When to Fish a Buzzbait

I had a fella ask me the other day when I start fishing topwater baits each season. My response was along these lines: "I usually start tossing 'em a little bit when the water temp hits about 50 degrees, continuing on through the summer, and until fall, when the water temp drops below 50."

And that answer seemed to jive pretty well with information I found during some subsequent research on the Internet. But when I decided to limit my search to just "buzzbaits," I got a bit of a shock. While the general consensus seemed to agree that the 50-degree mark was a good place to start--and stop, I found a couple of guys who said you should consider casting buzzbaits as early as February.

One key to making their approach work is to run the bait as slowly as possible across the surface. There are a couple things you can do to add lift to the bait. First, bend the blades downward slightly. Second, use a long rod and hold its tip high during the retrieve.

Here are some other things involved with this approach:

     * It works best when the water temperature hits the mid- to high 40s and is on the increase. Be especially alert for periods of stable weather and lots of sunshine. Ideal conditions also include calm or light winds and clean water. Fish the buzzbait from midday into the afternoon.

     * Areas that are protected from the north wind but with exposure to direct sunlight, such as pockets and set-backs, are a good place to start. Many times, these areas will be the north shorelines of coves. The key is to find spots where the water is a few, or maybe several degrees warmer, and where you have some stumps, logs, treetops, or other fish attractants. Be watching for any kind of fish movement in the water--a sign that it's warm enough for fish to be active.

The biggest hurdle to be overcome with fishing a buzzbait in February is to get over the idea that it's just a warm-weather bait. Instead, you have to convince yourself that it's an all-season lure--and one that can put some bigger bass in the boat.

I read a story in an old Bassmaster  in which Gary Klein used a buzzbait one February day in Texas to catch 14 bass over 4 lbs. in a span of two-and-a-half-hours, starting late in the morning. His best fish of the bunch weighed 12 lbs. 9 ozs.

So this next February when you're out on the water, don't be afraid to tie on a buzzbait. Besides maybe getting some explosive heart-stopping strikes, you very well may land one of the biggest fish you've ever caught.