buzzbait modification

[Norm M]

I was fishing in a situation where the emergent vegetation was anywhere form a couple inches to 9 or 10 inches below the surface of the water. The fish made a pass at a buzzbait on the surface a couple of times but just one pass and didn't come back repeatedly like they do most times.

 

The buzzbait I was using was designed to allow the blade to rotate from a horizontal axis to a vertical axis when you killed the retrieve. This allowed the blade to spin and slow the drop as it fell. Basically the blade is on a separate wire with a loop at the end that attaches to a loop on the end of the wire coming from the bottom of the lure. I have no idea who made it as it came in a tackle box I bought at a garage sale and has no brand name on it.

 

I got a couple bass to hit when I let it drop, but I got more to hit when I started the retrieve again. They would hit the buzzer while it was moving forward under the water but not when it got close to or broached the surface again. I wanted to be able to keep the buzzbait running below the surface as that seemed to be the trigger. The best solution I could come up with streamside was to add a water gremlin bull shot to the shank off the hook. I figured I needed to have the lure running as close to horizontal as possible as that seemed to be working best. Unfortunately I couldn't get the bull shot to stay on the hook shank , it was too thick. I put it on the wire ahead of the body of the lure instead. this caused the lure to run slightly nose down.

 

I am happy it worked out that way as they hits changed to absolute slams.

 

I was able to keep the buzzbait running below the surface even when retrieved against the current. I did have to slow the speed a little to sustain the sub surface movement when retrieving against the current.

[sambennett]

I think I know what you're saying about where you're adding weights, but hard to understand this part:

 

"Basically the blade is on a separate wire with a loop at the end that attaches to a loop on the end of the wire coming from the bottom of the lure."

 

I'd ask for a pic... but... you know.

Ever run a tandem buzzer? Not tandem blades, but a buzzer with a trailer bait of some sort? Either a smaller spinner, a small buzzer or even a shallow crank? Shallow crank would get it down.

 

This has got the wheels spinning Norm. I expect you'd have to go with a pretty heavy mono connector to make sure they don't twist on the cast.

 

I've definitely had luck picking up fish behind a buddy fishing the buzz. Seems like some wake up but don't hit, or even miss it. Following up with a different bait works well sometimes.

 

-SB

[Norm M]

Sam

 

I'll do my best to take some pictures and get help posting them when I can. right now dealing with a kid in the hospital.

[Norm M]

Pictures.