READY FOR TOPWATER TIME?

Ray Larson has fished a lot of tournaments and boated a lot of bass, especially using topwater techniques. He was fishing as a co-angler with the "People's Champ", Nick Ferry and when the bass started hittin' to the clickin' of Ray's buzzbaits, Nick took notice. "what are you throwing?", Nick asked. "My own design Razor Custom Tackle Toad Knocker," answered Ray. The rest is history. That bait and it's "sister" the Sonic Buzz are the only buzzbaits Nick carries now.

The beauty of the Toad Knocker is that you can adjust the blade to hit the head soft, hard, in-between not at all. Nick lets the fish tell him the amount of vibration that excites the bite. The toad trailer helps give it buoyancy and helps you achieve that skipping-tyoe cast that will get the attention of the lunker under a dock or tree limb.

The Sonic Buzz gives Nick the more subtle option of a splash with the clacking. The arm has a drop profile that keeps the head a little lower in the water column letting the fish see the bait a little better and helping even the excited angler with the hookset. The design allows the bass to really zero on the meal. Pair it with a Rage Menace grub and it will let you work it a little slower which for Nick is the deadliest way to work a buzzbait- slowly with small bubbles for the BOOM!

Nick's favorite buzzbait time is right as the bass are coming off the beds and chasing bluegill away. The all through summer and

early-mid fall until the water turns over and water temps start to fall. During this extended

sumer/fall season, the bass come in from their deep water haunts to feed on Shad. Some of the best areas are along the line where pads and weeds start thinning out. For colors, the Champ is pretty basic- clearer waters go white white or mouse and in stained water go black. Razor baits are available on-line and at Scheels.