Speedtrolling Buzzbaits.....wow.

[Steve Foss]

Mmm. Nice thread. Never done this with buzzbaits. Sounds like a blast. When I can run two rods for pike (two or more people in the boat), I always like one rod trolling on a short line in the prop wash. We're talking about 10-25 feet of line out. Any lure at all, though I like a shallow-running medium-sized Rapala type minnow that runs true up to 5 mph. Amazing how many pike come right up into the wash to smack a lure. Sometimes you'll get more fish on the propwash lure than on the other ones.

The propwash rig always is either no-stretch line with a mostly fiberglass rod or a mono with a stiffer rod. Those combinations allow enough give to keep from ripping hooks out when a fish hits but enough strength to let the fish set its own hook. I also keep the drag lighter.

Best lure I've ever used for pike is a big floating-diving rapala with the rear of the lure sawed off so there are only two trebles remaining. Then take red fingernail polish (don't tell your mate) and paint a few strips on the bottom rear of what's left of the lure. You can troll this, cast it and do a standard retrieve, work it like a jerkbait, whatever. It changes the action of the lure so fish conditioned to lures will feel something different, and the red may make it look like a baitfish with its tail chopped off. Read it in a magazine 25 years ago and ran out and bought three Raps immediately and "re-conditioned" them. Still have the black/gold, blue/silver and perch Raps, and they're so beat up and toothed up from pike (and walleyes, not to mention the occasional bass), that it's hard to guess what colors they were. Over the years, I've gone from Maybeline to Revlon nail polish. I really believe the blood red Revlon is the ticket!!

[delmuts]

now wait a minute!! now we are comparing brands of nail polish for painting lures ??? that reminds me, i have to go buy some since my daughter is off to college.