Buzzbait fishing consists in "bubbling" a lure to the surface by reeling it in. There are two distinct approaches to buzz fishing, both of which involve moving a lure on the surface: buzzbait fishing and soft lure fishing.
Buzzbait fishing
The buzzbait is a kind of spinnerbait. It's a bent frame fitted with a fish-shaped weight, a hook and sometimes a silicone skirt. At the other end of the frame, in place of the paddles, you'll find a plastic or metal propeller.
When the buzzbait is reeled in, the propeller will keep the lure on the surface. This propeller will also generate a wake on the surface, a string of bubbles and a fair amount of noise.
The buzzbait is clearly an enticing lure that will help to spread out and trigger the aggressiveness and attacks of carnivores in the area.
Among the carnivorous fish that buzzbaits attract are black bass, pike, perch and, above all, catfish. The latter are very attracted by the strong stimuli emitted by the buzzbait.
Buzzing fishing
Buzzing is not a technique in itself, but rather a type of animation, nuance. Buzzing is used for surface fishing with soft lures in particular. It's an animation that consists of bubbling the surface, not with a buzzbait, but with a shad-type soft lure. The caudal beater agitates the surface and offers itself to predators.
This type of animation is very effective for fishing over weedbeds or in water lilies. The shad has a round or oblong cross-section to be fitted with a Texas hook. No need for ballast, the Texas hook should "quill" the shad, which is brought more or less slowly to the surface.
The right equipment
Depending on the species you're after, you'll need to adapt the power of your rod and reel set. For perch and black bass, an M or MH spinning or casting set is ideal. For pike and catfish, a casting set with at least H power is more appropriate.
Buzzbait fishing is fairly undemanding in terms of equipment, apart from the fact that a buzzbait pulls in the line. If possible, avoid high retrieve ratios for your reel, and assume that these lures can be used with many combos.
There are many buzzbaits on the market. For buzzing fishing, choose a rather flat and wide shad adapted to the Texas rig and with more lift to move on the surface.
