A buzzbait's a buzzbait, right? No way. Some squeak better than others, some fish slower, some are built with better components.

Put Cavitron buzzbaits in the "better" class. The baits have been around for a while, with a strong, loyal following. But Cavitron was recently purchased by scent company MegaStrike, and some positive changes have begun.

The "new" Cavitron has gone red – not just the hooks, but the blades too. And the head's been redesigned. And the patented blades are now manufactured with a new anodized process that keeps the color intact. The red won't chip off, and they still have that same great squeak and squeal.

A Little Background

MegaStrike is the industry leader in gel-amino-acid, time-release scent. Owner Bobby Uhrig jumped at the chance to buy Cavitron. "It was always known as the slowest buzzbait on the market, and now it's the most uniquely shaped buzzbait as well," he said.

That's not just for looks. He also noted the new design elements are meant to increase the hook-to-land ration. "We spent countless hours studying bass underwater and noticed when a bass engulfs a bait, he actually gets more air than bait, and when he turns his head, he releases that air. That's what causes most anglers to miss fish."

His solution was to lower the hook by using an oxbow bend. "That also takes the potential of rolling out of the equation."

Our Tests

We found that the angled head works well around wood and other hard cover, and the deflection properties are exceptional. It was also nearly weedless when fished over vegetation. Unless the blade gets wrapped up, it can be fished in heavy, heavy cover without any major problems.

Most buzzbaits on the market have a straight wire from the line tie to the business end of the bait. When a hooked bass shakes its head, it can use leverage to bore a larger hole in its lip, then throw the straight-wire bait.

But the new Cavitron utilizes an oversize Gamakatsu hook with a wide barb. The combination of the hook and wire worked very well to hold fish, and we never felt the need to add a trailer hook.

We also really liked the unique sputter pattern of the bait when we buzzed it quickly. We also were able to tune the bait to increase its effectiveness around docks and around grass, bushes and laydowns. By bending the blade portion a small bit to the right or left, the bait will track back to the angler on an angle. You can actually run the re-tuned bait under a dock – sometimes as much at 2 feet or more on a long cast.

Buzzbaits usually catch big bass and the Cavitron's no exception. It's available in 1/8-, 1/4- and 3/8-ounce versions in five colors and three blade combos (gold, red, black).

For more information, visit www.CavitronLures.com.

Notable

> These baits just-plain look great – especially the unique, holographic silicone skirt.

> The new Cavitron with the bent-wire design also has one of the most unique squeals in the industry. That's partly due to the wire used (40-gauge), and partly because of the holes punched at precise locations in the blade.

> Why use standard wire instead of titanium? "We looked at titanium but felt it was too limber – too flimsy," Uhrig said.