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For a few years I've been ordering parts and building my own buzz baits. Simple to do and saves me a few bucks, especially once you've invested in the rivets, beads, skirts, etc. Here's my most recent variation: using a plastic body instead of a skirt, thinking the plastic body gives the lure a little different and perhaps smaller visual profile in the water. It also adds a bit more weight to the lure, making it easier to cast longer, and it seems to reduce the tendency of the bait to "helicopter" in flight and reduce casting distance. Also I crimp down the rivets -- put the front one way up the wire, as it seems to make it easier to remove grass/weeds, and the fixed rear one causes a noticeable "squeak" as the blade rubs against it on retrieve. I use a smaller drill bit than normal to drill two holes in each side of the blade instead of one, which seems to increase the gurgling sounds the blades make as they rotate in the water on retrieve, and it seems to help the lure stay on the surface on retrieve as well. The plastic body is actually some model of Saltwater Assassin I bought on clearance years ago -- may not be available any more, but I have an entire bag. Determined that a paddle or curly tail caused more resistance than I wanted and hinders the lure from staying on the surface. I consider a trailer hook essential. I use sections of plastic tubing to secure the trailer hook; it keeps it from working itself back over the barb of the main body hook.
Would be interested in seeing other buzz bait mods.
photo below -- apologies for the fuzziness, phone camera doesn't focus well this close.
// joel
Would be interested in seeing other buzz bait mods.
photo below -- apologies for the fuzziness, phone camera doesn't focus well this close.
// joel
