you all are missing it

[oldjigger]

For years I heard Gregg Mangus tell me about fishing shortly after ice out about fishing silver buddies.  These work very well when water temps are below 60 degrees.  this is what we got right now most every where in Mich
I was out for 2 hrs sat where several other boats did nothing to one in 5 hrs and I caught 3 in less than 2 hrs useing a silver buddy.  open your minds and increase your catching

[karol]

 vertical or casting with it and burning it back?
spinning or casting rod? thanks for the tips..karol

[McCarter]

i threw a silver buddy most of the day saturday on white lake and caught 5 or 6 chunky keeper largemouth on it.  im a blade fan and throw it often

McCarter himself

[djkimmel]

I like the blade baits though I fish with several anglers who are way better at it than me!

[thedude]

i've been forcing my self to use one for at least 20 minutes everytime out. thats really hard to do when i'm catching good fish on a jig everytime out. they don't seem to mind the water is only 46 degrees this year.

[edyer]

I've been throwing the blade, but have been catching more on other baits.Three fish in two hours isn't really tearing it up Dick. I've been hearing the shaky head and cranks have been catching em too. Sounds like The Dude and a few other have been catching them on jigs. I thought the jerk bait bite would be on by now. The darter and centipede have caught a few too. Take your pick. Must be why I had 15 rods out yesterday.

[Wolverines]

I've been throwing the blade, but have been catching more on other baits.Three fish in two hours isn't really tearing it up Dick. I've been hearing the shaky head and cranks have been catching em too. Sounds like The Dude and a few other have been catching them on jigs. I thought the jerk bait bite would be on by now. The darter and centipede have caught a few too. Take your pick. Must be why I had 15 rods out yesterday.

Come on ED!  You know the power of the blade    There's definitely more to it than just tossing it out there and reeling it in though. 

Normally the jerkbait bite would be on for sure, but normally the water temps would be in the mid to high 50's even low 60's by now.  It's been a cold spring....

[oldjigger]

The other guys that were on the lake caught very few fish at all.  I just wanted to stay this is the time of the year to learn to throw it and the water temps are down.  It was very windy and I wasn't there very long fishing.  I was checking out how every thing was working.  The 3 fish I caught would have weighed over 9 lbs or very close to it so if you want to learn one this is the year before it warms up to much to do it

[Anthony Adams]

I've been throwing silver buddies for more than 15 years but I would not consider it one of my go to baits. It is more of a specailized bait in specail conditions for me.

I tend to use it more in the spring shallow and mid summer deep. I also like it as a deep water bait in south in the fall.

However this thread has me wondering when, how and what techniques others are using it in.

Also silver buddies are no longer made. What brands are your favories and how can other readers acquire them. I have a fairly good supply of silver buddies in silver and gold colors. I like silver best in spring and gold best in summer.

If you don't mind share with the board your favorite techniques, colors and situations you prefer to use this in.

Pre spawn / spawn - Shallow - I use the yo/yo technique on a slow retrieve.

Summer Deep - I use a rip and drop technique and a med fast retrieve.

Fall Deep I use a slow jigging retrieve.