A lot of anglers don’t realize how versatile and effective buzzbaits really are. I’ve caught big bass on them in the heat of the summer, in the dead of winter and everywhere in between. They tend to be overlooked these days, but do you remember when they were invented? Tournament anglers actually argued that they were unfair because they caught too many fish.
Although many don’t talk about ’em much these days, you won’t ever see me without one of these special topwater lures rigged and ready. It’s one of the best ways to catch big, stubborn bass.
I’ve had an opportunity to test the 1/4-ounce Advantage Top Chop Buzzbait this year. In the late winter and early spring, I actually prefer a smaller buzzbait due to its subtle profile and different sound. It has been quite an impressive lure thus far. I’ve caught fish in just about every condition with it and I’ll run through what I like most about this special topwater lure.
Special head shape makes a difference
The Advantage Top Chop Buzzbait features a unique planer head design that’s certainly not just for looks. Not only does it allow the buzzbait to come to the surface quickly after each cast, but it also allows you to retrieve this buzzbait slower than most others. Sure, there are some times when burning a buzzbait across the surface is the way to go, but I’ve found that more often than not, a slow, methodical retrieve gets more bites.
The head is also quite durable. That may sound like a weird thing to say about a buzzbait, but the blade is positioned right over the head so it knocks against it every time it turns. I’ve used a bunch of similar buzzbaits in the past and sure, they sound good, but the heads often become wrecked after just a few fishing trips.
Beautiful high-quality skirts
This buzzbait is fitted with a 90-strand, 100% silicone hubbed skirt with built-in necktie trailers. In simpler terms, they’re gorgeous skirts that pulsate with even the slightest movement in the water. They’re don’t look anything like most of the buzzbaits you’ll see out there.
I’ve also liked how durable these skirts are. Lots of buzzbait skirts will start to fall apart after several fish catches, but that’s certainly not the case with the Top Chop Buzzbait skirt. It’s a wonderful combination of both beauty and brawn.
A very unique sound
Anglers will go to the extremes to make their buzzbaits sound different than others. They’ll hold ’em out the window while driving down the road, let ’em rust on purpose and several other little tricks. Thankfully, you really don’t have to do that with this particular buzzbait. It has its own unique sound straight from the package.
I use this buzzbait with both the blade knocking the head and without the blade knocking the head. It’s super easy to adjust just by bending the wire. But no matter how you decide to fish it, it has a high-pitch squeak and squeal that’s incredibly difficult to find in buzzbaits.
Bass hear the generic buzzbait sound quite a bit, so I do believe it’s important to give them something a little different. I can tell it makes a difference in this case because the bass just don’t bite this buzzbait. They come after it with every intention to absolutely destroy it.
It’s a workhorse
Buzzbaits are notorious for being fragile. While they don’t always break, a few big blowups can completely ruin their ability to run straight or function properly. Fortunately, however, Advantage has built the Top Chop on a rugged, heavy-wire frame that’ll hold its own against just about anything.
You’re not going to need to tinker with this buzzbait after every fish catch; just unhook the fish and get right back to casting. It’s great to find a top-quality buzzbait that not only looks great, but it’s also made to last.
Final impressions
You’re going to catch a lot of bass with this buzzbait. From its black nickel Mustad Ultra Point hook to its beautiful 90-strand skirt, this buzzbait comes straight from the package ready to make some noise and wreak havoc on the bass.
The Advantage Top Chop Buzzbait is available at TackleWarehouse.com.
