Are You a Little Bit Buzzed?
Posted by Pete Robbins on Dec 16th 2019
One of the first JDM lures I remember seeing was a Tiemco Red Pepper Jr. that a friend fished for smallmouths up north in the mid-90s. Since that time, it has often felt like I’ve contributed more to the Japanese economy through tackle purchases than the collectors of anime, Hello Kitty and high-end electronics combined.
Despite that early introduction, Tiemco hasn’t been a major player in my obsession. They’ve produced a few lures I’ve used, but nothing that has become a regular member of the rotation. That will likely continue with the W-Buzz, which showed up in my Facebook feed this week. As best I can describe, this topwater looks like a stubby cigar with two buzzbait blades connected by a slinky across the neck. I guess it could work – after all, it wasn’t so long ago that the Whopper Plopper was an oddity rather than a phenomenon – but you’re going to have to sell me on this one.
Making it even stranger, it’s being marketed to catfish anglers. I’ve never caught a cat on the surface, and it doesn’t seem to offer any scent, so I’m wondering if it’s aimed at an altogether different strain of cat than any of those found around here. Either way, I’m curious and skeptical at the same time, and pretty sure that I’ll save a few bucks by not buying this one.
