, 08:19 PM | #12 | |
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01-05-13, 03:31 PM | #13 |
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Great info!
I tune my buzzbaits like Kory does-put them in front of a fan and let them turn in the breeze. Some folks tie them to their antenna and let them spin while driving. I haven't tried this but it makes sense. I will also rough up the rivet to make them squeak better. Clacker-have some, haven't really thrown them, though. One thing I always do is add a trailer hook-won't throw a buzzbait without one, and will only use a free swinging hook. Some people put a piece of aquarium tubing over the eye and punch it through on the main hook, but this can cause the hook to be pointed at an odd angle. Instead I use a hole punch on a plastic lid and use the small disks as hook keepers. Put the point of the main hook through the eye of the trailer hook, then punch the point of the main hook through the center of the plastic disk then slide it down the main hook. it keeps the trailer hook on the main hook but allows the trailer hook to be free swinging so it stays in line with the bait.
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01-10-13, 07:49 PM | #14 |
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For some reason I always have my best days buzzin with the Strike King Bleeding Elite Buzzer. I don't know if it's the holes in the blade or the multi color skirt or both. Never really had good luck with clackers or the dual buzz. Was wondering if the inline style buzzers are any good?
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01-10-13, 07:58 PM | #15 |
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I prefer a harts with holes in the blades,and yes inlines can be good the old unckle josh went tru veggies much better than a cloths pin,in part because inline and single weedless hook.They do attract toothie critters as well as bass more so than a normal buzzbait.
Almost never use a trailer hook on either a spinnerbait or buzzbait,yet seldom lose fish.When I do its a spotted bass that jumped. |
01-11-13, 07:56 PM | #16 | |
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01-12-13, 11:13 PM | #17 |
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Good idea, Keith. Only one way to find out
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01-13-13, 01:31 AM | #18 |
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I think you're on the right track. I'll use a clacker when the water's real muddy like right after a good rain!
Most of the time I'll use one with holes though! However if they're just coming up and rolling on the bait, or not fully committing to it, I'll switch it up. Throw one without holes on, or one with a clacker. Most of the time the subtle change is all you need! The buzzbait bite gets hot there in late spring!
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02-12-13, 04:45 PM | #19 |
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You can also put a curl tail grub on it like a spinnerbait trailer and it really slows it down and puts out a ton of vibration.
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02-12-13, 08:12 PM | #20 |
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Gonna have to try that, Old Hooker. Thanks for the tip!
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