Buzz Baits in Competition 2025

Zeeter reply :

I've always been curious about this. Buzz Baits are great, but they are noisy. I have never used one in competition as usually I'm the new guy in the back of the boat and don't want to cause a ruckus.

Is it bad etiquette to use such a loud bait in a tournament setting?

corn-on-the-rob reply :

This is something I had never thought of before, very interesting. I would say it depends. Just use your best judgement. If the boater is covering water quickly using any technique, or its windy or rainy? go for it.

If he is pitching a jig in close quarters on a still, quiet day without a trolling motor using a push pole, maaaybe opt for a different bait.

scaleface reply :

It wouldnt bother me any . Go for it .

WRB reply :

As long as you don't cast in front or over of the other angler all the water belongs to both anglers. It's usually a good idea to use lures that can be presented effectively at the pace the front seater sets.

Tom

razor6570 reply :

Like someone else said, it depends on the situation.

When in doubt ask..... Nothing wrong with just saying hey mind if I throw this?

I willing to bet that 95% of the time they will say, go for it.

fishballer06 reply :

I fish as a co-angler in buddy tournaments. My partners have never complained whenever I throw a buzzbait at first light and put a quick 2-3 fish in the box.

scaleface reply :

On 2/15/2017 at 1:26 AM, fishballer06 said:

I fish as a co-angler in buddy tournaments. My partners have never complained whenever I throw a buzzbait at first light and put a quick 2-3 fish in the box.

Heck yes . co-angler wants to try something different , cast away . They have taken me to school many times .

J Francho reply :

Don't know why they'd care, but you never know. I've been paired with boaters that had all kinds of weird rules for the non boater. Part of the reason I only fish team format tournaments anymore. Bottom line, if you're putting fish in the boat, then your doing it right, despite what anyone else thinks.

scaleface reply :

On 2/15/2017 at 1:35 AM, J Francho said:

Don't know why they'd care, but you never know. I've been paired with boaters that had all kinds of weird rules for the non boater. Part of the reason I only fish team format tournaments anymore. Bottom line, if you're putting fish in the boat, then your doing it right, despite what anyone else thinks.

The no pee drops on the boat rule is a hard one for me . I dont have that great of pressure , to much friction loss .

J Francho reply :

I caught a non boater losing control, and going all over my gear shift and console graph. If it wasn't so cold, he might have been victim to the "sudden trolling motor oversteer" trick.

Siebert Outdoors reply :

I've always found myself watching the buzzbait as a nonboater throws one. Its always fun to watch one. With that said. I have never cared what the non boater throws.

the reel ess reply :

It's considered really bad form to outfish the boater Honestly, once he has gone past a spot, it's yours, no? Put enough good bass in the boat and I bet he'll break one out.

Turkey sandwich reply :

To me, it strategically makes sense to try different approaches until you figure out the fish. I haven't fished a tournament in a long time, but I've never gotten any push back because I was courteous. Don't cast to the water they're working, and just in general, don't be a jerk. So long as the boater doesn't have a jacked up ego, you might even get a "thank you" for finding a successful pattern.

riverbasser reply :

Someone explain this to me cuz I honestly don't know. This whole boater non boater getting paired up, are they not fishing as a team?

scaleface reply :

When I was fishing club tourneys I went out of my way to let the non boater catch fish . We usually took turns getting first cast at cover . Better make that first cast count because it was open game if it was missed . LOL. I didnt care who won , I just wanted it to come from my boat .

Zeeter reply :

On 2/15/2017 at 5:54 AM, riverbasser said:

Someone explain this to me cuz I honestly don't know. This whole boater non boater getting paired up, are they not fishing as a team?

Depends on the tournament and the club. In my case I'm talking about a situation where the boater and the non-boater are not a team. Sometimes the tourney has boat teams, sometimes they separate scoring for boaters and non-boaters, so a non-boater can only win the non-boater rewards while the boater can only win the boater award. Other times I've seen both the boater and the non-boater are on their own, competing against themselves and the rest of the field.

Thanks for everyone's input. I am about to join a new club, but I think I'll keep my buzzbaits stored away until I earn some pond-cred. Just something about being that annoying, loud, new guy that I'm worried about being.

riverbasser reply :

Thanks for clearing that up. Seems like a strange setup to me but I guess its a great opportunity for those without boats to tourney fish.

ww2farmer reply :

Granted, I fish team events...........but the biggest bag we ever weighed in, 22lbs....the one in my avatar pic., the little guy caught two of our weigh in fish on buzzbaits, while I caught the other three on jigs.

I don't care what the guy in the back is doing, as long as he's catching fish if I'm not. OR......... this is just as important in a team event......NOT CATCHING FISH to show me what's not working that day.

WRB reply :

Are you going to away all your top water lures like Whopper Ploppers, Pompadeur, Jitterbugs etc because make make surface disturbances? If the conditions are right use what wors for you, just don't violate the front sweaters space or cast over their line.

Tom

Zeeter reply :

On 2/15/2017 at 7:26 AM, WRB said:

Are you going to away all your top water lures like Whopper Ploppers, Pompadeur, Jitterbugs etc because make make surface disturbances? If the conditions are right use what wors for you, just don't violate the front sweaters space or cast over their line.

Tom

No - I might use a zara spook or something like that. I love poppers but in a boat where we're moving along the shore I don't see them as viable. Buzzbaits are just very, very loud. I get what everyone is saying - don't get me wrong. It's just me.

WRB reply :

You do realize bass can't hear with their ears more than a few feet away, the feel the disturbed water via the lateral line nerves and see the surface splashes, you hear the above water sound.

Whatever, enjoy your tournament fishing experiences.

Tom

RyneB reply :

I have never cared what my non boaters are using. A few times they turned me on to a bite on a bait that I never would have thrown. I care more about them casting in front of me or them constantly snagging a piece of cover that I am fishing. One time I was on a swim jig bite and was covering water at a quick pace, my non boater got mad that I wasn't slowing down so he could flip cover. That was the only time I ever told a non boater he better switch techniques. Most of them understand what the boater is doing and adapt. If you are truly concerned with making him mad, just ask.

flyingmonkie reply :

I didn't think twice about hurling my 130 size Whopper Plopper as a non-boater! As long as you're not fishing your boater's water, don't worry about it.

Bluebasser86 reply :

Use whatever you want. There is no way I'm putting up a bait I want to fish because it's bugging my boater. I'd probably fish it the rest of the day whether I was catching fish or not if someone made such a ridiculous request.

RichF reply :

A buzzbait wouldn't bother me one bit. I'd be more annoyed if you were trying to soak a weightless senko in the same spot for 5 mins at a time lol. In all honesty, I don't think any boater would be upset with you throwing a buzzbait. It certainly doesn't hurt to ask but I think you'd be in the clear.

Zeeter reply :

Thanks everyone for your replies. I'll probably throw one if it seems right. My real concern was that it's tournament day. Everyone is focused, concentrating, envisioning how they're going to catch their limit, and then I go throwing a buzzbait out there, ruining everyone's mojo.

Bobby Uhrig reply :

I'm throwing that sucker like I stole it. After I have a good limit and he asks if I have an extra one I tell em I might rabbit I might

Alpster reply :

It doesn't take very long to see if a buzzbait bite is on. By the time your boater gets upset you will either be catching fish or tieing on a new bait. If its dark or at dawn and the water is warming, somebody ought to be throwing it.

Bobby Uhrig reply :

As I have seen over the years ,the soft plastic market had taken over the industry and tournament scene. That buzzbait is an amazing and most underutilized bait on the tournament scene. It produces not only numbers but quality .everything needed to win tournaments. If you're in the back of the boat you can smoke the guy in front.

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Buzz Baits in Competition 2025

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