Bryan Thrift: Speed Demon
Tournament proving grounds – The two-time FLW Tour
Angler of the Year grabbed the top prize at the FLW Tour
Invitational on Lake Norman in September 2016, and a lot of
his winning catch came on buzzbaits. It was probably true of
several top finishers, but the way Thrift fished the lure made
all the difference.
“I love a buzzbait in the fall because I can fish it fast and
cover a lot of water,” says the North Carolina pro. “Plus, you
can catch fish on it anywhere – backs of creeks, around docks
and grass, even on main-lake points over 15 feet of water.”
Gearing up – At Lake Norman, Thrift caught several spot-
ted bass on a Damiki MTB Noisy Buzzbait (natural shad skirt
with a silver blade). He threw it on a 7-foot, heavy-action
Fitzgerald Stunner HD casting rod matched with an Abu
Garcia Revo STX Gen 4 reel (8.0:1) loaded with 20-pound-test
P-Line Original. It’s a combination the Tar Heel pro uses with
great success everywhere he fishes in the fall. Thrift doesn’t
like braid for buzzbaits – preferring mono or copolymer – and
he doesn’t use trailer hooks.
“I want the fish on the big, strong main hook,” Thrift says,
“not on a little trailer hook. Plus, the trailer hook will often
catch just enough in a bass’ mouth that the main hook can’t
get any penetration.”
Dialing in – A key to Thrift’s favorite fall buzzbait
approach is his retrieve. Not only is he fishing the bait faster
than most other fishermen are likely to, but he also adds
action by twitching the rod tip throughout the presentation.
“Every five or six cranks, I’ll pause for just a half-second
and twitch the rod tip. I think it gives the bait a little added
attraction. Plus, it makes my buzzbait look a little different
than everyone else’s, and I think it helps to pull bass from
deeper water or make a following fish commit to the bait.”
Damiki MTB Noisy Buzzbait
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FLWFISHING.COM I APRIL 2018