Tips and
Techniques on Spinnerbait and Buzzbait Fishing
TRAILERS AND STINGER HOOKS.
Anyone who is going to use a spinnerbait or Buzzbait for Bass or any kind of Predator fishing
should add a split tail trailer to the lure as well as a stinger hook, The most effective way to add the stinger hook is to take a large eyed hook such as a sywash hook just a bit smaller than the main hook. Once the plastic trailer has been slid onto the main hook slide the stinger hook on with the point facing the same way as the main hook. Next take a small piece of silicon tube about 3mm in length and slide this over the main hook preventing the stinger hook from coming off during fishing (See diagrams 1 & 2 below).
This method much better than locking the stinger hook in place, the hook now has more play and fishes over structure 100% better than a rigid hook. Adding a stinger hook to the back of your lure will definitely eliminate those short strikes by about 90% and
it cannot emphasized enough how important it is to make sure your hooks are razor sharp,
don’t go fishing without a good hook file.
STEEL TRACES / LEADERS.
Use a leader only if necessary. Not only can the fish see it in highly fished areas and clear water but it also interferes with the action and running of the bait,
Not using a leader will lead to very few lost fish, probably 1 out of 50 as most predatory fish strike with incredible accuracy.
If you are fishing an area known to hold or produce very large fish the
use of a leader is recommended as these big boys will sometimes inhale the whole thing,
However, you do not need to use 40lb or 50lb leaders, a 12 inch 20lb steal leader in conjunction with 15-20lb main line, a good multiplier / Baitcaster Reel and a medium to medium heavy action 7ft casting rod more than adequate in most situations.
A good leader to use is one that incorporates a single strand with a ball bearing swivel crimped on at one end and crimped directly to your lure at the other, the less you have on your line to catch on snags and weed etc. the better.
WEEDS AND STUCTURE.
Spinnerbaits and Buzzbaits are both excellent lures for fishing weedy, woody and generally snaggy areas due to their design, it is very easy to run these baits over, through and around most areas that would be impossible to fish using Crankbaits or
Jerkbaits. When fishing areas with wood, brush and reeds etc. cast beyond these obstacles and retrieve your lure directly through them, make the lure bounce off these obstacles and if the water is deep enough let it flutter down for a second or two after striking an object as this can actually cause a fish to strike out of reflex or anger, either way it works.
RETRIEVE.
We’ll start with the Buzzbait, This lure to be the most exciting one of the two strictly because you can beat the thrill of a top water hit, It’s also the easiest one to retrieve as you simply reel it
in. It is important to remember though that once you get a comfortable retrieval speed and get that lure buzzing across the surface smoothly you are not going to be guaranteed to land all hits unless you follow a couple of important tips on how to set the hook.
Unlike with the spinnerbait where you generally feel the weight of the fish and then set the hook, the Buzzbait is much different. The first thing you see when a fish hits a top water lure is a splash or a swirl and this is where most anglers make the fatal mistake of setting the hook too early hence pulling the lure away from the fish , you must wait until you feel the weight of the fish before you heave back on your rod. It’s a hard one to master but until you do expect to lose a few fish.
With the Spinnerbaits there are quite a few variations on how you can retrieve them, it’s not always a case of throwing the lure out there and reeling it in, although this works here are a few tips that can put the odds of catching in you
favour. When you know that the fish are active try using a fast retrieve just under the surface, they refer to this as burning the spinnerbait and this allows you to cover a lot of water quickly. If your lure starts to roll at high speed try twisting a piece of lead wire around the shaft of the main hook near the head, this extra weight allows the bait to be retrieved faster. On colder days such as when a front may have come through your region try slowing your retrieve way down, virtually crawling the bait along the bottom, reel the lure up and let it flutter down and try speeding it up for a second and then slowing it down as all of these things can trigger a strike from an otherwise lethargic fish.
When fishing over weeds don’t be afraid to throw your bait right up in the thickest of foliage and rip it back when you feel it getting hung up, This is an unbelievable way of getting a fish to strike. Also, try reeling it across large weed flats letting the lure flutter down into any holes or openings you might see as you never know what might be hiding down there, Remember fish relate to any kind of structure.
When fishing fallen wood and stumps etc. again throw it up in there and bounce it over and through the obstacles causing the blades to bang and ding off of things, this will generally encourage a hit.
FOLLOWS.
When fishing any kind of lure such as these it is imperative to have a good pair of polarized sunglasses, you would not believe how many fish have followed your bait to the boat or bank and you never even saw them.
If you do see a fish follow up to the boat or shore don’t make the mistake so many anglers make and that is to stop reeling , this will usually result in the fish turning away. The idea is to do completely the opposite and actually speed up your retrieve, this seems to anger the fish into striking. If you are in a boat or have deep enough water near the shore and the fish is very close, stick your rod in the water and make a figure eight continuous motion in the water with about 12 inches of line between your rod tip and your lure, you would not believe how many big
bass have been caught this way so close to the boat or shore, just remember not to have your clutch / drag set too tight.
SCENTS.
Adding some kind of attractant to your lure will improve your chances of hooking a fish tremendously. Giving your bait a squirt of some kind of bait fish scent will not only be more appealing to the fish following it but they will also hang on to it longer giving you a few more seconds to set the hook, sometimes that’s what you need.
TUNING YOUR SPINNERBAIT OR BUZZBAIT.
It is important to keep your lure running true so to assure that happens check that your bait is lined up by holding the head and looking straight down at it, if the wire looks twisted in any way simply bend it back into position to avoid it rolling on retrieve. After hooking a few big fish your bait may get a bit bent out of shape.
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